Total Complaints
11 filings
DODGE D250 · model year
1989 DODGE D250
11 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989DODGED250 carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1989 D250 is engine and engine cooling:cooling system:radiator assembly with 3 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (2) and seat belts:front:buckle assembly (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 20 investigation files overlapping the 1989 D250, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
11
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 3 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19990611ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
MY TRUCK HAD 2 CORE RADIATOR WHEN PURCHASED. IT OVERHEATED CONSTANTLY WHILE PULLING MY TRAVEL TRAILER. I PUT A 3 CORE RADIATOR IN IT AND IT STILL OVERHEATS. THE TRAILER WEIGHS APPROXIMATELY 4500 POUNDS. PLEASE HELP ME. NOTE: THIS IS THE SECOND FORM I HAVE SUBMITTED. THE FIRST ODI NUMBER 707414 HAD A FEW INCORRECT ANSWERS TO VEHICLE INFORMATION. *AK
19990611ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
MY TRUCK HAD 2 CORE RADIATOR WHEN PURCHASED. IT OVERHEATED CONSTANTLY WHILE PULLING MY TRAVEL TRAILER. I PUT A 3 CORE RADIATOR IN IT AND IT STILL OVERHEATS. THE TRAILER WEIGHS APPROXIMATELY 4500 POUNDS. PLEASE HELP ME. NOTE: THIS IS THE SECOND FORM I HAVE SUBMITTED. THE FIRST ODI NUMBER 707414 HAD A FEW INCORRECT ANSWERS TO VEHICLE INFORMATION. *AK
19990610ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
MY TRUCK HAD 2 CORE RADIATOR WHEN PURCHASED. IT OVERHEATED CONSTANTLY WHILE PULLING MY TRAVEL TRAILER. I PUT A 3 CORE RADIATOR IN IT AND IT STILL OVERHEATS. PLEASE HELP ME.
19990113SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHENEVER THE ROADS ARE WET & THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP PROPERLY. FRONT BRAKES WOULD NOT HOLD. VEHICLE WOULD SKID. *AK
19970703STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
WHEN DRIVING ABOUT 10 TO 15 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED A SOUND FROM THE FRONT END, APPLIED BRAKES VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT, CONSUMER CHECKED THE VEHICLE NOTICED THE UPPER FRAME ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE BROKE, THE UPPER A FRAME WAS REPLACED. *AK
19970703SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
WHEN DRIVING ABOUT 10 TO 15 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED A SOUND FROM THE FRONT END, APPLIED BRAKES VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT, CONSUMER CHECKED THE VEHICLE NOTICED THE UPPER FRAME ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE BROKE, THE UPPER A FRAME WAS REPLACED. *AK
19970527SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTILOCK BRAKES FAILED.
19970325SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
MASTER CYLINDER FAILED, CAUSING BRAKES TO LOCK UP/ACCIDENT.
19960102POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE IN DIESEL ENGINE TRUCK. TT
19950731FireFUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE DUE TO DETERIORATED FUEL LINE, CAUSING FUEL LEAKAGE/FIRE. TT
19950425SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE. TT
Compare 1989DODGED250 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 DODGE D250 have?▼
The 1989 DODGE D250 has 11 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 DODGE D250?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 DODGE D250 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1989 DODGE D250 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.