IllustrationWHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER. CAUSE HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. TIRE SIZE P26570R16. *AK
1989 Dodge RAM
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 Dodge RAM do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 27.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all RAM years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 0 of 28 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Seat Belts. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
4 crash reports2 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
28 reportsAFTER FUELING VAN THERE IS NO REGISTRATION ON THE DASHBOARD OF FUEL GAUGE. MECHANIC HAS REPLACED FUEL GAUGE AND NEEDLE 3 TIMES, HOWEVER IT STILL MALFUNCTIONED. *AK CONSUMER STATED ELECTRICAL WORK WAS DONE TO THE GAS GAUGE.*JB
FUEL TANK HAS PULLED AWAY FROM HOLD AND FUEL LEAKS ON THE GROUND FROM SMALL HOLD ON TOP OF FUEL TANK. *AK
VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL. THEN TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER WHERE THEY FOUND THAT LEAK WAS COMING FROM FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM WHERE"O" RING WORE OUT.THEY CHARGED CONSUMER FOR REPAIRS. *AK
QUOTE FROM POLICE REPORT : "INVESTIGATION AT THE SCENE SHOWED THAT THE RIGHT REAR TIRE OF VEHICLE #1 LOST TREAD AND BLEW, CAUSING THIS ACCIDENT". THIS INCIDENT DOES NOT FIT THE "PROFILE" PUT FORTH BY FIRESTONE, I.E. NOT A FORD EXPLORER, NOT DRIVEN OFF RAOD, NOT USED IN EXTREME HEAT.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 15 )
THIS IS THE NORMAL TYPE VAN AND TIRES FOR CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, DAYCARES...THIS TIRE HAS BLOWN 7 TIMES WHEN VANS WERE AT HWY SPEEDS WITH FULL LOADS...DUNLOP HAS REFUSED TO PAY DAMAGES OR ADMIT THIS TIRE HAS PROBLEM...WE THANK GOD OUR YOUTH WERE NOT INJURED...BUT SOMEONES WILL BE IF THIS IS NOT CORRECTED( DOT NUMBER: DAIL821 TIRE SI…
Read full complaint
THIS IS THE NORMAL TYPE VAN AND TIRES FOR CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, DAYCARES...THIS TIRE HAS BLOWN 7 TIMES WHEN VANS WERE AT HWY SPEEDS WITH FULL LOADS...DUNLOP HAS REFUSED TO PAY DAMAGES OR ADMIT THIS TIRE HAS PROBLEM...WE THANK GOD OUR YOUTH WERE NOT INJURED...BUT SOMEONES WILL BE IF THIS IS NOT CORRECTED( DOT NUMBER: DAIL821 TIRE SIZE: LT22575R16 )
VEHICLE KEEPS CUTTING OFF DUE TO SOME TYPE OF PLUGS THAT WEREN'T PUT INTO THE VEHICLE. ALSO, VEHICLE ISN'T PULLING, AND THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER. *AK
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTIONED DUE TO THE GOVERNOR STICKING WHICH MAY CAUSE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
FRONT MAIN CROSSMEMBER STRUCTURALLY FAILED, ALLOWING RIGHT FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM BRACKET TO BREAK FREE.
WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK ABOUT 45-50 MPH, THE STEERING COUPLING BROKE DOWN BY THE AXLE. STEERING BECAME IMPOSSIBLE, AND DRIVER RAN OFF THE ROAD INTO A FIELD. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP.THE STEERING SHAFT AND BOX WERE REPLACED BY A DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.