Nissan240SX1989Overview/nissan/240sx/1989/base/

1989 Nissan 240SX

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1989 240SX.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1989 Nissan 240SX is a compact sports car featuring a fuel-injected inline-four engine paired with a four-speed automatic transmission, requiring 3.4 quarts of 5W-30 API SM-grade oil and achieving EPA-estimated fuel economy of 18/23/20 mpg city/highway/combined. As the earliest model year in a tracked complaint history spanning 1990 to 1998, this generation accumulated 40 total owner complaints with the fuel system identified as the primary concern area, alongside a single recall. Compared to later model years in this range—particularly 1995, which recorded the highest complaint volume at 76—the 1989 vehicle demonstrates comparatively stronger reliability, positioning it as a relatively dependable entry point in the 240SX's production timeline.

Model year199819971996199519941993199219911989

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 API SMOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy18/23/20 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined18 / 23 / 20 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

Independent road tests for the 240SX of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.6–9.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.60 sec — 1989 SE Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1989SE Coupe 2.4L I-48.60 sec16.40 sec140 hpRWD
1989SE Coupe 2.4L I-49.50 sec17.00 sec140 hpRWD
1991SE Coupe 2.4L I-48.60 sec16.60 sec140 hpRWD
1992SE Coupe 2.4L I-47.90 sec16.20 sec155 hpRWD
1992SE Convertible 2.4L I-410.60 sec18.10 sec155 hpRWD
1993Coupe 2.4L I-48.60 sec16.50 sec155 hpRWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.4 qt of 5W-30 API SM engine oil, 75W-90 · 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil75W-90 · 80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2 Pints
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity3.4 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 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 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

The 1989 Nissan 240SX, as the launch model year, sits just before the federal record window that begins in 1990; its own complaint profile shows 9 reports for Fuel System, Gasoline, 6 for Seat Belts, 5 for Engine & Engine Cooling, and 4 for Vehicle Speed Control, along with 3 crash and 3 fire complaints. The subsequent generation arc reveals a high initial complaint volume in 1990 (47 complaints, 1 recall, 2 investigations) that drops sharply in 19911994 (2–16 complaints, zero recalls after 1991), then spikes again in 1995 (76 complaints, 1 recall) before declining to single digits by 1998, while TSBs climb steadily from 24 to 50 across the period. The 1989 fuel-system and seat-belt complaint counts exceed those of most later years for those categories, though the data does not specify root causes for any of these areas. Compared to the 1990 peak and the 1995 anomaly, the 1989 figures appear moderate but concentrated in safety-critical systems. The rising TSB trend suggests accumulating service knowledge that may benefit later owners. This is a fair year to buy if the fuel system, seat belts, and cooling system have been thoroughly inspected and any outstanding TSB work completed.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
9
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
40
Owner complaints
3 involved a crash · 3 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 40 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Fuel System, Gasoline9
Seat Belts6
Engine & Engine Cooling5
Vehicle Speed Control4
Visibility3
Steering3
Electrical System2
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

95V103002Seat Belts:Front:Buckle AssemblyReported 24/05/1995

THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY. Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES AND CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. THEY SHOULD…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 9 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB-09-1012010-09-30TiresNISSAN: TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) WARNING LIGHT ON/FLASHING. NO MODELS OR…
NTB-09-1292010-09-13EquipmentNISSAN: VENT CONTROL VALVE REPLACEMENT. WHEN REPLACING THE EVAP CANISTER VENT CONTROL…
NTB-09-0302009-04-06Electrical SystemNISSAN: THE 12 VOLT BATTERY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND IS…
990222005-10-28Seat BeltsFRONT SEAT BELT LATCH PLATE RETAINING BUTTON MISSING. *TT
NTB99022C2003-08-05Seat BeltsFRONT SEAT BELT LATCH PLATE RETAINING BUTTON MISSING. *TT

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 240SX. 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.

Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1989 240SX take?

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

Does the 1989 240SX have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 240SX get?

EPA figures are 18 city / 23 highway / 20 combined mpg.