Your vehicle report
1989 Ford F150
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 210
- Received Feb 1995 to Sep 2010
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline41 complaints · 20% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Vehicle catches fire from wiring32 complaints · 15% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Tires blow out or tread separates7 complaints · 3.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #96V071000The ignition switch could experience an internal short circuit.
- Recall #91V146000The dual fuel tank selector valve may malfunction and cause an overfill condition in one of the fuel tanks, resulting in an overflow of fuel past the filler cap.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 5 crashes, 40 fires, 4 people injured, 1 death.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 14 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 27 |
| 1996 | 56 |
| 1997 | 24 |
| 1998 | 21 |
| 1999 | 13 |
| 2000 | 21 |
| 2001 | 12 |
| 2002 | 15 |
| 2003 | 8 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2007 | 5 |
| 2008 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 0 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 210 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 41 | 20% | – | NHTSA recall #89V114000, #91V146000 |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 32 | 15% | – | NHTSA recall #96V071000 |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 7 | 3.3% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 7 | 3.3% | – | |
| Paint peels off roof and hood | 5 | 2.4% | – | |
| Frame rusts and corrodes through | 5 | 2.4% | – | |
| Exhaust manifold cracks and leaks fumes | 5 | 2.4% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Fuel gauge reads erratically or incorrectly | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Cruise control fails to disengage | 4 | 1.9% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Ford F-150 transmission unexpectedly downshifts or jerks | 3 | 1.4% | – | |
| Vehicle rolls backward out of park | 3 | 1.4% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #96V071000April 25, 19967,900,000 vehicles affected
electrical system: ignition
The ignition switch could experience an internal short circuit.
This condition could cause overheating, smoke, and possibly fire in the steering column area of the vehicle.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the ignition switch.
NHTSA recall #91V146000September 4, 1991350,000 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: storage: auxillary tank: selector devices
The dual fuel tank selector valve may malfunction and cause an overfill condition in one of the fuel tanks, resulting in an overflow of fuel past the filler cap.
The overflow of fuel past the filler cap causes a fuelleakage, which Can result in a fire when exposed to a source of ignition.
Remedy
Replace the dual fuel tank selector valve.
NHTSA recall #90V101000June 1, 1990111,000 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission: gear position indication (prndl)
Under certain conditions, the snap ring that locates the park gear on the output shaft of the transmission may fracture.
When the gear is placed in park, the park gear would notengage, allowing the truck to roll freely if the parking brake is not properlyset. This could result in an accident.
Remedy
Install improved snap ring and revised transmission extension housing.
NHTSA recall #89V114000July 14, 19893,000 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: storage: auxillary tank
Shields on the fronts of the midship mounted fuel tanks were omitted during assembly.
Trucks would not comply with 30 mph impact test offmvss no. 301, fuel system integrity.
Remedy
Install fuel tank shields.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1989 Ford F150.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN