Total Complaints
22 filings
GMC Sierra · model year
1989 GMC Sierra
22 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
- Complaints
- 22
- Recalls
- 0
The verdict
The 1989 GMC Sierra posts top-quartile complaint standing among its own model-year siblings.
- Top 23%
- fewest complaints, own model years
- 0
- recall campaigns
The 1989GMCSierra carries 22 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1989 Sierra is seat belts with 2 filings, followed by exterior lighting:brake lights (2) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (2). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 2 investigation files overlapping the 1989 Sierra. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
22
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
F
PlainCars Safety Score
0/100
1989 GMC Sierra
PlainCars' own composite of NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings and rollover-risk assessment, each dimension normalized against the federal scale or the full national model-year corpus. Not an official NHTSA figure, and not a substitute for a specific vehicle's VIN-level recall check.
NHTSA Overall Rating N/A
Not rated
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program overall crash-test rating.
Front Crash N/A
Not rated
Frontal barrier crash-test rating.
Side Crash N/A
Not rated
Side barrier and pole crash-test rating.
Rollover Resistance N/A
Not rated
Static stability factor + dynamic rollover test rating.
Rollover Risk N/A
Not reported
NHTSA single-vehicle rollover probability, dynamic test.
Crashes Reported
2 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 |
|---|---|
| SEAT BELTS | 2 |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 2 |
| PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| TIRES:TREAD/BELT | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20100303CrashSTEERING
I WAS DRIVING MY TRUCK AND THE DAY OF 27TH OF FEBRUARY 2010 AND WHEN I WAS TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IT WAS STICKING LIKE THE STEERING GEAR BOX WAS LOCKING UP THEN IT CAME LOOSE AGAIN SO ON THE DAY OF MARCH FIRST 2010 I WAS MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN AND THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO GO WILD AND LOCKED UP TO WHERE I COULDN'T GET IT BACK TO THE RIGHT AND IT MADE ME CRASH INTO TWO VEHICLES BECAUSE OF THE STEERING WHEEL BEING STUCK. IT JUST GOT A BRAND NEW POWER STEERING PUMP PUT IN AND IT WAS NOT THAT AND ALL THE TIE RODS ARE IN GREAT SHAPE AND IT STILL IS HARD TO TURN NOW AND IT STICKS TO ONE SIDE WHEN ITS TURNED THAT WAY. *TR
Mileage: 275,150
20090327SEAT BELTS
SEAT BELTS DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, FAIL TO RETRACT AND REACT TO SUDDEN STOP. SEAT BELTS ARE A SAFETY ISSUE AND A LAW IN MOST STATES AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY MANUFACTURER. *TR
Mileage: 100,000
20041026SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
1) OVER YEARS OF OPERATION;2) BUCKLE FAILED TO CATCH THE SEAT BELT 3) PROBABLY HAVE A RECALL TO REPLACE THE BUCKLE. SUMMARY: SEAT BELT STOPPED WORKING. *AK
20031010SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AT 25 MPH AND BRAKES LOCKED UP. DRIVER STOPPED, AND NOTICED HALF OF THE ROTORS ON FRONT HAD SHEARED OFF.*AK
20020801ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
STARTER MOUNT BROKE AWAY FROM BLOCK. REPAIR CONSIST OF MOTOR BLOCK REPLACEMENT.*AK
20001030SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT LATCH WILL NOT LATCH. BODY SHOP REPORTS THAT THE INTURNAL WORKINGS HAVE COME APPERENT. *AK
20000906CrashTIRES:TREAD/BELT
PE00 020; CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 50MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND HEARD A NOISE, TIRE TREAD FLAPPING AGAINST UNDER WELL OF VEHICLE. RIGHT REAR PASSENGER'S TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. TIRE WAS A FIRESTONE, P23575R15 M/S. CONSUMER WASN'T HURT. CONSUMER CONTACTED FIRESTONE.*AK FIRESTONE P235/75/R15 *MW
