Total Complaints
2 filings
FORD F250 HD · model year
1989 FORD F250 HD
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989FORDF250 HD 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, 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 F250 HD is fuel system, gasoline with 1 filings, followed by electrical system (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 F250 HD, 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
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 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20090502FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
FORD F-250 P/U, FUEL TANK SELECTOR SWITCH GONE OUT CAUSING FUEL TO BE SUCKED INTO FRONT TANK FROM THE REAR TANK. GAS FLOWS OUT FILLER NECK FROM MY FRONT TANK AL OVER THE GROUND. THIS IS A RECALL THAT FORD HAS TRIED TO SAY THE WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE, BUT WONT TELL ME HOW I CAN CHECK FOR MYSELF.HAVE A FEW RECALL ITEMS THAT NEED FIX, AND ELLENSBURG FORD WILL ONLY FIX AT A COST TO ME. HAVE ALREADY HAD ENGINE FIRE AND WITH GAS SPILLING OUT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE HELP ME GET SOMETHING DONE IF U CAN. THANKS DEBBIE L. *TR
20090502ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FORD F-250 P/U, FUEL TANK SELECTOR SWITCH GONE OUT CAUSING FUEL TO BE SUCKED INTO FRONT TANK FROM THE REAR TANK. GAS FLOWS OUT FILLER NECK FROM MY FRONT TANK AL OVER THE GROUND. THIS IS A RECALL THAT FORD HAS TRIED TO SAY THE WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE, BUT WONT TELL ME HOW I CAN CHECK FOR MYSELF.HAVE A FEW RECALL ITEMS THAT NEED FIX, AND ELLENSBURG FORD WILL ONLY FIX AT A COST TO ME. HAVE ALREADY HAD ENGINE FIRE AND WITH GAS SPILLING OUT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE HELP ME GET SOMETHING DONE IF U CAN. THANKS DEBBIE L. *TR
Compare 1989FORDF250 HD 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 F250 HD have?▼
The 1989 FORD F250 HD has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 FORD F250 HD?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 FORD F250 HD is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 1989 FORD F250 HD 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.