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1989 Ford F-250

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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: 7 of 11 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.

  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Fuel/propulsion System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

Fuel System, Gasoline complaints

5 reports
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85,000 miles · Dec 22, 2014
Fuel System, Gasoline

SEVERAL YEARS AGO AFTER FILLING THE REAR TANK OF MY DUAL TANK 1989 FORD F250, I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND SOON NOTICED FUEL POURING OVER THE LEFT REAR TIRE. I FIGURED IT WAS DUE TO A LEAK IN THE FUEL FILLER NECK AND STOPPED USING THE REAR TANK FOR THE NEXT 5 OR 6 YEARS ONCE BURNING OUT ALL THE FUEL. A FEW MONTHS AGO I DECIDED…

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SEVERAL YEARS AGO AFTER FILLING THE REAR TANK OF MY DUAL TANK 1989 FORD F250, I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND SOON NOTICED FUEL POURING OVER THE LEFT REAR TIRE. I FIGURED IT WAS DUE TO A LEAK IN THE FUEL FILLER NECK AND STOPPED USING THE REAR TANK FOR THE NEXT 5 OR 6 YEARS ONCE BURNING OUT ALL THE FUEL. A FEW MONTHS AGO I DECIDED TO GET A FEW THINGS FIXED ON THE TRUCK AND ASKED THE MECHANIC TO SEE IF HE COULD ISOLATE THE LEAK IN THE REAR TANK. SURPRISINGLY AFTER DOING A PRESSURE AND SMOKE CHECK, HE FOUND NO LEAK AND RECOMMENDED I PUT A FEW GALLONS IN AND SEE HOW THE TRUCK RAN. THE TRUCK RAN FINE FOR A FEW WEEKS BUT, WHILE RUNNING ON THE FRONT TANK, I HAD SOME HESITATION PROBLEMS AND TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SHOP. THE MECHANIC CLEANED THE FUEL INJECTORS AND CHANGED THE FUEL PUMP IN THE REAR TANK (BASED ON A LOW PRESSURE READING) IN ORDER TO TRY TO ISOLATE THE PROBLEM POSSIBLY TO ONE OF THE TANKS. HE ALSO CHANGED THE FUEL QUANTITY SENSOR SINCE IS HAD FAILED YEARS AGO. I FILLED THE REAR TANK (18 GALLONS TOTAL) AND AFTER DRIVING A 30-MILE ROUND TRIP FOR SOME CHRISTMAS SHOPPING, NOTICED THE REAR FUEL GAUGE ONLY SHOWED 3/8 OF A TANK. I FIGURED I HAD RECEIVED A BAD FUEL SENSOR AND DECIDED TO FILL THE TANK TO MAKE SURE. THE TRUCK TOOK A TOTAL OF 7.5 GALLONS OF FUEL. SINCE AT NO TIME DID I NOTE ANY FUEL LEAKAGE, I FIGURED THE FUEL HAS FLOWED TO THE FRONT TANK. DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE WEB I FOUND NHTSA RECALL 91V146 (FORD #91S39) WHICH DESCRIBED THE PROBLEM TO A TEE. THE RECALL INCLUDES 1989 F250 PICKUPS BUT ONLY THOSE SOLD AFTER FEBRUARY 28, 1989. I PURCHASED MINE IN NOVEMBER 1989; HOWEVER, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE EXACT SYMPTOMS AND SAFETY ISSUES. I RECOMMEND THE NHTSA BROADEN ITS RECALL 91V146 TO INCLUDE 1989 F-250S PURCHASED PRIOR TO THE FEBRUARY 1989 START DATE TO PREVENT A POSSIBLE SAFETY INCIDENT OR WORSE. THANK YOU. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10667822

93,807 miles · Jun 26, 2013
Electrical SystemFuel System, Gasoline

FUEL PUMP CONTINUES TO RUN AFTER IGNITION SWITCH IS TURNED OFF. THIS CAUSES EVENTUALLY THE BATTERY TO GO DEAD. I CAN HEAR THE FUEL PUMP CONTINUE AFTER IGNITION IS TURNED OFF AND PUMP CHANGES PITCH IN SOUND WHEN SWITCHING BACK AND FORTH FROM FRONT FUEL TANK TO REAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10521965

22,000 miles · Mar 18, 2013
Fuel System, GasolineFuel/propulsion System

WHILE AT AN INTERSECTION WAITING FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR SO I COULD PULL ON TO THE HIGHWAY, I SMELLED GAS. I LOOKED IN MY SIDE MIRROR AND SAW GASOLINE GUSHING OUT OF MY FRONT FUEL TANK. IT WAS OBVIOUSLY UNDER PRESSURE BUT THE FUEL DOOR FORTUNATELY KEPT IT FROM SPRAYING ACROSS THE ROAD. I APPEAR TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM THE OTHER TW…

