1989 Ford F150 problems & reliability
224 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1989 Ford F150. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
3 complaints report injuries (4 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1989 Ford F150 vehicles were involved in 9 fatal crashes with 5 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline → | 85 | 38% |
| Electrical System → | 52 | 23% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 14 | 6% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 13 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 13 | 6% |
| Power Train | 9 | 4% |
| Steering | 8 | 4% |
| Structure | 8 | 4% |
| Tires | 8 | 4% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 2% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 24 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 20 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 106,000 miles (middle 50% between 86,452 and 143,475 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The horn doesn’t work. Everything mechanically works great. Concern is if airbag works Never worked since purchased in January 2015.”
Electrical System · filed Apr 3, 2023
“Tl* the contact's daughter owns a 1989 ford f-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was at stand still at a gas station, when she noticed a fuel leak. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the fuel tank was rusted. The contact called sunnyvale ford located at 650 e el camino real…”
Fuel System, Gasoline · filed Jun 9, 2020
“I have a lt235/75r-15 bfgoodrich all terrain t/a k02 c tire that has a huge bubble in the inner sidewall of the tire. This is the second tire that did this. I discovered it when I was changing the oil. There needs to have a safety recall.”
Wheels · filed Apr 2, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- LOSS OF BRAKE EFFECTIVENES
Engineering Analysis EA91044 · opened Oct 30, 1991 · closed Oct 30, 1992 · led to recall 92V026000
- FUEL EXPULSION
Engineering Analysis EA91031 · opened Jun 26, 1991 · closed Nov 1, 1991 · led to recall 91V146000
- LOSS OF BRAKE EFFECTIVENES
Preliminary Evaluation PE91077 · opened May 23, 1991 · closed Oct 31, 1991
- FORD TRUCK INCONSISTENT VEHICLE CONTROL.
Preliminary Evaluation PE91017 · opened Nov 27, 1990 · closed Apr 17, 1991
- TRNSMSSION PARK GEAR FAIL
Preliminary Evaluation PE90056 · opened Mar 12, 1990 · closed Jun 12, 1990 · led to recall 90V101000
Technical service bulletins
35 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1989 Ford F150. The 10 most recent:
Information regarding transmission fluid usage charts. *slc
01157 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks. *slc
01156 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Subject regarding contamination from prior transmission concerns or excess wear may be trapped in the transmission fluid cooling system. *tt
002310 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 13, 2000
Transmission- e40d/4r100-1989-99-main controls, separator plates and separator plate gaskets usage chart. Yd
98168 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 7, 2000
Vehicles may experience solid particle contaminants from prior transmission concerns or excess wear, may be trapped in the transmission fluid cooling system is not properly flushed, fluid in-line filter kit. *mjs
0038 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 7, 2000
Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *mjs
0015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 10, 2000
Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses. *tt
99222 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 18, 1999
Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems. *tt
99196 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 1999
Ford motor company now recommends sae 5w-30 viscosity grade for servicing any ford gasoline-powered vehicle regardless of model year. *tt
99816 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 3, 1999
Ford motor company has released a new electrical grease ( f8az - 19g208-aa ) to reduce the possibility of moisture corrosion at the terminals. *yc
98246 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 7, 1998
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1989 Ford F150 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1989 Ford F150?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 106,000 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.