IllustrationTRUCK QUITS IN HIQH HEAT,FORD NO HELP.*AK
1989 Ford Ranger
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1989 Ford Ranger do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 144.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Ranger 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: 7 of 73 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 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
5 crash reports14 fire reports1 injury reports
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
11 reportsTHIS VEHICLE HAS HAD FOUR ENGINE REPLACEMENTS WITHIN A THREE YEAR PERIOD.
ENGINE HEADS CRACKED. *AK
ENGINE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY.
ENGINE FAILED DUE TO CRACKED CYLINDER HEADS. *DH
METAL AROUND THE CENTER HUB OF FLYWHEEL BROKE, CAUSING DRIVE TRAIN TO FAIL. *SD
FLYWHEEL CRACKED. RESULTIN GIN TRANSMISSION FAILUR/VEHICLE ASCTED AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. *AK
OIL PAN SEALANT PIECES FOUND IN OIL PUMP, CLOGGING IT, CAUSING IT TO FAIL. *DSH
ENGINE HEADS CRACKED CAUSING ANTIFREEZE TO MIX WITH OIL. *SKD
BOTH CYLINDER HEADS CRACKED, CAUSING COOLANT TO MIX W/OIL. *AW
Official recalls
189V109000 · Suspension:front:wheel Bearing
Jul 5, 1989
FRONT WHEEL BEARING ADJUSTING NUT RETAINING KEYS MAY BE MISSING FROM FRONT AXLE ASSEMBLIES, ALLOWING THE NUT TO LOOSEN.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN DETACHMENT OF THE WHEEL AND HUBASSEMBLY FROM THE AXLE, LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, AND AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: INSTALL RETAINING KEYS IN FRONT WHEEL HUB ASSEMBLIES WHERE MISSING.
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
1PE92029 · Whl Separation/torque Loss
Opened Mar 16, 1992 · Closed Aug 31, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Suspension
There is no summary currently available