Cadillac›Allante›1990›Overview/cadillac/allante/1990/base/

1990 Cadillac Allante

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

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1990 Cadillac Allante paired its automatic four-speed transmission with an engine requiring six quarts of 10W-30 API oil, and its EPA ratings of 14 city, 20 highway, and 16 combined mpg reflect the era's expectations for a luxury roadster of this configuration. Across the model's 1990–1995 complaint history, this inaugural year stands out as the most problematic, logging 41 total owner complaints — the highest in the range — with the top complaint area being service brakes, hydraulic, alongside a single recall. That figure is striking not just in absolute terms but in contrast to the 1995 model year, which saw only a single complaint, suggesting that the Allante's reliability profile improved substantially over its production run and making the 1990 a benchmark year for understanding the model's early growing pains.

Model year1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity6 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type10W-30 APIOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy14/20/16 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	178.7 in
Overall width	73.6 in
Overall height	52.4 in
Wheelbase	99.6 in
Curb weight	3466 lb

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	14 / 20 / 16 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuel	Premium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Allante of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.2–9.3 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.20 sec — 1993 Convertible

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1989	Convertible 4.5L V8	7.80 sec	16.40 sec	200 hp	FWD
1988	Convertible 4.1L V8	9.30 sec	17.10 sec	170 hp	FWD
1987	Convertible 4.1L V8	9.30 sec	17.30 sec	170 hp	FWD
1993	Convertible 4.6L V8	6.20 sec	14.80 sec	295 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 6 qt of 10W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	6 qt
Engine Oil	10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	6.0 qt
Power Steering Fluid	USE 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 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Shift Linkage (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Air Injection System Air Pump Filter Element (replace) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Transmission 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.

For the 1990 Cadillac Allante, federal data reveals a problematic start to the generation, recording the highest complaint volume at 41, which starkly contrasts with the steady downward trend to 9 complaints by 1993 and just 1 by 1995. The 1990 model's record is heavily dominated by braking concerns, with 31 of the 41 complaints specifically targeting hydraulic service brakes, alongside 3 for air brakes and 2 crash incidents reported. While recalls remained consistent at one per year through 1993, the elevated complaint count and three investigations in 1990 suggest early production issues that were gradually resolved in later model years. The data does not specify the root cause of these brake failures, but the sheer volume positions the 1990 model as the least refined year in this dataset. Consequently, a used 1990 Allante represents a higher-risk purchase compared to later iterations, and prospective buyers should prioritize post-1990 models for improved reliability.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

2 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90’91 ’92 ’93 ’95

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 41 complaints on record, top 7 components.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic31

Service Brakes, Air3

Steering,Service Brakes, Hydraulic2

Structure2

Service Brakes1

Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Parking Brake1

Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Power Train1

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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
98045	1998-11-01	Structure	COMMENTS ABOUT A CONDITION IN WHICH THE CONVERTIBLE FOLDING TOP DOES NOT LATCH PROPERLY…
98045	1998-10-28	Structure	SOME OWNERS OF CERTAIN VEHICLE MAY COMMENT ABOUT A CONDITION IN WHICH THE CONVERTIBLE…

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 Allante. 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 6 qt

Reference guides

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

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1990 Allante take?

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

Does the 1990 Allante have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Allante get?

EPA figures are 14 city / 20 highway / 16 combined mpg.