Total Complaints
3 filings
FORD F-SERIES · model year
1989 FORD F-SERIES
3 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989FORDF-SERIES carries 3 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, 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 F-SERIES is fuel system, gasoline with 1 filings, followed by tires (1) and wheels (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 1 investigation file overlapping the 1989 F-SERIES. 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.
3
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
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 |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20120208TIRES
WHILE OPERATING IN REVERSE LESS THAT 8 MPH THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE IMPACTED A TREE LIMB AND THE TIER SIDEWALL SPLIT FROM THE TREAD TO THE RIME SEAL. DEALER ADVISES THIS WAS AN IMPACT BLOWOUT. I CAN SEE AT A SPEED GREATER THAN 8 MPH SUCH A POSSIBLE BLOWOUT BUT QUESTION SUCH A SITUATION AT SUCH A LOW SPEED. *TR
Mileage: 120,000
20120208WHEELS
WHILE OPERATING IN REVERSE LESS THAT 8 MPH THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE IMPACTED A TREE LIMB AND THE TIER SIDEWALL SPLIT FROM THE TREAD TO THE RIME SEAL. DEALER ADVISES THIS WAS AN IMPACT BLOWOUT. I CAN SEE AT A SPEED GREATER THAN 8 MPH SUCH A POSSIBLE BLOWOUT BUT QUESTION SUCH A SITUATION AT SUCH A LOW SPEED. *TR
Mileage: 120,000
20110922FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 FORD F250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL WOULD OVERFLOW AND SPILL OUT THROUGH THE FILLER NECK VALVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 194,000.
Mileage: 194,000
Compare 1989FORDF-SERIES to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 FORD F-SERIES have?▼
The 1989 FORD F-SERIES has 3 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 FORD F-SERIES?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 FORD F-SERIES is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES and WHEELS.
Is the 1989 FORD F-SERIES 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.