HondaAccord1989Overview/honda/accord/1989/base/

1989 Honda Accord

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

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1989 Honda Accord, equipped with a 4-speed automatic transmission, achieved EPA fuel economy ratings of 21 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined, while requiring 3.7 quarts of oil with a recommended viscosity of 10W-30 or 5W-30 meeting API standards, making it a practical choice among midsize sedans of its era. Reliability data for this model year shows 103 total owner complaints with a single recall, with seat belts representing the most frequently reported issue. When placed within the broader complaint history spanning 1990 to 2022—which ranged from a peak of 2,013 complaints in 2003 down to a low of 213 in 2022—the 1989 Accord demonstrates notably fewer reported problems than subsequent model years, suggesting it ranks among the more dependable iterations within this model's production timeline.

Model year202420232022202120202019201820171989

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.7 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy21/27/23 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length179.9 in
Overall width67.3 in
Overall height53.5 in
Wheelbase102.4 in
Curb weight2690 lb
Track (front / rear)58.7 / 58.3 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined21 / 27 / 23 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume89 cu ft
Cargo volume14 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

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

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

11.4 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 11.40 sec — 1989 LXi Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1989LXi Coupe 2.0L I-411.40 sec18.40 sec120 hpFWD
1990EX Sedan 2.2L I-49.70 sec17.10 sec125 hpFWD
1991EX Wagon 2.2L I-49.00 sec16.80 sec125 hpFWD
1994EX Sedan 2.2L I-49.40 sec17.00 sec145 hpFWD
1995LX V-6 Sedan 2.7L V68.50 sec16.50 sec170 hpFWD
1995EX V-6 Sedan 2.7L V68.80 sec16.80 sec170 hpFWD
1981Sedan 1.8L I-413.40 sec19.20 sec75 hpFWD
1997LX V-6 Sedan 2.7L V68.80 sec16.80 sec170 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine holds 3.7 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3.7 qt

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; 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.

At 7,500 miBrake Line (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Steering Gear Box Assembly (inspect) · Suspension System (torque) · Tie Rod (inspect)
Every 7,500 miBrake Linings (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 15,000 miParking Brake System (inspect) · Steering System (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Engine Valves (inspect valve lash) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Power Steering System (inspect) · Suspension System (torque) · Suspension System (inspect alignment)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miAir Injection System (inspect) · Choke System (inspect) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · EGR System (inspect) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (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.

The provided federal year-by-year record begins in 1990, so the 1989 Honda Accord sits just outside the formal trend data and cannot be compared to earlier model years within this dataset. For 1989 itself, the recorded top complaint categories are Seat Belts with 34 complaints, Suspension with 10, and Engine & Engine Cooling and Vehicle Speed Control tied at 8 each, alongside 15 crash-related and 10 fire-related complaints. The earliest comparable year, 1990, shows 220 complaints, 12 recalls, 6 investigations, and 16 TSBs, but no direct 1989 totals are supplied for those same metrics. From 1990 onward, complaints generally trend upward before spiking in later years such as 2003 with 2,013 complaints and 2018 with 1,803, meaning 1989 predates the bulk of the reported activity. Because the data does not include 1989 in the year-by-year record, it does not specify root causes or allow a direct year-over-year reliability ranking for this model year. Given the absence of 1989 totals and the limited category data available, this record alone does not provide enough evidence to recommend or discourage buying a 1989 Accord over adjacent years.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
0
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
103
Owner complaints
15 involved a crash · 10 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 103 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts34
Suspension10
Engine & Engine Cooling8
Vehicle Speed Control8
Electrical System7
Fuel System, Gasoline5
Service Brakes, Hydraulic4
Visibility4

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

95V103001Seat Belts:Front:Buckle AssemblyReported 24/05/1995

THE FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLE RELEASE BUTTONS CAN BREAK. THESE RED PLASTIC RELEASE BUTTONS ARE MARKED "PRESS." IF A BUTTON BREAKS, PIECES CAN FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE BUCKLE TO OPERATE IMPROPERLY. Remedy: OWNERS SHOULD PROMPTLY CHECK THE CONDITION AND OPERATION OF BOTH FRONT SAFETY BELT BUCKLES. CAREFULLY INSPECT THE RED RELEASE BUTTON FOR ANY BREAKS OR CRACKS. CHECK THAT BOTH…

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 Accord. 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 Accord take?

3.7 qt of ABOVE -4 degrees F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 32 degrees F: 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1989 Accord have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Accord get?

EPA figures are 21 city / 27 highway / 23 combined mpg.