Total Complaints
30 filings
TOYOTA PICKUP · model year
1989 TOYOTA PICKUP
30 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989TOYOTAPICKUP carries 30 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 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 PICKUP is engine and engine cooling:engine with 4 filings, followed by power train:clutch assembly (3) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (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 51 investigation files overlapping the 1989 PICKUP, and 1 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.
30
Complaints
2
Crashes
0
Fires
3
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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 4 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 2 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS | 2 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING | 2 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| WHEELS:LUGS/NUTS/BOLTS/STUDS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE) | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20170426STRUCTURE:BODY
SHEARED CLUTCH AND BRAKE BRACKET. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION.
20170426UNKNOWN OR OTHER
SHEARED CLUTCH AND BRAKE BRACKET. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION.
20150203ENGINE
TRUCK HAS 186000 MILES AND OVER THE YEARS I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKETS AND SEALS FOUR TIMES. BASICALLY SPENDING 3200 DOLLARS THREE TIMES AFTER THE WARRANTY WORK WAS DONE THE FIRST TIME. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR
Mileage: 50,000
20100322STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 TOYOTA PICKUP. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY COVERED WITH RUST. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 166, 643.
Mileage: 166,643
20070401ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
WITHOUT WARNING, VEHICLE STALLED AT 25 MPH. AFTER TOWING TO DEALERSHIP AND WAITING OVER 7 WEEKS WAS TOLD HEAD GASKET BLOWN AND HEADS WARPED. THEN CHARGED OVER $4220.00 FOR REPAIRS ALREADY DONE. *JB
Mileage: 25
20070220STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 TOYOTA PICKUP. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL 05V389 RELATED TO REPLACING THE STEERING RELAY ROD. T THE CLOSEST DEALER WOULD REQUIRE HIM DRIVE FOR 3 HOURS. THE CONTACT PREFFERED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000. *AK
Mileage: 150,000
20060407SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:PEDALS AND LINKAGES
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CLUTCH LOOSES POWER. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE BRAKE PEDAL BRACKET FRACTURED. THE BRACKET WAS SPOT WELDED. THE WELD IS COMING LOOSE AND THE BRACKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
Mileage: 200,000
20060201STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS DISPLAYED BY THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, #05V389000 ON THE VEHICLE REGARDING THE STEERING. THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
Mileage: 131,519
20040625STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
PROBLEMS CONCERNING 1989 TOYOTA PICKUP TRUCK RUSTED FRAME. *MR *SC *JB
20040507STRUCTURE
AFTER TRAVELING APPROX. ONE MILE, THE CONSUMER LEARNED HE HAD NO BRAKES. *PH THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LINE WAS DRIPPING FLUID. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. THE FRAME ON THE RIGHT REAR OF THE VEHICLE HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND LEFT A GAP IN THE FRAME. *SC *JB
20030714POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING CLUTCH FAILED AND BRACKET SNAPPED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
20020306ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING AT STATE SPEED LIMIT AND WITHOUT WARNING COOLANT AND WATER WAS LEAKING AFTER DRIVING A FEW MILES. MECHANIC STATED ENGINE HEAD GASKET NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK
20000928UNKNOWN OR OTHER
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
19990909ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40-45MPH ENGINE'S HEAD GASKETS BLEW. HAD NO PRIOR WARNING. HAD NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM HOOD. HAD VEHICLE TOWED HOME. HAS NOT BEEN TO DEALER TO HAVE VEHICLE CHECKED. *AK
19990426POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
BRACKET BROKE WHICH HOLDS THE CLUTCH AND BRAKE PEDAL, CAUSING DRIVER TO BE UNABLE TO GET VEHICLE OUT OF GEAR.
19990128POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY
CLUTCH AND BEARING FAILED.
19990128POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY:PEDAL/HAND LEVER(MOTORCYCLE)
CLUTCH AND BEARING FAILED.
19990128ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
EXHAUST MANIFOLD WARPED.
19990128ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
VEHICLE STALLING DUE TO RECALL COMPONENT HEAD GASKET FAILURE PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE.
19990128ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
WATER PUMP AND TIMING BELT AND ENGINE BELTS FAILED.
Compare 1989TOYOTAPICKUP to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 TOYOTA PICKUP have?▼
The 1989 TOYOTA PICKUP has 30 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 TOYOTA PICKUP?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 TOYOTA PICKUP is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include POWER TRAIN:CLUTCH ASSEMBLY and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE.
Is the 1989 TOYOTA 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.