FORD E150 · model year

1989 FORD E150

35 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1989FORDE150 carries 35 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 7 fires, 1 injury, 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 E150 is fuel system, gasoline:storage:auxillary tank:selector devices with 3 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition (3) and tires:tread/belt (2). 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 177 investigation files overlapping the 1989 E150, and 8 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.

35
Complaints
0
Crashes
7
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

35 filings

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

ComponentCount
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES3
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION3
TIRES:TREAD/BELT2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH2
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE2
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD1
SUSPENSION:FRONT1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC1

Recent Complaints

20080701FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID# 91V146000 REFERS TO A SAFETY RECALL FOR A FAULTY DUAL FUEL TANK SELECTOR VALVE IN FORD ECONOLINE VANS EQUIPPED WITH DUAL FUEL TANKS BUILT BETWEEN 1989 AND 1991 AND OTHER SIMILAR MODELS . I HAVE CONTACTED FORD TO INVESTIGATE , BUT THERE ARE NO RECORDS THAT CONFIRM OR DISAFFIRM MY VEHICLE'S INCLUSION IN THIS RECALL. BASICALLY, I DON'T KNOW IF MY VAN WAS AFFECTED BY THIS RECALL AND IF ANY RECALL SERVICES WERE PERFORMED. I AM EXPERIENCING A FAULT IN THE DUAL FUEL TANK SYSTEM. IT SEEMS THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WILL NOT SWITCH TO THE MAIN TANK, AND WHEN FILLED, THE MAIN TANK WILL FLOW PAST THE FILLER CAP AND CAUSES A FUEL LEAKAGE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A FIRE WHEN EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION. I CONTACTED A LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO ADVISED ME THAT NO RECALL SERVICE CAN BE PERFORMED TO REMEDY THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE MY VIN# DOES NOT REGISTER IN THE FORD RECALL DATABASE. AGAIN, FORD CANNOT CONFIRM OR DISAFFIRM ANY RECALL SERVICES PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE. I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL

Mileage: 94,000

20080425FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

VAN DIED,TOWED TO MECHANICS SHOP,WAS TOLD SWITCH VALVE BETWEEN TANKS WAS PROBLEM, LOOKED ON NHTSA WEBSITE ABOUT RECALLS. FORD VAN 89 E-150 WITH DUEL GAS TANKS. FORD SAFETY RECALL NUMBER IS 91S39 WENT TO FORD WEB SITE,CALLED THEM ON PHONE, CUSTOMER SERVICE AND LOCAL DEALERSHIP. BOTH SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY VAN. *TR

Mileage: 138,000

20030619TIRES:TREAD/BELT

WHILE DRIVING, THE TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION AND DAMAGED THE FRONT FENDER. *AK THE VALVE STEM WAS ALSO REPLACED. *PH *JB

Mileage: 61,000

20030619TIRES:VALVE

WHILE DRIVING, THE TIRE EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION AND DAMAGED THE FRONT FENDER. *AK THE VALVE STEM WAS ALSO REPLACED. *PH *JB

Mileage: 61,000

20001030ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

IGNITION MODULE HAS BEEN GIVING US PROBLEMS SINCE PURCHASED-1993- ONE TIME THE MODULE FAILED AND ANOTHER TIME IT WAS REPLACED, STILL THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. *AK

20001025ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

BEGAN HAVING SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH STALLING APPROX. 2 MOS AGO , STALLED WHILE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND WHILE CROSSING INTERSECTIONS , ENDANGERING THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY , WHICH CONSISTS OF MYSELF ,MY WIFE , AND OUR FOUR SMALL CHILDREN. THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURED 7 TIMES. I HAVE REPAIRED IT TWICE. RECENTLY I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. AND AT FIRST THEY DENIED AND PROBLEM AND THE RECENT RECALL IN CALIFORNIA. IHAVE DONE A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF RESEARCH REGARDING THIS PROBLEM INCLUDING MEETING WITH A REGIONAL FORD DISTRICT SERVICE MANAGER. PLEASE , PLEASE HELP ME...

20000905ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

THE AIR CONDITIONING BLOWER MOTOR SWITCH WAS MELTED I REPLACED IT AND IT MELTED AFTER 4000 MILES. I WENT TO A SALVAGE YARD AND THEY WERE ALL MELTED IN THE HI POSITION. WHEN ON HI THE WIRING GET SO HOT YOU CANNOT HOLD THE WIRES

19990611FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

ALTENATEOR HARNESS PLUG CONNECTOR SUDDENLY SHORT CIRCUTED, AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO CATCHON FIRE. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

19990607FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

FIRE STARTED ON DRIVERS SIDE NEAR STEERING WHEEL AND DASHBOARD.NM

19990310STRUCTURE:BODY:BUMPERS

BUMPER ASSEMBLY MISSING PARTS THAT ARE ON ASSEMBLY DRAWING, POSSIBLE CAUSE FOR THE STEP BUMPER OF THE VAN TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE FRAME WHILE TOWING.

19990217FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK

VEHICLE HAS AUXILIARY FUEL TANK. WHEN FIRST TANK IS FILLED WITH GAS IT CAUSES SPILLAGE OF SECOND TANK. CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK

19980513UNKNOWN OR OTHER

STEP BUMPER ON THE VAN BROKE AWAY FROM THE FRAM WHILE TOWING A TRAVEL TRAILER, DUE TO MISSING PARTS.

19980220ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE STALLS.

19971029FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK

WHEN ONE FUEL TANK ON A DUAL FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY FILLS UP IT OVERFLOWS, LEAKING GAS. *AK

19970930ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS AND CUTS OFF COMPLETLY. OWNER HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. *AK

19970304FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES

THE VEHICLE'S DUAL GAS TANK IS INOPERATIVE, CAUSING FRONT GAS TANK TO OVERFILL/SPILL WHEN REAR IS SWITCHED. *AK

19960725FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

CLIMATE CONTROL FAN SWITCH MELTED/BURNED. *SD

19960716FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES

FUEL IS LEAKING FROM THE GAS TANK OF THE VEHICLE. *AK

19960628ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

IGNITION SWITCH SHORT DUE TO LOOSENESS. *DH

19960624ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

IGNITION SHORTED OUT/FAILED. *DH

Compare 1989FORDE150 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 8 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1989 FORD E150 have?
The 1989 FORD E150 has 35 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 7 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 FORD E150?
The most-complained component for the 1989 FORD E150 is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILLARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION and TIRES:TREAD/BELT.
Is the 1989 FORD E150 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.