Total Complaints
6 filings
FORD FORD TRUCK · model year
1989 FORD FORD TRUCK
6 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989FORDFORD TRUCK carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 3 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 FORD TRUCK is vehicle speed control with 2 filings, followed by steering:hydraulic power assist:pump (1) and electrical system:ignition (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 FORD TRUCK. 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.
6
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
0
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 |
|---|---|
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| TIRES:VALVE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20090420TIRES:VALVE
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 FORD TRUCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TIRE VALVE STEMS WERE REPLACED IN DECEMBER OF 2007. IN DECEMBER OF 2008, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE VALVE STEM MALFUNCTIONED. IN JANUARY OF 2009, WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE VALVE STEM FAILED. THE VALVE STEMS WERE TECH INTERNATIONAL, MODEL TR 413. THE SERIAL NUMBER, PART NUMBER, PURCHASE DATE, AND VIN WERE UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.
Mileage: 3,000
20011127TIRES
DUNLOP GRAND TREK TIRE BLEWOUT.
20000519VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
THROTTLE DOES NOT RETURN TO IDLE WHEN I LET UP ON GAS PEDAL, INSTEAD R.P.M. INCREASES TO 2400 R.P.M. ONLY AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 8 MILES DOES THE PROBLEM OCCUR.
19990823ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE IGNITION MODULE HAS FAILED 12 TIMES. WE HAVE HAD TO PULL OFF THE ROAD IN 10 SECONDS AND HAVE BEEN UNDER CONSTANT DANGER FROM TRAFFIC IN EACH EVENT. THE IGNITION MODULE FAILS BECAUSE IT GETS TOO HOT. AFTER TWO HOURS WE CAN CONTINUE ON OUR WAY OR GET IGNITION MODULE REPLACED. THE FIRST FOUR TIMES WE DID NOT KNOW WHAT CAUSED IT AND SPENT OVER $1,000 TRYING TO FIND PROBLEM. AT ANY TIME ON ANY TRIP WE COULD BE KILLED AS COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IS LOST AND IN THE EVENT WE CANNOT GET OFF THE ROAD (WHICH HAPPENED IN 9/96 AND WAS THE MOST SERIOUS INSTANTANCE) THERE WILL BE AN ACCIDENT OR FATALITY. WE ARE RETIRED AND CANNOT AFFORD TO BUY A NEW VEHICLE NOR CAN WE IN GOOD CONSCIOUS SELL IT PRIVATELY DUE TO THE MAJOR POTENTIAL PROBLEM OF ACCIDENT OR DEATH. LETTER FOLLOWS.
19980420STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP
POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED.
19961010CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CRUISE CONTROL DEFECTIVE, CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL/ACCIDENT/INJURIES.
Compare 1989FORDFORD TRUCK to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 FORD FORD TRUCK have?▼
The 1989 FORD FORD TRUCK has 6 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 FORD FORD TRUCK?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 FORD FORD TRUCK is VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION.
Is the 1989 FORD FORD TRUCK 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.