PlymouthColt1989Overview/plymouth/colt/1989/base/

1989 Plymouth Colt

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

The 1989 Plymouth Colt, a subcompact model, required 3.7 quarts of oil with a filter and accepted 20W-40, 10W-30, or 5W-30 API viscosity grades. With zero recalls and only 13 total owner complaints—the most common issue being seat belts—this model year stands as a notably reliable entry in the Colt's history, especially when compared to the 1993 model's 77 complaints, the highest in the 1990–1994 span.

Model year199519891988198719861985198419831982

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.7 qt w/ filterOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.7 qt w/ filter of 20W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil20W-40 · API · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3.7 qt w/ filter
Engine Oil20W-40 · API · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 10W-50 · 5W-30 · 5W-40
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt w/ filter
Engine Oil20W-20 · API · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 10W-50 · 5W-30 · 5W-40
Engine Oil Capacity4.7 qt w/ filter
Engine Oil20W-40 · API · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 10W-50 · 5W-30 · 5W-40

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; spark plugs every 60,000 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.

Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill)
Every 7,500 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Differential (inspect fluid level) · Driveshaft U-Joint (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 50,000 miEGR Valve (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 60,000 miAir Injection System Solenoid Control Valve Air (replace) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Timing Belt (replace)
Every 80,000 miOxygen Sensor (inspect) · PCV System (inspect)
Every 100,000 miFuel Evaporative Canister (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 federal record for this generation shows 13 complaints and 1 recall in 1990, 8 complaints and 1 recall in 1991, a sharp escalation to 77 complaints and 3 recalls in 1993, and a drop to 0 complaints with 1 recall in 1994, while TSBs remain steady at 4 throughout the documented period. Because 1989 is absent from the year-by-year federal record, it falls at the very outset of this generation, preceding the documented arc that peaks with the 1993 surge. Target-year data indicates 0 crash complaints and 1 fire complaint, with the greatest complaint volume reported in seat belts at 7 and engine cooling at 4, though the data does not specify root causes. Relative to the pronounced spike seen later in the generation, 1989 predates the period of elevated federal scrutiny, suggesting it largely sidesteps the complaint escalation documented in 1993. With no crash-related complaints on file and a position ahead of the generation’s complaint peak, 1989 represents a comparatively sound purchase within this Colt generation.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
3
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
13
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 1 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★★
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 13 complaints on record, top 4 components.

Seat Belts7
Engine & Engine Cooling4
Power Train1
Exterior Lighting1

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 3 of 3 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
2300800B2000-11-24SeatsSUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT
2308002000-03-03SeatsSUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT
2335991999-09-03SeatsINFORMATION ON CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT

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 Colt. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
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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 1989 Colt take?

3.7 qt w/ filter of ABOVE 32 F: 20W-40 API, ABOVE -10F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 60 F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1989 Colt have open recalls?

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