Total Complaints
12 filings
JEEP COMANCHE · model year
12 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989JEEPCOMANCHE carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 2 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 COMANCHE is power train:clutch assembly:pedal/hand lever(motorcycle) with 2 filings, followed by steering: steering wheel/handle bar (1) and seat belts:front:buckle assembly (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 29 investigation files overlapping the 1989 COMANCHE, and 3 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.
Total Complaints
12 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE) | 2 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:MECHANICAL:CARRIER/RACK | 1 |
| TIRES:TEMPORARY/EMERGENCY SPARE TIRE | 1 |
| STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION) | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:COLUMN SHIFT | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
| TIRES:SIDEWALL | 1 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL | 1 |
| TIRES | 1 |
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 JEEP COMANCHE EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN LTX TIRES, SIZE 31X10.50/15. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE TIRES EMITTED A LOUD NOISE AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE VIN, TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE, VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE AND DOT NUMBER WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 JEEP COMANCHE. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 55 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS UP TO 3,000. THE CONTACT PLACED THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE CONTACT SHUT OFF THE ENGINE AND WHEN RESTARTING, THE FAILURE WOULD INTERMITTENTLY PERSIST. THE CONTACT INQUIRED ABOUT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 90V177000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: CRUISE CONTROL) AND THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE AS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,041 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 177,072. UPDATED 08/11/10. *LJ UPDATED 08/17/10*JB
Mileage: 177,041
I HAD A NEARLY NEW TRIUMPH R 1200 TIRE FAIL IN AN UNUSUAL MANNER. THIS TIRE HAD ONLY ABOUT 800 MILES ON IT WHEN IT FAILED, AND I'M REASONABLY CERTAIN THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT DUE TO ABUSE (OVERLOAD, POTHOLE, CURB SCUFFING, ETC.). A LARGE BUBBLE FORMED IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE. THE BUBBLE WAS APPROXIMATELY 4" DIAMETER AND 3/4" HIGH. THE BUBBLE APPEARED TO DISTORT THE BEAD, CAUSING A LARGE LEAK BETWEEN THE TIRE AND THE WHEEL. THIS OCCURRED ON THE FIRST REALLY WARM WEATHER DAY FOLLOWING INSTALLATION, LEADING ME TO SUSPECT A POSSIBLE MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT NEEDED SOME HEAT TO MANIFEST ITSELF. THIS FAILURE SEEMED UNUSUAL ENOUGH TO WARRANT REPORTING, EVEN IF MY THEORY IS INCORRECT. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF YOU NEED MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS. I STILL HAVE THE TIRE IF FURTHER FAILURE ANALYSIS IS OF INTEREST. THANKS- WILLIAM T. DALEY, P.E. MECHANICAL ENGINEER. *AK (DOT NUMBER: ? TIRESIZE: P205/75R15)
RUBBER CLUTCH HOSE FAILURE. HOSE IS ROUTED TOO CLOSE TO EXHAUST. (3 INCHES) HEAT BUILD UP IN EXHAUST SYSTEM MELTS HOSE AND CAUSES A LEAK THAT UNDER PRESSURE SQUIRTS FLUID ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE CAUSEING FLASH FIRES. I HAVE RETAINED THE DEFECTIVE PART IF YOU REQUIRE IT FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION.
ENGINE COOLANT IS NOT GOING INTO THE ENGINE DUE TO A DEFECT WITHIN THE WATER PUMP. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
4WD WILL NOT ENGAGE AS NEEDED. *AK
STEERING GEAR BOX BROKE OFF FROM THE METAL FRAME, CAUSING STEERING SYSTEM TO BE INOPERATIVE WHILE DRIVING ,MAY HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK
CABLE THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE IN PLACE BROKE AND THE TIRE FELL OFF WHILE DRIVING.
FAILURE OF THE CABLE THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE IN PLACE, THE CABLE BROKE, CAUSING THE SPARE TIRE TO FALL OFF THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING.*AK
THE MASTER CLUTCH CYLINDER HOSE LEAKED FLUID ON THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE. *AK
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE COME LOOSE IT SLIP OUT. TT
STEERING WHEEL MOUNTING ASSEMBLY BECAME LOOSE. *AK
Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) Failure
Underhood fires
Loss of Motive Power
False overheat leading to loss of motive power
Electronic Parking Brake Water Ingress
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.