20000630SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
OVER THE 12 YEAR PERIOD OF OWNERSHIP OF THIS PICKUP WE'VE EXPERIENCED 45 DIFFERENT SERIOUS BRAKING INCIDENTS. THEY ACTUALLY STARTED IN 7/13/89 AND THERE WAS WARRANTY WORK DONE. IN 1990 WE FIRST EXPERIENCED A BRAKING/ GLIDE /STOP INCIDENT THAT TOOK US PAST A STOP SIGN.TRUCK CENTER/HALL TRUCK CENTER DID SOME WARRANTY WORK ON THIS BRAKES ON 5/30/91 @48000. THEY LOST THE GMC PICKUP FRANCHISE. IN 1998 GM CUSTOMER SERVICE GAVE ME CLAIM # 98250220 AND SENT ME TO CURT WARNER BUICK GMC (NOW BELLEVUE BUICK GMC). I GOT GMC BRAKE SERVICE BULLETIN #905E69FROM YOUR AGENCY AND GAVE IT TO THESERV. MGR WHO THEN DROVE IT. HE COULDN'T DUPLICATE PROBLEMSDRIVING IT AND DID NOT PERFORM ANY DIAGNOSTIC TESTS..AND SAID HE COULD GET NO ACTION OR HELP FROM GMC. PURSUED AGAIN 5/30/00 WITH GMC CUSTOMER SERVICE..SENT BACK TO SAME DEALERSHIP LOCATION DIFFERENT NAME AND STAFF.ON 6/5/00 SUBMITTED LETTER WITH LOG OF INCIDENCES. SERVICE MGR SAYS GAVE DATA TO GMC REP WHO WILL CONTACT ME. SOFAR NO ACTION. AM NOT U
20000623FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
AT THE BEGINNING OF MAY THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET BLEW THEN ABOUT 1 1/2 WEEKS LATER THE MAIN ENGINE BEARING WENT OUT AND THE VEHICLE DOESN'T HAVE 100,000 AND ISN'T USED IN ANY EXTREME MANNER EXCEPT TO GO BACK FORTH FROM WORK AND OTHER FAMILY ESSENTIALS. WHAT DO WE DO? WE'VE REPLACED THE PARTS AND ENGINE BUT THESE PARTS JUST DON'T GO OUT ON A WELL MAINTAINED TRUCK. WE DO THE OIL EVERY 3000 AND EVERYTHING... HELP. THANKS MIKE BROWN. *AK
20000623ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
AT THE BEGINNING OF MAY THE INTAKE MANIFOLD GASKET BLEW THEN ABOUT 1 1/2 WEEKS LATER THE MAIN ENGINE BEARING WENT OUT AND THE VEHICLE DOESN'T HAVE 100,000 AND ISN'T USED IN ANY EXTREME MANNER EXCEPT TO GO BACK FORTH FROM WORK AND OTHER FAMILY ESSENTIALS. WHAT DO WE DO? WE'VE REPLACED THE PARTS AND ENGINE BUT THESE PARTS JUST DON'T GO OUT ON A WELL MAINTAINED TRUCK. WE DO THE OIL EVERY 3000 AND EVERYTHING... HELP. THANKS MIKE BROWN. *AK
19991024SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
NO SUMMARY.
19991024SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK
NO SUMMARY.
19991024FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
NO SUMMARY.
19991024ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
NO SUMMARY.
19991024VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
NO SUMMARY.
19981001STRUCTURE:BODY
ORIGINAL PAINT ON VEHICLE IS PEELING.
19980928STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
STEERING WHEEL STIFF, HARD TO TURN. HAS TO FORCE STEERING WHEEL BACK TO ORIGINAL POSITION AFTER TURNING. TOOK TO MECHANIC & COULD NOT TELL IF GEAR BOX OR NOT. *AK
19970808EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT SOCKETS ARE CORRODED AND THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS NO LONGER OPERATE. *AK
19970619EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS
BRAKE LIGHT SOCKET BROKE. *AK
19970603SEAT BELTS
3 OUT OF 4 SEAT BELTS THAT ARE EQUIPPED IN VEHICLE HAVE BROKEN DUE TO POORLY DESIGNED BUCKLES. *AK
Compare 1989GMCSierra to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Vehicle Safety Guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 GMC Sierra have?▼
The 1989 GMC Sierra has 22 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 GMC Sierra?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 GMC Sierra is SEAT BELTS with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP.
Is the 1989 GMC Sierra 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.
Data vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1989 GMC Sierra; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.