Total Complaints
12 filings
JEEP WAGONEER · model year
1989 JEEP WAGONEER
12 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989JEEPWAGONEER carries 12 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 1 fire, 2 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 WAGONEER is service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip with 4 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (2) and power train:automatic transmission (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 WAGONEER, 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.
12
Complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
2
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 |
|---|---|
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 4 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 1 |
| SEATS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20061106SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A CERTIFIED INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THE ABS PUMP HAD NOT OUTPUT. THERE WAS A RECALL # 96V260000 PERTAINING TO THE ABS PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER DETERMINED THE RECALL WAS ALREADY PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE CONTACT DID NOT BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER STATEMENT WAS CORRECT. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN 1995 AND THE LETTER WAS NEVER RECEIVED BY THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE REMAINED AT THE MECHANIC SHOP BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO OPERATE.
Mileage: 168,388
20010807CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHILE IN REVERSE VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY, RESULTING IN A COLLISION WHICH CAUSED MINOR INJURIES TO DRIVER. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED*AK *JB
20010706SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
NO SUMMERY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
20000717VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
CONSUMER WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF RECALL ON THE THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. NLM
20000426FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FAILURE RESULTED IN ENGINE FIRE (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). *MJS
19990410SEATS
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE - ONLY 1/2 THE SIDE IS NOW ATTACHED, HAPPENED WHILE I WAS GETTING OUT OF VEHICLE. HAD I BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT, I'M SURE I WOULDN'T BE HERE NOW. DEALER WANTS $900 TO FIX. ACCORDING TO AUTO-PARTS STORE, IT'S COMMON FOR THE SEATS TO BREAK! IF THIS ISN'T A SAFETY ISSUE I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS! ONE EXPECTS TO HAVE TO REPLACE CERTAIN PARTS ON A USED VEHICLE, BUT NOT A SEAT! THE PART THAT ANCHORS THE SEAT IN PLACE EITHER HAS A DESIGN FLAW, OR THE PARTS ARE STRESSED AND BREAK. I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT MAY HAVE HAPPENED TO OTHERS. *AK
19980610ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED THE VEHICLE WILL CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. ALSO, THERE IS A TSB ON THE VEHICLE DUE TO THIS PROBLEM WITH THE CRANKSHAFT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
19980107SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS ACTUATOR PUMP/MTR ASSY FAILED PRIOR TO/AFTER RECALL REPAIR.
19961210ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
RADIATOR FAILED.
19961210VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
PROBLEM WITH DRIVERS'S WINDOW.
19960910CrashPOWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF PARKING GEAR INTO REVERSE, CAUSING ACCIDENT/INJURY. *AK
19951103SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ABS: ABS LIGHT CAME ON; IMMEDIATELY AFTER, COMPLETE BRAKE LOSS; COULD NOT APPLY BRAKE PEDAL AT ALL. TT
Compare 1989JEEPWAGONEER to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 3 Open
PE25014Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Instrument Panel Cluster (IPC) Failure
PE24024Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Underhood fires
RQ24012Recall QueryOpen
Loss of Motive Power
PE22013Preliminary EvaluationClosed
False overheat leading to loss of motive power
PE22009Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Electronic Parking Brake Water Ingress
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 JEEP WAGONEER have?▼
The 1989 JEEP WAGONEER has 12 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 1 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 JEEP WAGONEER?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 JEEP WAGONEER is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1989 JEEP WAGONEER 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.