NissanStanza1989Overview/nissan/stanza/1989/base/

1989 Nissan Stanza

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

Transmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1989 Nissan Stanza is equipped with a 3.7‑quart engine oil capacity that calls for 10W‑30 or 5W‑30 API SM oil and is mated to an automatic four‑speed transmission, delivering EPA‑rated fuel economy of 19/24/21 mpg. With only ten owner complaints recorded for the model year and no recalls, its chief trouble spot is the fuel system, gasoline. Situated within the Stanza’s complaint history from 1990 to 1996—where complaints peaked at 42 in 1990 and fell to a low of one in 1994—the 1989 model precedes that surge, reflecting a comparatively trouble‑free start to the generation’s reliability trend.

Model year199219911990198919881987198619851984

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 API SMOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/24/21 mpgEPA · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length178 in
Overall width66.5 in
Overall height55.1 in
Wheelbase100.4 in
Curb weight2835 lb
Track (front / rear)57.5 / 57.5 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 24 / 21 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume89 cu ft
Cargo volume12 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 Stanza of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

11.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 11.80 sec — 1987 GXE Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1987GXE Sedan 2.0L I-411.80 sec18.00 sec97 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 SM engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine Oil10W-30 · 5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity3.7 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter at 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 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.

At 7,500 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (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 1989 Nissan Stanza recorded one crash complaint and one fire complaint. In the following year, 1990, the model generated 42 complaints, 1 recall, 2 investigations, and 11 TSBs, figures that exceed the counts reported for 1991 (37 complaints) and 1992 (35 complaints). The 1989 model’s top complaint areas — Fuel System, Engine & Engine Cooling, Structure, and Power Train — are the same categories that accounted for the majority of complaints in 1990 through 1992. The federal data does not specify the root cause of these complaints, but the complaint trajectory shows a sharp decline after 1990. Therefore, given the early‑generation complaint profile, the 1989 model is less advisable to purchase compared to later model years.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
2
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
10
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 10 complaints on record, top 6 components.

Fuel System, Gasoline3
Engine & Engine Cooling2
Structure2
Power Train1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic,Vehicle Speed Control1
Seat Belts1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB-09-1012010-09-30TiresNISSAN: TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) WARNING LIGHT ON/FLASHING. NO MODELS OR…
NTB-09-0302009-04-06Electrical SystemNISSAN: THE 12 VOLT BATTERY IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE VEHICLE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND IS…

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 Stanza. 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 Stanza take?

3.7 qt of 10W-30 OR 5W-30 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 1989 Stanza have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Stanza get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 24 highway / 21 combined mpg.