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1989 Pontiac Grand Am

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

The 1989 Pontiac Grand Am accumulated 75 owner complaints, with the majority centered on the engine and engine cooling category, and was subject to three recalls. This places the model year just before the start of the broader complaint tracking period from 1990 to 2005, where the lowest recorded year was 1990 with 56 complaints and the highest was 1999 with 909. With a total closer to the low end of that range, the 1989 Grand Am represents a relatively reliable entry in the nameplate's history.

Model year2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1989

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses OE oil filter 12737092. Note the factory fuel filter is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter	12737092 alt 12731175
Engine air filter	24577608 alt 25040881
Fuel filter	25171792 discontinued
Spark plug	19302726 alt 05614046
Front wiper blades	22155381
Serpentine belt	11502374 alt 10198884
Thermostat	10192505 alt 22545290

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	177.6 in
Overall width	66.9 in
Overall height	52.4 in
Wheelbase	103.5 in
Curb weight	2575 lb
Track (front / rear)	55.9 / 55.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	65/35

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

7.7–11.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.70 sec — 1999 GT Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1996	SE Sedan 2.4L I-4	8.60 sec	16.50 sec	150 hp	FWD
1980	Coupe 4.9L V8	11.00 sec	18.10 sec	145 hp	RWD
1999	GT Sedan 3.4L V6	7.70 sec	15.90 sec	175 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
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 every 3,000 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 3,000 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
At 7,500 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 15,000 mi	Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Distributor Cap (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Ignition Timing (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.

The 1989 Grand Am precedes the federal complaint record that begins in 1990, a generation where total complaints climb from 56 in 1990 to a peak of 909 in 1999 before declining. For 1989, the leading complaint category — Engine & Engine Cooling at 38 reports — alone approaches the entire 1990 complaint total of 56, with Electrical System (13), Fuel System (5), and Vehicle Speed Control (4) also recorded. The 1989 data also shows three crash complaints and four fire complaints, though the overall complaint volume for the year is not provided in the federal summary. Since the year-by-year trend shows escalating complaints, recalls, and TSBs through the 1990s, the 1989 model sits at the generation's outset before the broad issue proliferation seen in later years. The data does not specify root causes or whether the engine cooling concerns were resolved, but the relatively focused complaint profile suggests 1989 may avoid the wider systemic issues that emerged later, making it a potentially better purchase candidate if cooling system maintenance is verified.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

3 involved a crash · 4 a fire

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 75 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling38

Electrical System13

Fuel System, Gasoline5

Vehicle Speed Control4

Service Brakes, Hydraulic3

Steering2

Steering,Engine & Engine Cooling,Seats2

Engine & Engine Cooling,Power Train1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 3 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…

90V042000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Hoses, Lines/Piping, And FittingsReported 05/03/1990

FRONT FUEL FEED HOSE ASSEMBLY COULD CRACK OR SEPARATE AT THE COUPLING ON THE ENGINE END OF THE HOSE ASSEMBLY, ALLOWING FUEL TO LEAK INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. Remedy: REPLACE FRONT FUEL FEED HOSE ASSEMBLY.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
000524001	2000-04-01	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	INFORMATION REGARDING SNOW INTRUSION INTO REAR DRUM BRAKE ASSEMBLIES. **MR

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 Grand Am. 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.

Engine oil filter 12737092 Engine air filter 24577608 Fuel filter 25171792 Spark plug 19302726

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules

Frequently asked

Does the 1989 Grand Am have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.