Total Complaints
15 filings
NISSAN PICKUP · model year
1989 NISSAN PICKUP
15 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989NISSANPICKUP carries 15 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, 3 injuries, and 2 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 is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 7 filings, followed by unknown or other (2) and power train:automatic transmission (2). 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 54 investigation files overlapping the 1989 PICKUP, and 5 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.
15
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
2
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:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 7 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020515SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
A SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED UNDER A RECALL SEVERAL YEARS AGO. THE NEW SEAT BELT WILL SUDDENLY UNBUCKLE WILL DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THE SEAT BELTS ARE UNDER LIFETIME WARRANTY BUT THE DEALER REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING DO TO THE UNABILITY TO REPEAT THE PROBLEM.*AK
20020514POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. *JG
20020307ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE STARTER. *JG
20020307POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
CONSUMER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. *JG
20010323CrashFatalSEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
ON 5/24/1998 MY 16 YR OLD SON WAS DRIVING TO CHURCH AT 9:30AM THAT SUNDAY MORNING WHEN HE WAS GOING AROUND A CURVE, HIS RIGHT FRONT TIRE WENT OFF THE ROAD, HE OVER CORRECTED WHEN TRYING TO BRING TRUCK TIRE BACK ON ROAD, TRUCK WENT OUT OF CONTROL, FLIPPED SEVERAL TIMES AND MY SON (GREG DYAL) WAS THROWN FROM DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WHEN HIS SEAT BELT HE WAS WEARING AT THE TIME CAME LOOSE. I RETAINED AN ATTORNEY AFTER I CHECKED WITH NISSAN DEALERSHIP & FOUND OUT THERE WERE 2 RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THE SEATBELTS. (LISTED IN YOUR REPORT ON 10/20/1998 AS NHTSA ACTION # EA95007). MY ATTORNEY HIRED A SEATBELT SPECIALISTS TO COME IN & INVESTIGATE ,WHICH HE DID FIND EVIDENCE THAT MY SON WAS WEARING HIS SEATBELT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. I PAID $1500 FOR THIS SPECIALIST. MY SON WAS THROWN APPROX 80-90 FEET FROM THE VEHICLE. I CAME UP ON THE ACCIDENT W/IN 5 MINUTES & MY SON WAS UNCONSIOUS AND BARELY ALIVE. HE DIED WITHIN 1 1/2 HRS AT THE HOSPITAL. HAD HE NOT BEEN THROWN FROM THE VEHICLE, MOST LI
20000822UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I WOULD HAVE DONE SOMETHING EARLIER, BUT DID NOT RALIZE I HAD ANY RECOURSE. THE RUBBER SEAL IS SELF EXPLANITORY, IT STARTED ROTTING AFTER ABOUT 3-4 YEARS. THE OTHER IS THE PAINT. ALL THE PAINT ON THE TOP OF THE TRUCK HAS FLAKED OFF, FROM THE HOOD TO THE BED. THE SIDES ARE FINE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
19990322SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED UNDER A RECALL. THE PROBLEM IS THAT IT SEEMS TO ENGAGE BUT DOESN'T, AND THEN POPS LOOSE LATER. I THINK IT PERFORMS BETTER NOW THAN ORIGINAL DID BEFORE REPLACEMENT, BUT MAYBE I AM JUST MORE CAREFUL ABOUT TESTING IT. IN ANY CASE, IT STILL REPEATEDLY FAILS TO LATCH PROPERLY. *AK
19990212UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY.
19981109CrashFatalSEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
WHILE TRAVELLING AT 70MPH ON DRY PAVEMENT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SLIDE, IMPACT, AND FLIPPED OVER. SHOULDER BELT CAME LOOSE, AND DRIVER WAS KILLED WHEN THROWN OUT OF THE VEHICLE. FROM THE WEIGHT OF THE DRIVER PULLING AGAINST THE SEAT BELT, THE DOOR CAME OPEN AND DRIVER FELL OUT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND WAS UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. ALSO, THERE WAS ONE MINOR INJURY. *AK
19960412SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT DOESN'T RETRACT BACK. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK
19951201SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE DRIVERS SEAT BELT IT OPENS WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
19950411SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT MADE BY TAKATA IS DEFECTIVE AND HAS BROKEN PIECES IN THE INSIDE. TT
19950308SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE CLICKS AS IF IT WAS LOCKED, BUT WITH PRESSURE SEATBELT COMES LOOSE. TT
19950306SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER SEATBELT BUCKLE RED BUTTON BROKE OFF IN THE BUCKLE, CAUSING IT TO MALFUNCTION, FISHED PART OUT AND BY BANGING SEAT BELT IT CAN BE USED. TT
19950221SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
NO. 521 SEAT BELTS WILL LATCH, BUT IF YOU HAPPEN TO BEND OVER OR MOVE AROUND TOO MUCH THEY UNLATCH. TT
Compare 1989NISSANPICKUP to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 5 Open
PE25005Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Driver Airbag Inflator Rupture
PE24020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Inner Tie Rod Failures
PE24017Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Side curtain air bags may deploy inadvertently
PE24007Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Reduced Power After Engine Stall
PE23020Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Loss of motive power due to broken crankshaft with no ability to restart.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 NISSAN PICKUP have?▼
The 1989 NISSAN PICKUP has 15 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 2 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 NISSAN PICKUP?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 NISSAN PICKUP is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 7 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include UNKNOWN OR OTHER and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1989 NISSAN PICKUP 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.