ChevroletR1500 Suburban1989Overview/chevrolet/r1500-suburban/1989/base/

1989 Chevrolet R1500 Suburban

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1989 R1500 Suburban.

The 1989 Chevrolet R1500 Suburban is specified with a 5-quart engine oil capacity and a viscosity of 5W-30 or 10W-30 API. This model year is characterized by a reliability history featuring zero recalls and only seven total owner complaints. These complaints were primarily concentrated in the area of seat belts, reflecting a minimal volume of reported issues for the vehicle.

Model year19901989

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 / 10W-30 APIOEM · verified

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 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 Oil5W-30 · API · 10W-30
Engine Oil Capacity5 qt
Engine Oil3W-30
Engine Oil Capacity7 qt
Engine Oil3W-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 5,000 mi; coolant every 7,500 mi. The big-interval services (every 7,500 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 System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Parking Brake Cable (lubricate) · Parking Brake System (inspect)
At 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Driveshaft U-Joint (lubricate) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 10,000 miAir Intake System (inspect) · Radiator Fan Assembly (inspect) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Underbody Splash Shield (inspect)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miClutch Cross Shaft (lubricate) · Clutch Release Lever Pivot Points (lubricate) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Crankcase Depression Regulator Valve (inspect) · Exhaust Pressure Regulator (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (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 1989 Chevrolet R1500 Suburban dominate in one area — the seat belts, 3 of 7 reports (43%), 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 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the seat belts 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
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
7
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 7 complaints on record, top 4 components.

Seat Belts3
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2
Seats1
Fuel System, Gasoline1

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.

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

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Recalls
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Vehicles with shared specs

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Reference guides

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

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1989 R1500 Suburban take?

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

Does the 1989 R1500 Suburban have open recalls?

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