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1990 Ford Taurus

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1990 Taurus.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1990 Ford Taurus is a passenger car whose engine takes 4.0 quarts of 5W-30 API oil, reflecting the straightforward mainstream mechanical package that defined Ford's sedan in this era. With 522 total owner complaints logged—concentrated in the Engine & Engine Cooling category—and eight recalls, this model year represents an early, moderately troublesome point in a complaint history spanning 1990 through 2019. The Taurus would peak in owner dissatisfaction just three years later with 1,822 complaints in 1993, while by 2019 the figure had dropped to only 11, meaning the 1990 model sits near the beginning of a long reliability arc that gradually improved across the model's lifespan.

Model year2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 1990

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Thermostat

RT1054 alt RT1112

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	188.6 in
Overall width	70.9 in
Overall height	54.7 in
Wheelbase	105.9 in
Curb weight	2961 lb
Track (front / rear)	61.4 / 60.2 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	63/37

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Taurus of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.6–10.7 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.60 sec — 1991 SHO Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1989	SHO Sedan 3.0L V6	6.70 sec	15.10 sec	220 hp	FWD
1991	SHO Sedan 3.0L V6	6.60 sec	15.20 sec	220 hp	FWD
1991	SHO Sedan 3.0L V6	7.70 sec	16.20 sec	220 hp	FWD
1992	SHO Sedan 3.0L V6	6.80 sec	15.20 sec	220 hp	FWD
1993	SHO Sedan 3.2L V6	7.50 sec	15.40 sec	220 hp	FWD
1986	LX Sedan 3.0L V6	9.80 sec	17.40 sec	140 hp	FWD
1986	LX Wagon 3.0L V6	10.70 sec	17.80 sec	140 hp	FWD
1995	SHO Sedan 3.2L V6	7.70 sec	15.80 sec	220 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0 qt
Engine Oil	10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity	4.0 qt
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	5.0 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 24,000 mi	Battery (inspect electrolyte level)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Timing Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

In the federal record, the 1990 Ford Taurus marks the start of the dataset with 522 complaints, a figure that rapidly escalates to 833 in 1991 and surges to a peak of 1,822 in 1993. This trajectory reveals that while the 1990 model has the lowest complaint volume of the early generation, it sits at the beginning of an escalating trend of defects that wouldn't subside until the late 1990s. The 1990 model uniquely carries the generation's highest number of federal investigations at 16, alongside 8 recalls, with primary complaint areas concentrated in Engine & Engine Cooling (77), Structure (65), Steering (51), and Air Bags (42). The data does not specify the root causes for these complaints—which include 35 crash and 31 fire incidents—but the high investigation count indicates early regulatory scrutiny of emerging faults. Given its position at the onset of a severe upward complaint arc and its disproportionate share of federal investigations, the 1990 Taurus is a risky purchase; buyers should instead seek later models in the generation where complaint volumes and investigations dropped significantly.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

522

Owner complaints

35 involved a crash · 31 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09 ’10 ’11 ’12 ’13 ’14 ’15 ’16 ’17 ’18 ’19

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 522 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling77

Structure65

Steering51

Air Bags42

Electrical System42

Power Train38

Vehicle Speed Control30

Service Brakes, Hydraulic26

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 8 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

94E036000Suspension:Front:Shock AbsorberReported 25/11/1994

THE ARC WELDS ON THE SWAY BAR BRACKET, WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE STRUT RESERVE TUBE, DID NOT FUSE PROPERLY. Remedy: MONROE DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STRUT FREE OF CHARGE.

92V065000WheelsReported 11/05/1992

CHILDREN CAN ACCIDENTALLY LOCK THEMSELVES IN THE FOOTWELL AREA OF THE REAR-FACING THIRD SEAT, OR IN THE STORAGE COMPARTMENT IN STATION WAGONS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN OPTIONAL THIRD SEAT. ONCE THE COMPARTMENT IS CLOSED IT… Remedy: REPLACE THE SELF-LATCHING ASSEMBLY CURRENTLY USED IN THE REAR STORAGE COMPARTMENT WITH A LATCH ASSEMBLY THAT CAN ONLY BE CLOSED WITH A KEY.

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Taurus. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Vehicles taking 4.0 qt Thermostat RT1054

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1990 Taurus take?

4.0 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1990 Taurus have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 8 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.