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1994 Buick LeSabre

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1994 LeSabre.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1994 Buick LeSabre is a passenger car fitted with an automatic 4-speed transmission and EPA-rated at 17/26/20 mpg. Its reliability record for the model year includes 205 owner complaints, with Service Brakes, Hydraulic reported as the top complaint area, and zero recalls. Within the 1990–2006 LeSabre complaint history — which peaked at 698 complaints for the 2000 model year and bottomed at 3 for 2006 — the 1994 model sits below the worst years but well above the final years, marking it as a middle-period entry rather than a low-complaint standout.

Model year200520042003200220012000199919981994

Quick specs

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

EPA fuel economy17/26/20 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 Note the factory fuel filter and front wiper blades are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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
Engine air filter19259030
Fuel filter25121293 discontinued
Spark plug19302723
Front wiper blades25689175 discontinued
Thermostat24505924 alt 24506985

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length200 in
Overall width74.8 in
Overall height55.5 in
Wheelbase110.6 in
Curb weight3437 lb
Track (front / rear)60.6 / 60.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)65/35

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 26 / 20 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume109 cu ft
Cargo volume17 cu ft
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 LeSabre of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

7.6–9.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.60 sec — 1997 Limited Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1992Limited Sedan 3.8L V69.00 sec16.90 sec170 hpFWD
1997Limited Sedan 3.8L V67.60 sec15.80 sec205 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL

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) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (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.

The complaint trend for the LeSabre generation rose sharply from 1990 to a peak of 243 complaints in 1993, then eased to 205 complaints in 1994 before fluctuating in the mid‑1990s. Recall and investigation activity dropped to zero in 1994, whereas 1993 recorded one recall and three investigations and 1995 showed one recall with no investigations. Technical service bulletins increased to 32 in 1994, up from 24 in 1993 but still below the 56 issued in 1995. The top complaint areas for 1994 were service brakes/hydraulic (30), engine/cooling (29), air bags (18), and electrical system (17), accompanied by 31 crash‑related and six fire‑related complaints. Because 1994 lacks recalls or investigations and its complaint count is lower than the surrounding peak years, it offers a comparatively safer option for a used purchase, though the notable volume of TSBs indicates owners should anticipate frequent service advisories.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
32
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
205
Owner complaints
31 involved a crash · 6 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

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 205 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic30
Engine & Engine Cooling29
Air Bags18
Electrical System17
Tires17
Vehicle Speed Control13
Visibility11
Structure7

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 32 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
PIC4696E2019-11-22EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIC4696D2019-09-05EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIC4696C2018-05-31EquipmentThis Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
1300890092013-09-01Engine And Engine CoolingExpanded Availability for Remanufacture and Return (R&R) Electronic Control Modules
990730030A2001-04-01Power TrainOWNERS OF SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH HYDRA-MATIC 3T40, 4T60, 4T60-E OR 4T65-E TRANSAXLES…

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 LeSabre. 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.

Engine oil filter 12731175Engine air filter 19259030Fuel filter 25121293Spark plug 19302723

Reference guides

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

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

Frequently asked

Does the 1994 LeSabre have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the LeSabre get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 26 highway / 20 combined mpg.