Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1981 LeMans.
The 1981 Pontiac LeMans, a model that carried a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout on GM’s A-body platform, is documented in complaint records spanning 1990 to 1993, where the highest number of issues—34—occurred in 1991, while the lowest—25—was logged in 1992. This data places the 1981 model year within a reliability window that shows a moderate but declining complaint count over those four years, suggesting that while the car was not immune to problems, its later service life saw a slight improvement in reported issues. For researchers, this complaint history offers a concrete, if limited, benchmark for assessing the long-term durability of the 1981 LeMans relative to its immediate successors.
Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.
Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.
THE BOLTS THAT ATTACH THE LOWER REAR CONTROL ARM TO THE FRAME MAY FRACTURE. THE REAR CONTROL ARM SUPPORTS AND POSITIONS THE REAR AXLE. FRACTURE OF THE BOLTS WOULD ALLOW THE CONTROL ARM TO DROP FREE. Remedy: BOTH REAR CONTROL ARM ATTACHMENT BOLTS WILL BE REPLACED WITHOUT CHARGE.
The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.
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Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.