Buick›LeSabre›1999›Overview/buick/lesabre/1999/base/

1999 Buick LeSabre

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1999 LeSabre.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1999 Buick LeSabre is a passenger car fitted with a 4-speed automatic transmission and EPA fuel-economy ratings of 17 city, 27 highway, and 21 combined mpg, with routine oil service specified at 4.5 quarts of 10W-30 API oil. Within the 1990–2006 LeSabre complaint record, the 1999 model drew 224 owner complaints and two recalls, with the engine and engine-cooling system standing out as the most reported problem area. That complaint count sits well below the line’s peak of 698 complaints for the 2000 model year and far above the 2006 low of three, which places the 1999 LeSabre in a middle position within the model’s reliability history rather than at either extreme.

Model year2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type10W-30 APIOEM · verified

Lug nut torque100 ft-lbsOEM · verified

EPA fuel economy17/27/21 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 78 · 690 CCA battery, OE oil filter 12731175. Note the factory fuel filter, front wiper blades and serpentine belt are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known.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.

Battery groupBCI 78 · 690 CCAOEM · verified

Tire sizeP205-70R15OEM · verified

Wheel / rim6.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter	12731175
Engine air filter	19259030
Fuel filter	25121293 discontinued
Spark plug	12681664
Front wiper blades	25689175 discontinued
Serpentine belt	19244953 discontinued
Thermostat	24505924 alt 24506985

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

Transmission

Automatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	200.8 in
Overall width	74.4 in
Overall height	55.5 in
Wheelbase	110.6 in
Curb weight	3444 lb
Track (front / rear)	60.6 / 60.6 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)	65/35

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined	17 / 27 / 21 mpg
Drivetrain	Front-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume	109 cu ft
Cargo volume	17 cu ft
Recommended fuel	Regular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

7.6–9.0 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 7.60 sec — 1997 Limited Sedan

Year	Trim / engine	0–60	¼ mile	HP	Drivetrain
1997	Limited Sedan 3.8L V6	7.60 sec	15.80 sec	205 hp	FWD
1992	Limited Sedan 3.8L V6	9.00 sec	16.90 sec	170 hp	FWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 10W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 100 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-6-5-4-3-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil	10W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt

Engine torques

Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts	Lower: 11 ft-lbs; Upper: 7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts	22 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug	18.0 ft-lbs
Engine Valve Cover Bolts	7.5 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts	100 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub	118 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order	1-6-5-4-3-2
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance	5,000-8,000 ohms
Spark Plug Manufacturer	AC Delco
Spark Plug Type	AC 41-921
Spark Plug Gap	0.060 in
Spark Plug Torque	11.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

Refrigerant	R134a
Refrigerant Capacity	2.00 lbs
Oil Group	PAG
Oil Type	46
Oil Capacity	9.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number	78
Standard BCI Cranking Performance	690 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test	15; Do not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief	15 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature	188-206 °F
Injector Primary Resistance	11.4-12.6 @ 70 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression	100

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket	38 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle	100 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness	Front: 0.030; Rear: 0.030 specification
Rotor Max Parallel Variation	0.0005 in
Rotor Runout Limit	0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From	1.26 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To	1.26 in
Rotor Minimum Machining	1.224 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages

111 ft. lbs., step 2: 76

111 ft. lbs

Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

1	37 ft. lbs.	37 ft. lbs
2	120 degrees	120 degrees
3	turn 30

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 100,000 mi; coolant at 150,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 150,000 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 mi	Brake System (inspect) · Door Hinge (lubricate) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Hood Hinge (lubricate) · Hood Latch (lubricate)
Every 30,000 mi	Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Fuel Tank (inspect) · Fuel Tank Filler Cap (inspect)
Every 60,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 100,000 mi	Spark Plug Wires (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
At 150,000 mi	Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

From 1990 to 1998 the LeSabre’s complaint count generally rose, reaching a peak of 454 complaints in 1998 while recalls stayed between zero and two per year. In 1999 complaints fell sharply to 224, less than half the 1998 total, although recalls increased to two. The following year, 2000, complaints jumped to 698 and recalls to five, placing 1999 at a low‑point before a notable increase. The top complaint areas for 1999 were engine and cooling (67), electrical system (16), suspension (14) and fuel system (14), with 19 crash‑related and 28 fire‑related reports. Overall, the 1999 model year shows fewer complaints than its immediate predecessor and successor, suggesting it may be a comparatively reliable choice within this generation.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

224

Owner complaints

19 involved a crash · 28 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Rollover★★★★★

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 ’06

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 224 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling67

Electrical System16

Suspension14

Fuel System, Gasoline14

Power Train11

Air Bags10

Service Brakes, Hydraulic9

Vehicle Speed Control8

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

99V089000Power Train:Automatic TransmissionReported 26/04/1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 4T65E AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 102, "TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER SEQUENCE." A RETAINING CLIP, WHICH… Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE MANUAL VALVE/LINK ASSEMBLY WITH A REPLACEMENT MANUAL VALVE/LINK KIT, FEATURING A SPRING-TYPE FASTENER.

04V090000Fuel System, Gasoline:DeliveryReported 24/02/2004

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3800 V6 (L36) ENGINES AND CERTAIN DELPHI FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS, THE REGULATORS HAVE A MUCH HIGHER THAN USUAL RATE OF FUEL LEAKS. A LEAK CAN ALLOW FUEL TO ENTER THE INTAKE… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL NEW FUEL PRESSURE REGULATORS WITH IMPROVED DIAPHRAGMS. THE RECALL WILL BE CONDUCTED IN PHASED MAILINGS. PHASE 1 BEGAN ON JUNE 30, 2004, AND PHASE 2 BEGAN ON…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 57 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
17-NA-073	2023-02-21	Equipment	This warranty administration bulletin provides information regarding the field action…
PIP4723F	2022-01-14	Service Brakes, Hydraulic	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIP4723D	2020-01-31	Electrical System	This Preliminary Information communicates to the dealer the process for downloading or…
PIC4696E	2019-11-22	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…
PIC4696D	2019-09-05	Equipment	This Preliminary Information communication provides information to the technician on how…

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 LeSabre. 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.

Group 78 battery Vehicles taking 4.5 qt Engine oil filter 12731175 Engine air filter 19259030 Fuel filter 25121293 Spark plug 12681664

Reference guides

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

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Torque specifications Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1999 LeSabre take?

4.5 qt of 10W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1999 LeSabre have open recalls?

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

What gas mileage does the LeSabre get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 27 highway / 21 combined mpg.