Volvo7401990Overview/volvo/740/1990/base/

1990 Volvo 740

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1990 740.

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1990 Volvo 740 is equipped with a four‑speed automatic transmission and delivers EPA ratings of 16 city / 20 highway / 18 combined mpg, while its engine requires 4.0 qt of oil that can be 15W‑40, 10W‑30 or 5W‑30 API. Owner‑reported data show 51 total complaints for the model year — the highest count across the 1990‑2002 range — with the leading issue being vehicle speed control and two recalls issued. By contrast, the 1995 model year recorded only a single complaint, underscoring that the 1990 edition sits at the peak of the model’s early‑generation reliability concerns.

Model year19921991199019891988198719861985

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type15W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/20/18 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length188.6 in
Overall width68.9 in
Overall height55.5 in
Wheelbase109.1 in
Curb weight2954 lb
Track (front / rear)58.3 / 58.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)54/46

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 20 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume94 cu ft
Cargo volume17 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.0 qt of 15W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 4 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 4
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity3.5 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil15W-40 · API · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.0 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 every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi.

At 5,000 miTiming Belt (inspect)
Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Radio Antenna (clean) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (inspect) · Windshield Washer System (inspect fluid level)
At 10,000 miSuspension System (inspect)
Every 10,000 miBattery (inspect electrolyte level) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Clutch Pedal Assembly (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect)
Every 20,000 miPCV Flame Guard (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect) · Suspension Shock or Strut (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Steering System (inspect)
Every 55,000 miTiming Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miFuel Filter (replace) · PCV System (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 1990 Volvo 740 recorded 51 complaints, 2 recalls, and 1 investigation, with 66 Technical Service Bulletins issued. Primary complaint areas for this year included Vehicle Speed Control (11), Air Bags (8), the Electrical System (6), and Engine & Engine Cooling (5), alongside 16 crash and 5 fire complaints. Across the generation, there is a sharp downward trend in reported issues, with complaints falling to 23 in 1991 and further to 8 in 1992. As the year with the highest number of complaints and recalls in the provided record, 1990 sits at the peak of the generation's reported instability. The data does not specify the root causes of these issues, but the trajectory suggests later models were more stable. Given that it is the most problematic year in this dataset, 1990 is not a good year to buy.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
66
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
51
Owner complaints
16 involved a crash · 5 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 51 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Vehicle Speed Control11
Air Bags8
Electrical System6
Engine & Engine Cooling5
Service Brakes, Hydraulic3
Seat Belts2
Wheels2
Structure2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

91V075000Seat Belts:Front:AnchorageReported 06/05/1991

SAFETY BELTS ARE DESIGNED TO BE ROUTED UNDER A DIAGONAL CROSS BRACE DURING FASTENING. THE INSTRUCTIONAL LABELS FOR THE BELT ROUTING ARE INADEQUATE, AND CAN RESULT IN INADVERTENT RELEASE OF THE BELT BUCKLE. Remedy: INSTALL LABELS TO INSTRUCT THE USER IN PROPER SAFETY BELT ROUTING; ALSO REPLACE SAFETY BELT BUCKLES.

90V165000Fuel System, Gasoline:StorageReported 06/09/1990

FUEL DAMPER LOCATED BEHIND THE FUEL LINE AND THE FUEL RAIL MAY BE IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED. OVER TIME, THE SOLDER JOINTS COULD ALLOW A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL TO LEAK. Remedy: REPLACE FUEL DAMPER.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 66 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
356EN012022-02-09EquipmentVIDA QR Scanner Mobile App
Service Manager2022-02-03Electrical SystemShipping and Handling of Volvo Lithium-ion 48V Mild Hybrid Battery to Global Battery…
ST-001-2020-09-12020-09-18EquipmentMandatory Tool List bulletin: Volvo mandatory Special Tools are necessary for technicians…
ST-001-2020-06-22020-07-02Equipment Adaptive/MobilityMandatory Tool List bulletin: Volvo mandatory Special Tools are necessary for technicians…
ST-001-2020-01-22020-01-30EquipmentMandatory Tool List bulletin: Volvo mandatory Special Tools are necessary for technicians…

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 740. 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 1990 740 take?

4.0 qt of ABOVE 0 degrees F: 15W-40 API, -14 degrees F TO 104 degrees F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 68 degrees F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1990 740 have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 740 get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 20 highway / 18 combined mpg.