ToyotaVan1989Overview/toyota/van/1989/base/

1989 Toyota Van

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

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1989 Toyota Van pairs a four-speed automatic transmission with an engine that takes 3.2 quarts of oil in viscosities from 15W-40 to 20W-50 API, returning EPA ratings of 19 city, 22 highway, and 20 combined miles per gallon. Owner-reported issues total just three complaints, with vehicle speed control the leading category, and the model year carries zero recalls. That sparse complaint record and clean recall history place the 1989 edition as a notably trouble-free point in the van's production run, signaling reliable day-to-day service for owners and a low-risk profile for researchers.

Model year198919881987198619851984

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.2 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type15W-40 / 20W-40 / 20W-50 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/22/20 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 22 / 20 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.2 qt of 15W-40 / 20W-40 / 20W-50 API engine oil, GL-5 · 80W-90 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear OilGL-5 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.1 Pints
Engine OilABOVE 10 degrees F
Engine Oil Capacity3.2 qt
Power Steering FluidATF
Transfer Case Fluid75W-90 · 80W-90 · GL-4 · GL-5
Transfer Case Fluid Capacity2.6 Pints

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the spark plugs every 60,000 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 miUniversal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 10,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 15,000 miDriveshaft U-Joint (lubricate) · Transfer Case Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 20,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect) · Suspension Control Arm Bushings (lubricate)
At 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 40,000 miWheel Bearing (inspect)
At 60,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miFuel Evaporative Canister (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap O-Ring (inspect) · Spark Plugs (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.

The federal record for this generation of Toyota Van indicates a trend of very low complaint volumes and a total absence of recalls across the recorded years. For the 1989 model, reports are split evenly between the electrical system, vehicle speed control, and latches/locks/linkages, with one complaint each. The 1989 data also notes one crash complaint and one fire complaint, though the root causes are not specified. This model year shows slightly more varied issues than the 1990 version, which had only one complaint and one investigation. However, the 1989 figures are comparable to the 1994 model, which also recorded three complaints. Based on the minimal number of reported failures and the lack of recalls, this is a good year to buy.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
20
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
3
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 3 complaints on record, top 3 components.

Vehicle Speed Control1
Latches/Locks/Linkages1
Electrical System1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 20 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB0032202023-08-17Air BagsTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
Toyota PRO19-022022-01-12TiresPOL: This consolidated Tire Warranty Guide contains the complete warranty terms for all…
T-SB-0032-20 Rev2021-02-03EquipmentTSB: Replacement certification labels (the vinyl label installed on the driver door or…
T-SB-0304-17 Obs2020-04-07EquipmentTSB: OBSOLETE NOTICE April 07, 2020: This bulletin is now obsolete. Please see…
T-SB-0032-202020-04-06EquipmentTSB: SUPERSESSION NOTICE The information contained in this bulletin supersedes Service…

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 Van. 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 Van take?

3.2 qt of ABOVE 10 degrees F: 15W-40 API, 20W-40 API, 20W-50 API ABOVE -10 degrees F: 10W-30 API, 10W-40 API, 10W-50 API, BELOW 50 degrees F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1989 Van have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Van get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 22 highway / 20 combined mpg.