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WHILE AT AN INTERSECTION WAITING FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR SO I COULD PULL ON TO THE HIGHWAY, I SMELLED GAS. I LOOKED IN MY SIDE MIRROR AND SAW GASOLINE GUSHING OUT OF MY FRONT FUEL TANK. IT WAS OBVIOUSLY UNDER PRESSURE BUT THE FUEL DOOR FORTUNATELY KEPT IT FROM SPRAYING ACROSS THE ROAD. I APPEAR TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM THE OTHER TWO COMPLAINT FILERS HAVE HAD AND REFERENCED THE SAME FORD RECALL CAMPAIGN OF 91V146000. IF I AM EVER ABLE TO GET THROUGH TO THE NUMBER FOR THE FORD RECALL (313) 446-4654 I AM SUPPOSED TO REFERENCE RECALL NUMBER 91S39. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS TRUCK AND HAVE ONLY 22000 TOTAL MILES ON IT SO THE FAILURE CANNOT BE DUE TO MILEAGE. THIS RECALL APPLIED TO QUITE A FEW MODELS OF FORD FOR 1989. THE TWO PRIOR COMPLAINTS HAVE APPARENTLY BEEN IGNORED-------PROBABLY NOT ENOUGH 1989'S AROUND TO REALLY WORRY ABOUT UNLESS SOMEBODY GETS KILLED AT WHICH TIME I HOPE SOMEBODY REMEMBERS THIS WEBSITE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10503487

Mileage unknown · Sep 18, 2012
Fuel System, Gasoline

1989 FORD F250. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SAFETY RECALL CONCERNING FUEL RESERVOIR *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSED TO HONOR A SAFETY RECALL. FORD INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THEY COULD NOT FIND HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER IN THEIR RECORDS AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE CONSUMER STATED EARLIER …

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1989 FORD F250. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SAFETY RECALL CONCERNING FUEL RESERVOIR *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSED TO HONOR A SAFETY RECALL. FORD INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THEY COULD NOT FIND HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER IN THEIR RECORDS AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE CONSUMER STATED EARLIER THIS YEAR. WHILE STOPPED AND IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT SIGNAL, GAS FLOWED PROFUSELY FROM THE FRONT TANK FILLER CAP ONTO THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE GROUND BENEATH THE BED THAT SURROUNDED THE REAR WHEELS. HE SWITCHED THE TANK SELECTOR FROM THE FRONT TANK TO THE REAR TANK AND RETURNED HOME. HE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND DISCOVERED IT WAS NOT UNIQUE TO HIS VEHICLE, IN WHICH FORD HAD ISSUED A SAFETY RECALL. RECALL # 91V146000

NHTSA ODI #10476182

115,924 miles · Nov 21, 2011
Fuel System, Gasoline

I WAS DRIVING MY 1989 FORD F250 THAT I RECENTLY PURCHASED ON NOVEMBER 14TH 2011 AND WHEN I GOT HOME I SMELLED GASOLINE, UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I SAW FUEL RUNNING OUT OF THE FRONT FUEL TANK FILLER NECK PAST THE GAS CAP. I WAS USING THE REAR TANK AT THE TIME. I WENT ONLINE TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM AND…

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I WAS DRIVING MY 1989 FORD F250 THAT I RECENTLY PURCHASED ON NOVEMBER 14TH 2011 AND WHEN I GOT HOME I SMELLED GASOLINE, UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I SAW FUEL RUNNING OUT OF THE FRONT FUEL TANK FILLER NECK PAST THE GAS CAP. I WAS USING THE REAR TANK AT THE TIME. I WENT ONLINE TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS ACTUALLY A SAFETY RECALL ISSUED ON THIS PROBLEM FOR THIS TRUCK. I LOOKED UP THE VIN ON FORDS' WEBSITE AND IT SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH MY TRUCK, MY THOUGHT WAS THAT IT WAS PROBABLY BECAUSE IT WAS SO OLD IT WAS NO LONGER IN THEIR DATABASE. I CALLED MACE FORD IN TERRE HAUTE AND SPOKE WITH LANDIS IN THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON 21 NOVEMBER 2011 HE CHECKED AND SAID THERE WASN'T ANYTHING THEY COULD DO AND REFERRED MY TO THE FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMBER WHICH I CALLED AND SPOKE TO [XXX] ALSO ON 21 NOVEMBER 2011, HE ALSO TOLD ME IT WAS NOT LISTED AND CHECKED WITH HIS SUPERVISOR'S AND THEY SAID IT DID NOT APPLY TO MY TRUCK. WHAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND IS MY TRUCK MEETS ALL OF THE CRITERIA THAT I CAN FIND LISTED IN THE FORD SAFETY RECALL NUMBER 91S39. IT IS A 1989 FORD F250 WITH DUAL FUEL TANKS AND ACCORDING TO THE DOOR PLATE IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN APRIL OF 1989. CAN YOU HELP ? THE SYMPTOMS ARE ACTUALLY AS DETAILED IN THE RECALL, THE BEING THAT FUEL IS FORCED FROM ONE FUEL TANK INTO ANOTHER OVERFLOWING THE TANK. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10436553

Official recalls

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No 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

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No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.