Total Complaints
11 filings
SUBARU JUSTY · model year
1989 SUBARU JUSTY
11 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989SUBARUJUSTY carries 11 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 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 JUSTY is power train:automatic transmission with 4 filings, followed by seat belts:front:buckle assembly (3) and structure:body:hood (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 JUSTY. 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.
11
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
2
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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 4 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 3 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020916POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I FEEL THE DIPSTICK PROBLEM CAUSE THIS CAR'S TRANSMISSION TO BECOME DEFECTIVE. *AK
20000413POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE TRAVELING, ALSO, FAILURE LOCKED GEAR INTO DRIVE, AND WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT OUT. DEALER/MANUACTURER CONTACTED, AND SAID TAHT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *AK *ML
19990324EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
WHEN A/C BUTTON IS PRESSED, IT BLOWS OUT WARM AIR RATHER THAN COLD. DEALER CONTACTED APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
19960409SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
FAILURE ON THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR, BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. *AK
19960222SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL (95V-103.006). *AK
19950929CrashFatalSEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLES/LATCH FAILED TO HOLD SECURE DURING ACCIDENT, CAUSING DRIVER TO BE THROWN FROM VEHICLE, RESULTING IN TWO DEATHS. *SKD
19950818POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING, TRANSMISSION LIGHTS COMES ON IN THE DASHBOARD. TT
19950804SUSPENSION:FRONT
FRONT SUSPENSION FAILURE, REAR BEARING FROZE THE U-JOINT CAUSING TIRE TO FAIL. TT
19950420POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
ECIT TRANSMISSION. HEARD LOUD THUMP TRANSMISSION DIED. CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. TT
19950223SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT WILL NOT LATCH DUE TO LATCH THAT THE BUCKLE FITS INTO BTROKE AND PIECES OF OPLASTIC FELL INTO THE LATCH. TT
19950201STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD
HOOD FLEW UP WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS THE SECOND INCIDENT. TT
Compare 1989SUBARUJUSTY 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 JUSTY have?▼
The 1989 SUBARU JUSTY has 11 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 2 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 SUBARU JUSTY?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 SUBARU JUSTY is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY and STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD.
Is the 1989 SUBARU JUSTY 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.