1989 Ford Mustang problems & reliability
109 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1989 Ford Mustang. 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.
6 complaints report injuries (9 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1989 Ford Mustang vehicles were involved in 3 fatal crashes with 3 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 46 | 42% |
| Seat Belts | 20 | 18% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 9 | 8% |
| Seats | 8 | 7% |
| Structure | 8 | 7% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 6 | 6% |
| Exterior Lighting | 4 | 4% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 3% |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 3 | 3% |
| Power Train | 3 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“I have had the outside sidewall separate from the rest of the tire on two occasions, with these tires. The first time was in May of 2021, the second on June 1, 2023. I currently have the tire that separated on June 1st. Both times I was on the highway driving around 70 when the car began to shake violently, as if I…”
Tires · filed Jun 9, 2023
“Seat belts pull out and latch however the cross body portion does not recede back into frame, only continues to loosen and not retract this happens at any time you ate using the seat belts, happens with front and passenger seat belts, either stopped. Driving, breaking or excelling. Its all the time . My best guess is…”
Exterior Lighting · filed Sep 27, 2020
“My wife was driving the mustang and following me at night. She had the fog lamps turned on along with the headlamps and the lights went out. She ran off the road before she could stop, but did not cause any damage. The lights kept flickering on and off staying off for several seconds. We finished the trip we were on…”
Exterior Lighting · filed Oct 31, 2014
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- FUEL LINE ROUTING
Preliminary Evaluation PE94010 · opened Feb 2, 1994 · closed Apr 19, 1994
- HOOD LATCH FAILURES
Preliminary Evaluation PE91137 · opened Oct 9, 1991 · closed Feb 27, 1992
- FR SEAT FLOOR MOUNT FAILS
Preliminary Evaluation PE90052 · opened Mar 7, 1990 · closed Jun 20, 1990
- UNDERDASH FIRES
Preliminary Evaluation PE89133 · opened Jun 29, 1989 · closed Nov 28, 1989
Technical service bulletins
27 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1989 Ford Mustang. 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
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
Information on the new flush and fill tool available through rotunda. *tt
99152 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 26, 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
Information regarding tsb 98-5a-12 (transaxle/transmission/transfer case-vehicles towed behind recreational vehicles-recommended guidelines) does not list towing information for certain model vehicles. *mjs
12178 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 1, 1998
Information on a new transmission fluid usage chart. *yc
9888 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 27, 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 Mustang 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 Mustang?
- · 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.