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1989 Buick Electra Estate Wagon

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

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1989 Buick Electra Estate Wagon represented Buick's full-size wagon offering, built on the Electra platform with a drivetrain requiring 5.0 quarts of 10W-30 API-rated oil and paired with a four-speed automatic transmission, delivering EPA fuel economy ratings of 15 city, 22 highway, and 18 combined mpg—adequate figures for the era's large, comfort-oriented wagons. This model year maintained the Electra's reputation for size and refinement, serving buyers who prioritized passenger and cargo capacity over nimble handling or fuel efficiency. In terms of reliability, the 1989 Estate Wagon posted a notably low complaint profile with just two total owner grievances recorded, with engine and engine cooling issues comprising the primary concern, alongside a single recall—a strong showing that positioned this model among the more dependable iterations of the Electra wagon lineage. For researchers assessing long-term ownership costs and durability, this relatively trouble-free record makes the 1989 Electra Estate Wagon a comparatively low-risk example of GM's full-size wagon heritage.

Model year1989198819871986198519841983

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy15/22/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter12731175 alt 12731179
Engine air filter24577608 alt 06484235
Fuel filter25171792 discontinued · alt 5651803
Spark plug19355205 alt 19366108
Front wiper blades22155381
Serpentine belt09433769 alt 09433741
Thermostat24506986 alt 22538325

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length220.5 in
Overall width79.1 in
Overall height59.4 in
Wheelbase116.1 in
Curb weight4182 lb
Track (front / rear)61.4 / 63.4 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined15 / 22 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainRear-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume110 cu ft
Cargo volume50 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 5.0 qt of 10W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.0 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE GM PART NO. 1052884 OR EQUIVALENT

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; 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) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect)
Every 100,000 miTransmission Fluid & Filter (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.

Owner complaints about the 1989 Buick Electra Estate Wagon dominate in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 1 of 2 reports (50%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 1 recall campaigns target the engine & engine cooling, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the engine & engine cooling pattern above. These are tallies of what owners actually reported to the federal government, not an editorial score — and higher-selling models naturally rack up more reports.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
2
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★★
Frontal★★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 2 complaints on record, top 2 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling1
Seats1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

06E043000Fuel System, GasolineReported 19/05/2006

CERTAIN REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTERS, FRAM BRAND NAME P/N G3727, WITH DATE CODES X52911 THROUGH X60801 SEQUENTIALLY OR X600141 AND A MEXICO COUNTRY OR ORIGIN MARKING ON THE FUEL FILTER HOUSING MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 18… Remedy: HONEYWELL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE FUEL FILTERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 18, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT FRAM CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-890-2075 (OPTION…

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 Electra Estate Wagon. 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 5.0 qtEngine oil filter 12731175Engine air filter 24577608Fuel filter 25171792Spark plug 19355205

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBsOBD-II trouble codesMaintenance schedulesFluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1989 Electra Estate Wagon take?

5.0 qt of 10W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1989 Electra Estate Wagon have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Electra Estate Wagon get?

EPA figures are 15 city / 22 highway / 18 combined mpg.