Total Complaints
6 filings
MITSUBISHI PRECIS · model year
1989 MITSUBISHI PRECIS
6 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989MITSUBISHIPRECIS 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, 1 fire, 1 injury, 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 PRECIS is electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator with 1 filings, followed by electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery (1) and engine and engine cooling:exhaust system (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 14 investigation files overlapping the 1989 PRECIS. 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
1
Fires
1
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 |
|---|---|
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 1 |
| SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19990204CrashSEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5MPH OR LESS WHEN REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 45MPH OR MORE, UPON IMPACT, DRIVER'S SEATBACK REST BROKE AND DRIVER WAS EJECTED FROM SEAT INTO REAR OF CAR. *AK *ML
19960313VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
TRIED TO GET RECALL REMEDIED AND THE DEALERSHIP SAYS IT DID NOT EXIST AND THEY WILL NOT SET UP AN APPOINTMENT FOR HIM EVEN THOUGH HE HAS A LETTER. *AK
19951129SUSPENSION:FRONT
PURCHASE CAR NEW THE FRONT END WAS REALIGNED TEN TIMES,ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED TWO TIMES. TT
19950825FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
CONSUMER WAS DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE IT WAS REED SWITCH . TT
19950302ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FAILED, ALSO VEHICLE CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL OR NOT START.
19950302ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY FAILED 5 TIMES, PREVENTING VEHICLE FROM STARTING. *SKD
Compare 1989MITSUBISHIPRECIS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 MITSUBISHI PRECIS have?▼
The 1989 MITSUBISHI PRECIS has 6 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 MITSUBISHI PRECIS?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 MITSUBISHI PRECIS is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM.
Is the 1989 MITSUBISHI PRECIS 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.