Total Complaints
9 filings
SUBARU GL · model year
1989 SUBARU GL
9 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989SUBARUGL carries 9 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, 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 GL is seat belts:front:buckle assembly with 3 filings, followed by vehicle speed control (2) and seat belts (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 GL. 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.
9
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
1
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:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 3 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20011116SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
BRAKES WERE REPLACED AT ~100,000 MILES. BOTH FRONT ROTORS AND PADS AS WELL AS REAR DRUMS AND SHOES. ALL DONE BY SUBARU DEALER IN SPING OF 98. AS OF SPRING OF 01 AND LESS THAN 12,000 MILES LATER THE BRAKES HAVE SELF DESTRUCTED DO TO RUST. NEVER HAVE WE HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR BEFORE. ONLY SINCE RECENT YEAR SUBARU BRAKE ASSEMBLIES HAVE BEEN INSTALLED. SUBARU IS NOT STANDING BEHIND THIS. WILL HAVE THIS JOB DONE AT AN INDEPENDENT SHOP THAT WILL STAND BEHIND THEIR BRAKES.*AK
19981201POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION LINKAGE LOCK OUT FAILED. (THAT IS THE COMPONENT THAT PREVENTS SHIFTING FROM NUETRAL TO REVERSE FAILD AND THE CAR WENT INTO REVERSE FROM NUETRAL.
19960410CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
FAILURE ON THE TRANSMISSION WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PUT IN REVERSE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELEARATED CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT. *AK
19951122SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
FRONT LAP/SHOULDER BELT WILL NOT RETRACT ON PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE. TT *JB
19951117SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE WHEN LATCHED THE BUCKLE CAME LOOSE . TT
19950421SEAT BELTS
FRONT PASSENGER AUTOMATIC SEATBELTS INOPERATIVE, BELTS STUCK ON TRACK AND WON'T MOVE UP OR DOWN. TT
19950421CrashVEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
STOPPED AT STOP SIGN ALL OF A SUDDEN CAR JUST ACCELERATED,CAUSED ACCIDENT. TT
19950412SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
ASK FOR EXT 597. FRONT AND REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT ENGAGES AND RELEASES INTERMITTENTLY. TT
19950227SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVER SEAT BELT IS INOPERATIVE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE LATCHES SOMETIMES. TT
Compare 1989SUBARUGL to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
PE19009Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Occupant Detection System (ODS) Failure
PE15012Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Passenger Front Air Bag Suppression
PE11011Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Front suspension control arm failure
EA09007Engineering AnalysisClosed
FUEL PUMP LEAKS
PE09017Preliminary EvaluationClosed
FUEL LINE LEAK
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 SUBARU GL have?▼
The 1989 SUBARU GL has 9 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 SUBARU GL?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 SUBARU GL is SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY with 3 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL and SEAT BELTS.
Is the 1989 SUBARU GL 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.