Total Complaints
14 filings
EAGLE SUMMIT · model year
1989 EAGLE SUMMIT
14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989EAGLESUMMIT carries 14 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 3 injuries, and 1 fatality. 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 SUMMIT is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 7 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:exhaust system (1) and unknown or other (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 2 investigation files overlapping the 1989 SUMMIT. 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.
14
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
3
Injuries
1
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 7 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 1 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 1 |
| SUSPENSION | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20051030ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
I HAD PROBLEMS EVER SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR, WHICH WAS IN EXCHANGE FOR A TRADE-IN. THIS CAR WAS $200 EXTA DOLLARS WORTH OF PROBLEMS THAT I NEVER GOT RESOLVED. I BOUGHT INTO A GREAT DEAL OF FRUSTRATIONS AND HEADACHES OVER A SIMPLE RESOLVE. THEY SAW ME COMING. THROUGH BRINGING AND LEAVING MY CAR FOR DAYS AT THE CAR LOT TO BE FIXED PROPERLY, AND GETTING SWINDLED OUT OF MY MONEY TO HAVING THE PEOPLE AT THE CAR LOT BRING IT TO THEIR MECHANICS, WHO LED ME TO THINK THAT MY CAR WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE FIXED, MY FRUSTRATIONS AND ANGER HAD REACHED A BOILING POINT. THE PROBLEM WAS THE ENGINE, WHEN IT GOT TOO HOT THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD WAVER UP AND DOWN, THREATENING TO SHUT THE CAR OFF. THIS CREATED A SAFETY PROBLEM, AND OF COURSE, I RECEIVED TWO REJECTION STICKERS FOR THIS PROBLEM, WHICH WAS THE EMISSIONS. THE SECOND TIME WAS I THOUGHT THE PEOPLE AT THE CAR LOT WOULD FIX UP; SO I BROUGHT IT BACK TO BE INSPECTED AGAIN, PAYING $60.00 FOR IT. *NM
Mileage: 118,879
20020207SEATS
THE DRIVER SEAT FRAME BROKE AT THE WELD TO THE AUTO BODY. THE REAR LEFT SIDE CLOSEST TO THE DOOR WAS WHERE THE WELD JOINT BROKE.*AK
19970623SEAT BELTS:FRONT
THE THE FRONT LAP BELT WILL NOT ENGAGE . MANUFACTURER CONTACTED , THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FRONT SHOULDER BELTS. SHOULDER BELTS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED. *AK
19961216CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
FAILURE OF THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELTS, CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AND THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK, RESULTING IN INJURIES. *AK
19960628UNKNOWN OR OTHER
OIL SENSOR LIGHT FAILED, CAUSING MOTOR TO THROW A ROD.
19960628SUSPENSION
DRIVERS SIDE AXLE FAILED. *DH
19960628VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
ALL FOUR POWER WINDOW MOTORS FAILED.
19960202FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
THE CAR WAS PARKED THE OWNER WENT TO START THE CAR AND THE CAR BACKFIRED AND FIRE STARTED. TT
19951026FatalSEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
A PIECE OF PLASTIC BROKE OFF SEAT BELT LOCK AND REMAINED LODGED INSIDE, CAUSING SEAT BELT TO FAIL. *AK
19950606SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
PASSENGER FRONT SHOULDER/LAP BELT BUCKLES INOPERATIVE, DUE TO PLASTIC PIECES FALLING INSIDE, MALE WON'T GO INTO FEMALE PORTION. TT
19950512SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
PASSENGER FRONT LAP BELT BUCKLE MALE TO FEMALE WON'T LOCK IN. TT
19950512SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WILL NOT LOCK. TT
19950417SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
PARTICLES SEEMED TO BE STUCK INSIDE TAKATA SEAT BELT BUCKLE; DOES NOT ENGAGE LEAVING OCCUPANT UNRESTRAINED. TT
19950217SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
BOTH REAR SHOULDER/LAP BELT BUCKLES CAME UNDONE WHEN LATCHED. TT
Compare 1989EAGLESUMMIT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 EAGLE SUMMIT have?▼
The 1989 EAGLE SUMMIT has 14 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 3 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 EAGLE SUMMIT?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 EAGLE SUMMIT is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 7 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM and UNKNOWN OR OTHER.
Is the 1989 EAGLE SUMMIT 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.