Total Complaints
2 filings
FORD F-350 · model year
1989 FORD F-350
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989FORDF-350 carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 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 F-350 is engine with 1 filings, followed by fuel system, gasoline (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 177 investigation files overlapping the 1989 F-350, 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.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
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 | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20140305FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
SINCE NOVEMBER 19, 2014 I HAVE BEEN NOTICING A STRONG FUEL VAPOR SMELL FROM MY TRUCK. I REALLY DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT UNTIL I GOT INTO MY TRUCK AND TURNED THE KEY TO THE ON POSITION. ALL OF A SUDDEN I NOTICED THAT MY REAR GAS TANK WAS EMPTY. I FLIPPED THE SWITCH TO THE FRONT TANK AND IT WAS OVER FULL. AFTER QUITE A PERIOD OF RESEARCHING ONLINE WHEN I HAD TIME TO, I FOUND OUT THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THE DUAL FUEL TANK SELECTOR VALVE. THE 91S39 RECALL LIST 1989 F350 ON IT BUT MY TRUCK DOESN'T APPARENTLY FALL UNDER THE RECALL CAUSE THE BUILD DATE IS 11/88 (NOVEMBER 1988) AND VIN AS A 1989. BUT MY RESEARCH ONLINE GAVE ME THE PART NUMBER THAT WAS RECALLED. PART# E7TA-9B263-AB. WHICH MY VALVE HAS THAT EXACT NUMBER ON IT. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK FROM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND EVERYTHING IS ORIGINAL ON IT. YES THIS IS THE ORIGINAL MILEAGE. UNFORTUNATELY NO MAINTENANCE EXCEPT FOR OIL CHANGES AND TUNE UP WERE DONE. UNFORTUNATELY HE ALSO NEVER DID ANY RECALLS. MY TRUCK GOES INTO BELL FORD (
Mileage: 82,500
20130724ENGINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 FORD F-350 EQUIPPED WITH AN AFTER MARKET FLEX A LITE AUXILIARY COOLING FAN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AS HE OPENED THE HOOD, HIS FINGERS BECAME CAUGHT IN THE BLADES DUE TO AN INADEQUATE AMOUNT OF GUARDS. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED SEVERE, DEEP LACERATIONS TO HIS FINGERS AND AS A RESULT, HE NO LONGER HAD ANY FEELING LEFT IN HIS FINGERS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Mileage: 150,000
Compare 1989FORDF-350 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 8 Open
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionOpen
Underbody shields detachment
PE25007Preliminary EvaluationOpen
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
PE25002Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 FORD F-350 have?▼
The 1989 FORD F-350 has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 FORD F-350?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 FORD F-350 is ENGINE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE.
Is the 1989 FORD F-350 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.