ChevroletG-Series Van1991Overview/chevrolet/g-series-van/1991/base/

1991 Chevrolet G-Series Van

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1991 G-Series Van.

The 1991 Chevrolet G-Series Van carries a 4.5-quart oil capacity filled with 5W-30 or 10W-30 API-rated lubricant, specifications that anchor the mechanical identity of this full-size utility platform. With zero recalls and only three documented owner complaints—clustered specifically in the engine and engine cooling category—this model year registers minimal disruption in the reliability record. For researchers, that scarcity of reported issues positions 1991 as a comparatively stable entry in the G-Series timeline, indicating a production run largely free of systemic manufacturing defects.

Model year199619951994199319921991198919881987

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 / 10W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12737090. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter12737090 alt 25160561
Engine air filter06419892
Fuel filter25171792 discontinued
Spark plug19302741
Front wiper blades15184702 alt 12363297
Serpentine belt14102103 alt 14102102
Thermostat10207373 alt 10105135

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 / 10W-30 API engine oil, 80W-90 · GL-5 in the differential, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil80W-90 · GL-5
Differential Gear Oil Capacity4.9 qt
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-30 · API · 10W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt
Engine Oil5W-30 · API · 10W-30
Engine Oil Capacity5.0 qt

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; coolant every 24,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 24,000 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 5,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 5,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Steering System (inspect)
At 6,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 6,000 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate)
Every 7,500 miExhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 12,000 miAir Cleaner Manifold Heat Control Actuator (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Underbody Splash Shield (inspect)
Every 15,000 miEGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 24,000 miAir Intake System (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace)
At 25,000 miEGR 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.

Owner complaints about the 1991 Chevrolet G-Series Van dominate in one area — the engine & engine cooling, 1 of 3 reports (33%), well ahead of the next concern. NHTSA has issued no recalls for this vehicle, so these are owner-reported concerns only. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 1 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.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
12
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
3
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 3 complaints on record, top 3 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling1
Latches/Locks/Linkages1
Seat Belts1

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 12 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
0006040022000-01-01Engine And Engine CoolingSUBJECT REGARDING A HARD, NO START OR EXCESSIVE GRAY OR WHITE SMOKE CONDITION ON START UP…
RCL/91C501995-04-01Engine And Engine CoolingRECALL 91-C-50 - GENERAL MOTORS HAS DETERMINED THAT CERTAIN 1991 CHEVRTOLET C/K TRUCKS…
3761051995-02-01Engine And Engine CoolingCOLD ENGINE KNOCK. *TW
5771031995-02-01Power TrainTRANSMISSION LEAK AT REAR EXTENTION HOUSING AND PROP SHAFT. *TW
CAMP/91C501995-02-01Engine And Engine CoolingUNKNOWN

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 G-Series Van. 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 1991 G-Series Van take?

4.5 qt of LIGHT DUTY MODELS: 5W-30 API, HEAVY DUTY MODELS: 10W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1991 G-Series Van have open recalls?

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