IllustrationENGINE FAILED DUE TO CRACKED CYLINDER HEADS. *DH
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
What owners actually said
73 reportsONE OF THE SEAT TRACK ON DRIVERS SIDE BROKE, RESULTING IN POOR PERFORMANCE.
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT WILL OCCASIONALLY RELEASE AUTOMATICALLY FROM LOCKED POSITION/THROWN TO POSITION FURTHEST FROM STEERING WHEEL. *AK
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
TRUCK WAS PARKED FOR THREE WEEKS, CONSUMER CAME BACK THE INSTRUMENT WAS BURNED OUT. PLEASE DESCRIBE . *A
UNDER THE DASH COMPARTMENT FIRE, VEHICLE WAS PARKED, ELECTRICAL SHORT. ALL WIRING BURNED AND INTERIOR BURNED WHILE TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE*AK
UNDER THE DASH COMPARTMENT FIRE, VEHICLE WAS PARKED, ELECTRICAL SHORT. ALL WIRING BURNED AND INTERIOR BURNED WHILE TRYING TO START THE VEHICLE *AK
THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM LIGHT STAYS ON THE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE SYSTEM WILL NOT KICK IN. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
TRUCK WAS SITTING IN THE PARKING LOT WENT TO START TRUCK THERE POPPING NOISE AND TRUCK CAUGHT ON FIRE NO ONE WAS HURT . TT
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