PontiacSunbird1989Overview/pontiac/sunbird/1989/base/

1989 Pontiac Sunbird

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

Transmission Automatic 3-spd

The 1989 Pontiac Sunbird was a compact model powered by a four-cylinder engine requiring 4 quarts of 5W-30 oil, paired with a three-speed automatic transmission and achieving EPA fuel economy of 21 city, 28 highway, and 23 combined mpg. With only 11 total owner complaints—the most common concerning engine and engine cooling—and three recalls, this model year recorded notably few issues compared to the model’s later complaint history, which peaked at 46 complaints in 1993 and dropped to a single complaint in 1995, positioning the 1989 Sunbird as a relatively low-trouble entry in the platform’s reliability record.

Model year199419931992199119901989198819871986

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy21/28/23 mpgEPA · verified

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 Note the factory fuel filter and serpentine belt are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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 filter12737092 alt 25325404
Engine air filter25043317 alt 25040881
Fuel filter25171792 discontinued
Spark plug05613878 alt 19302733
Front wiper blades15184702 alt 22110234
Serpentine belt09433720 discontinued · alt 10198884
Thermostat10192505

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 3-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length178.3 in
Overall width66.1 in
Overall height52.8 in
Wheelbase101.2 in
Curb weight2449 lb
Track (front / rear)55.9 / 55.5 in

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined21 / 28 / 23 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume91 cu ft
Cargo volume13 cu ft
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 of 5W-30 API engine oil.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE 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 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
At 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Throttle Body (torque) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 miAccessory 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 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 miDistributor 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 miTransmission 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 Pontiac Sunbird immediately precedes the federal year-by-year record provided, which begins in 1990 with 15 complaints, 2 recalls, 3 investigations, and 7 TSBs. For the 1989 model itself, documented complaints span engine and engine cooling (4), the fuel system (2), air bags (1), and a combined service brakes, electrical, equipment, and other category (1), with one crash-related and one fire-related complaint also on file; the data does not specify root causes. The subsequent trend shows complaints climbing to 46 by 1993, recalls reaching 4 in 1991 and 1992, and TSBs peaking at 22 in 1993, indicating the early-1990s models attracted significantly higher federal visibility and service activity. Because 1989 sits just ahead of that escalation, it falls outside the generation’s peak period of reported complaints and technical service bulletins. While the crash and fire complaints warrant individual attention, the year predates the sharp rise in complaints, recalls, and TSB counts observed from 1990 through 1994. Consequently, 1989 appears to be the more favorable year to buy within this generation.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
2
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
11
Owner complaints
1 involved a crash · 1 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 11 complaints on record, top 7 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling4
Fuel System, Gasoline2
Air Bags1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Engine & Engine Cooling,Electrical System,Equipment,Unknown Or Other1
Power Train1
Seat Belts1
Electrical System1

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…

09E012000Exterior LightingReported 07/04/2009

SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE… Remedy: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
0005240012000-04-01Service Brakes, HydraulicINFORMATION REGARDING SNOW INTRUSION INTO REAR DRUM BRAKE ASSEMBLIES. **MR
4381351994-11-01VisibilityBUZZING SOUND WHEN REAR DEFOGGER IS ON. *TW

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 Sunbird. 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 1989 Sunbird take?

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

Does the 1989 Sunbird have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the Sunbird get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 28 highway / 23 combined mpg.