Total Complaints
10 filings
ISUZU PICKUP TRUCK · model year
1989 ISUZU PICKUP TRUCK
10 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989ISUZUPICKUP TRUCK carries 10 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, 4 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 PICKUP TRUCK is seat belts:front:retractor with 4 filings, followed by parking brake:conventional (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliper (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 5 investigation files overlapping the 1989 PICKUP 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.
10
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
4
Injuries
0
Deaths
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:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 4 |
| PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20110210SUSPENSION:REAR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 ISUZU PICKUP TRUCK. WHILE EXAMINING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRAME UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE STEEL FOR THE FRAME WAS SUBJECT TO EXCESSIVE RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 148,000. UPDATED 05/03/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE. THE CONSUMER DISPOSED OF THE VEHICLE AT A RECYCLING AUTO WRECKER SERVICE. UPDATED 10/03/11 UPDATED 1/4/11 *CN
Mileage: 100,000
20110210STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 ISUZU PICKUP TRUCK. WHILE EXAMINING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRAME UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THAT THE STEEL FOR THE FRAME WAS SUBJECT TO EXCESSIVE RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 148,000. UPDATED 05/03/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE FAILED TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE. THE CONSUMER DISPOSED OF THE VEHICLE AT A RECYCLING AUTO WRECKER SERVICE. UPDATED 10/03/11 UPDATED 1/4/11 *CN
Mileage: 100,000
19970522SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVER'S SIDE LAP/SHOULDER BELT WILL NOT FULLY RETRACT. ALSO, PASSENGER'S SIDE BELT BEGINNING TO FAIL TO RETRACT. WHEN EXITING VEHICLE, EXTENDED BELTS GET CAUGHT IN DOOR UNLESS MANUALLY RETRACTED. *AK
19970325SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
REAR BRAKE CALIPERS FAILED TWICE.
19970325POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION SLIPPED TWICE.
19970325POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
CLUTCH REPLACED TWICE.
19960327CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. *AK
19960327CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. *AK
19951201PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL
WHEN APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE SOMETIMES DOESN'T RELEASE RIGHT . TT
19951108SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
BOTH SHOULDER BELTS EXTENDING FROM SIDE PANEL FAIL TO RESTRAIN OCCUPANTS. TT CONSUMER STATES BELTS DO NOT LOCK IN THE HOLDERS ON SIDE OF PICKUP. *SLC
Compare 1989ISUZUPICKUP TRUCK to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 ISUZU PICKUP TRUCK have?▼
The 1989 ISUZU PICKUP TRUCK has 10 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 ISUZU PICKUP TRUCK?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 ISUZU PICKUP TRUCK is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER.
Is the 1989 ISUZU PICKUP 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.