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1989 Ford Mustang

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1989 Ford Mustang do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 81.

About this comparison →

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: 4 of 109 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.

  • Electrical System. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

3 crash reports31 fire reports6 injury reports

Seat Belts complaints

20 reports
Clear category filter
131,000 miles · Sep 27, 2020
Exterior LightingSeat BeltsVehicle Speed Control

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 THAT THE …

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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 THAT THE SEAT BELT MECHANISM IS OLD AND WORE OUT. SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING ABOUT 8 MONTHS AGO. AT THAT TIME THERE WAS 131,000 ORIGINAL MILES ON THE MOTOR. NO IDEA WHY THE SPEEDOMETER JUST STOPPED WORKING AS I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN GOING ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR. OVERDRIVE STOPPED WORKING. NO WARNING, NO OCCASIONAL SLIPS. JUST STOPPED WORKING WHILE SWITCHING INTO OVERDRIVE IT WOULD NOT ENGAGE AT ALL. HAVE TO KEEP THE CAR UNDER 50 MILES PER HOUR AS CAR WON'T SHIFT INTO NEXT GEAR. MY GUESS IS CHANGE TRANSMISSION. LOOKING FOR ONE NOW TO EITHER REBUILD IT OR GET A NEW ONE. SWITCHES, DRIVER SIDE SWITCH WOULD NOT CATCH THE WINDOW TO ROLL UP OR DOWN,, THEN THE SWITCH PLATE WOULD STICK AND STARTED SMOKING. I REPLACED THE SWITCH TWICE NOW WITHIN THE LAST YEAR. INTERIOR LIGHTING FOR SPEEDOMETER GAGES ARE NO LIGHTS. UNABLE TO SEE GAGES. ***I DO REALIZE THE CAR IS 31 YEARS OLD NOW. AND MAY JUST BE OLD AGE GETTING TO MY FOXBODY. *** THANK YOU

NHTSA ODI #11361416

Mileage unknown · Aug 30, 2002
Seat Belts

WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING CONSUMER HIT BRAKES AND DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT STAY IN LOCKED POSITION. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AKTHE DRIVERS SIDE BELT WAS REPLACED, BUT WOULD NOT WORK AFTER INSTALLATION. *JG

NHTSA ODI #8017633

Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 2002
Seat Belts

FRONT PASSENGER LAP SEAT BELT WILL NOT STAY IN LOCKED POSITION ,AND IS CAUSING CONSUMER NOT TO HAVE A SEAT BELT ON WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8017479

Mileage unknown · Jan 23, 2001
Seat Belts

BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SHOULDER BELTS DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY OR WILL EITHER JUST HANG UP, CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #878814

Mileage unknown · Feb 19, 1999
Seat Belts

SEATBELT NOT RETRACTING TO PROPER POSITION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #703520

Mileage unknown · Jan 27, 1999
Seat BeltsSeatsSteering

SEATBELTS DO NOT RETRACT PROPERLY, AND CAN TANGLE. FRONT SEAT DRIVERS SIDE ANCHOR BROKE, METAL SUPPORTING SEAT RAIL WAS SPLIT. REPAIRED VIA BRAZING. SPEEDOMETER NEEDLE CLICKED FROM DELIVERY, DEALER SAID WAS NORMAL, AT MILEAGE THE NEEDLE EXITED THE ASSEMBLY AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF WILDLY ERATIC MOVEMENT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #702636

Mileage unknown · May 6, 1998
Engine And Engine CoolingSeat BeltsSeats

COOLING FAN/ROOF CRACKED AT UPPER LEFT CORNER OF HATCH AREA/SEAT BELT RETRACTORS MALFUNCTIONED/ DRIVER'S SEAT FEELS WOBBLY.

NHTSA ODI #535240

Mileage unknown · Apr 17, 1998
Seat Belts

LEFT FRONT SEAT BELT FAILED 3 TIMES.

NHTSA ODI #534609

Mileage unknown · Nov 5, 1996
Seat Belts

LAP/SHOULDER BELTS ON DRIVER'S/ PASSENGER'S SIDES AND REAR ARE BROKEN, WILL NOT RETRACT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #802732

Mileage unknown · Oct 7, 1996
Seat Belts

WHEN SEAT BELTS ARE REMOVED FROM USE, THEY DO NOT RETRACT; WHEN ONE TRIES TO USE THE BELTS, AFTERWARDS, SLACK FROM NON-RETRACTING REMAINS LOOPED OUTSID EOF DOOR, BELTS FEEL TIGHT FROM BEING CAUGHT IN THE DOOR. *AK

NHTSA ODI #802126

Official recalls

1

96V071000 · Electrical System:ignition

Apr 25, 1996

THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.

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

4

PE94010 · Fuel Line Routing

Opened Feb 2, 1994 · Closed Apr 19, 1994

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available

PE91137 · Hood Latch Failures

Opened Oct 9, 1991 · Closed Feb 27, 1992

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure

There is no summary currently available

PE90052 · Fr Seat Floor Mount Fails

Opened Mar 7, 1990 · Closed Jun 20, 1990

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats

There is no summary currently available

PE89133 · Underdash Fires

Opened Jun 29, 1989 · Closed Nov 28, 1989

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available