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1996 Buick LeSabre

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1996 LeSabre.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1996 Buick LeSabre is a passenger car equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission and an engine requiring 4.5 quarts of 10W-30 API oil, delivering an EPA-rated 17 city and 27 highway miles per gallon. With 111 total owner complaints and two recalls on record, the vehicle's primary trouble area centers on the engine and engine cooling systems. Within the model's broader 1990-2006 complaint history, this year sits well below the problematic 2000 peak of 698 complaints but far from the 2006 low of just three, marking it as a mid-tier reliability entry that carries moderate but documented ownership risks.

Model year2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1996

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type10W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy17/27/20 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 78 · 690 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter, front wiper blades and serpentine belt are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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.

Battery groupBCI 78 · 690 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP205-70R15OEM · verified

Wheel / rim6-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731175
Engine air filter	19259030
Fuel filter	25121293 discontinued
Spark plug	12681664
Front wiper blades	25689175 discontinued
Serpentine belt	19244953 discontinued
Thermostat	24505924 alt 24506985

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	17 / 27 / 20 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	109 cu ft
Cargo volume	17 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular 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

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1997	Limited Sedan 3.8L V6	7.60 sec	15.80 sec	205 hp	FWD
1992	Limited Sedan 3.8L V6	9.00 sec	16.90 sec	170 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 10W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-6-5-4-3-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil	10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Position (CKP) Sensor Bolt(s)	22 ft-lbs
Camshaft Position (CMP) Sensor Bolt(s)	6.2 ft-lbs
Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Sensor Bolt(s)	15 ft-lbs
Oxygen (O2S) Sensor Bolt(s)	31 ft-lbs
Knock Sense (KS) Bolt(s)	13 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	Lower: 11 ft-lbs; Upper: 7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	22 ft-lbs
Oil Pan to Block Bolts	10 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Steering Track (Rod End) Bolts	35 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	107 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-6-5-4-3-2
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	5,000-8,000 ohms
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Type	AC 41-921
Spark Plug Gap	0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	2.00 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	8.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	690 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	15; Do not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Injector Primary Resistance	11.4-12.6 @ 70 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression	100

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	38 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	100 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.26 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.26 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	1.224 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s) — tightening sequence 1 stages

74 ft. lbs., Step 2: 105

74 ft. lbs

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

111 ft. lbs., step 2: 76

111 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

1	37 ft. lbs.	37 ft. lbs
2	120 degrees	120 degrees
3	turn 30

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 100,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 100,000 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 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Brake System (inspect) · Door Hinge (lubricate) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Hood Hinge (lubricate) · Hood Latch (lubricate)
Every 15,000 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plug Wires (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.

Federal data positions the 1996 Buick LeSabre at a distinct trough, with 111 complaints representing a sharp decline from 204 in 1995 and less than one-third of the 440 filed in 1997, even as recalls ticked up to 2 and investigations returned to 2 after both measures had dropped to zero in 1994 and 1995. Across this generation, complaints trended broadly upward from early-1990s lows, cresting at 698 complaints and 5 recalls in 2000 before a gradual decline, meaning 1996 sits in a brief calm before the model line’s most troubled years. For 1996 specifically, the federal record shows zero fire complaints and 8 crash complaints, with the highest report volumes falling under engine and engine cooling, hydraulic service brakes, electrical system, and air bags, though the data does not specify root causes for these categories. This combination of relatively low owner complaints and moderate regulatory activity makes 1996 one of the cleaner years in the generation’s arc. Consequently, the 1996 model year stands as a comparatively sound choice for a used LeSabre, provided any candidate vehicle is scrutinized for the specific engine, brake, and electrical complaints recorded that year.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

111

Owner complaints

8 involved a crash · 0 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

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 111 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling18

Service Brakes, Hydraulic14

Electrical System12

Air Bags7

Vehicle Speed Control6

Fuel System, Gasoline6

Suspension6

Structure5

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

95V204000Electrical System:Ignition:Anti-Theft:Control ModuleReported 23/10/1995

THESE VEHICLES WERE ASSEMBLED WITH A MALFUNCTION ALARM, LIGHTING AND LOCKING (MALL) MODULE THAT CAN CONTAIN A DAMAGED CAPACITOR. IF THE CAPACITOR IS DAMAGED, THE "KEY IN THE IGNITION" WARNING CHIME AND THE DRIVER SEAT… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND, IF REQUIRED, REPLACE THE MALL MODULE.

96V116000Fuel System, Gasoline:Fuel Injection SystemReported 01/07/1996

A BACKFIRE DURING ENGINE STARTING CAN CAUSE BREAKAGE OF THE UPPER INTAKE MANIFOLD. Remedy: DEALERS WILL UPDATE THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING. UNTIL THE CAMPAIGN REPAIR IS MADE, THE VEHICLE HOOD SHOULD BE SHUT WHENEVER STARTING THE VEHICLE TO REDUCE THE…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 46 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
PIP4723F	2022-01-14	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIP4723D	2020-01-31	Electrical System	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
19NA273	2019-12-02	Electrical System	This informational bulletin provides information for dealers/technicians on Procedures to…
PIC4696E	2019-11-22	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
17NA073	2019-09-18	Equipment	This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…

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.

Group 78 battery Vehicles taking 4.5 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 19259030 Fuel filter 25121293 Spark plug 12681664

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1996 LeSabre take?

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

Does the 1996 LeSabre have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 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 / 27 highway / 20 combined mpg.