PlymouthHorizon1990Overview/plymouth/horizon/1990/base/

1990 Plymouth Horizon

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

Transmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1990 Plymouth Horizon, equipped with a 3-speed automatic transmission, calls for 4 quarts of 5W-30 API oil with filter and returns EPA fuel economy of 22 mpg city, 28 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined. Owner-reported issues are minimal, with just three complaints on file, the top area being structure, alongside two recalls. This model year’s sparse complaint history places it among the more trouble-free entries in the Horizon lineage, suggesting a mature design with few persistent faults.

Model year199019891988198719861985198419831982

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qt w/ filterOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy22/28/24 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length163.4 in
Overall width66.1 in
Overall height53.1 in
Wheelbase99.2 in
Curb weight2299 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined22 / 28 / 24 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4 qt w/ filter of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt w/ filter

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 30,000 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 7,500 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 15,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 22,500 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Wheel Bearing (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
At 52,500 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 52,500 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (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 1990 Plymouth Horizon dominate in one area — the structure, 1 of 3 reports (33%), well ahead of the next concern. None of this vehicle's 2 recall campaigns target the structure, so those reports read as owner-reported wear-and-tear rather than an acknowledged defect. 0 of the reports describe a crash and 0 a fire — a small share of the total, but worth weighing against the structure 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.

2
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
11
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
3
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 3 complaints on record, top 3 components.

Structure1
Tires1
Seat Belts1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

08E033000SuspensionReported 14/04/2008

FEDERAL MOGUL IS RECALLING 6,903 AFTERMARKET BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES SHIPPED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 9, 2007 AND MARCH 26, 2008, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS. THE PART NUMBERS PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS… Remedy: FEDERAL MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE PARTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 22, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL MOGUL AT 877-489-6659.

89V237000Engine And Engine Cooling:EngineReported 27/12/1989

THE ENGINE VALVE COVER GASKET MAY DISLOCATE AND ALLOW AN ENGINE OIL LEAK AT THE GASKET. Remedy: REPLACE GASKET COVER WITH REVISED COVER, AND RTV SEALANT WILL BE APPLIED IN PLACE OF A GASKET.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 11 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
08010012001-05-25Electrical SystemSUBJECT REGARDING AIRBAG / CLOCK SPRING SERVICE FOR VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2002 MODEL…
21006012001-03-16Power TrainAUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE ATF+4. *TT *MJ
0800600REV2000-12-29Electrical SystemSUBJECT REGARDING WIRE SPLICE REPAIRS. *SB
2300800B2000-11-24SeatsSUBJECT REGARDING CHILD SEAT TETHER ANCHORS. *TT
0827002000-09-29Air BagsSUBJECT REGARDING NON-DEPLOYED AIRBAG HANDLING PROCEDURES. *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 Horizon. 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 1990 Horizon take?

4 qt w/ filter of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1990 Horizon have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Horizon get?

EPA figures are 22 city / 28 highway / 24 combined mpg.