1989 Ford F250 problems & reliability
112 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1989 Ford F250. Last verified Aug 8, 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.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1989 Ford F250 vehicles were involved in 5 fatal crashes with 2 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 → | 25 | 22% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic → | 23 | 21% |
| Electrical System → | 20 | 18% |
| Power Train → | 12 | 11% |
| Tires | 8 | 7% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 7 | 6% |
| Steering | 7 | 6% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 4% |
| Structure | 4 | 4% |
| Suspension | 4 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 19 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Tl* the contact owns a 1989 ford f-250. While driving approximately 10 mph, one of the fuel tanks overflowed without warning and caused fuel to leak from the filled tube. The contact called shults ford lincoln at 724-934-2388 (located at 10401 perry hwy, wexford, pa 15090) and was informed that there was no recall for…”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Dec 10, 2018
“The intent of reporting this issue is to stress the importance of older vehicles (past the 15 year mark) having record and status of safety recalls. It is just as vital for older vehicles to have record as it is for newer vehicles. Everyone wants safe vehicles out on the road. As my vin indicates, I purchased a 1989…”
Unknown OR Other · filed Apr 25, 2018
“My primary fuel tank overflows after filling secondary tank. I have read there was a recall on this type of issue for this truck.”
Fuel/propulsion System · filed Feb 26, 2016
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- ALTERNATOR BELT FAILURE
Engineering Analysis EA93014 · opened Jun 4, 1993 · closed Jul 29, 1994
- 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
- SPARE TIRE FIRES
Preliminary Evaluation PE91090 · opened Jun 20, 1991 · closed Oct 25, 1991
- LOSS OF BRAKE EFFECTIVENES
Preliminary Evaluation PE91077 · opened May 23, 1991 · closed Oct 31, 1991
Technical service bulletins
30 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1989 Ford F250. The 10 most recent:
Front end shimmy may occur at various driving speeds and is usually induced when hitting bumps, such as large potholes or rough railroad crossings. Shimmy is not always verified during road test. *ak
98158 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 3, 1998
Information on tire company telephone numbers for customer assistance. *yc
9852 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 13, 1998
Information on a buzzing or rattle noise from the exhaust system. *tt
9864 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 30, 1998
Front caliper piston boots damaged. *yc
985A38 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 18, 1998
Some vehicles may exhibit excessive brake pedal travel, irregular front lining wear, and brake pull. *yc
985A29 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 18, 1998
Recommended guidelines for towing behind recreational vehicles. *tt
985A12 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 18, 1998
Announcing the ford oem air conditioning retrofit kit availability. *yc
9848 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 2, 1998
Some vehicles may develop "cavitation" erosion in the cylinder wall of the engine. *tt
010198 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 1998
Fluid- transmission fluid usage charts. *jd
97511 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 3, 1997
Accessory drive belts- fead belt comes off- vehicles with 4.9l engine. *jd
9748 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 17, 1997
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 F250 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 F250?
- · 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.