IllustrationSHEARED CLUTCH AND BRAKE BRACKET. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION.
1989 Toyota Pickup
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Pickup 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: 6 of 21 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 4 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.
2 crash reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
21 reportsTRUCK HAS 186000 MILES AND OVER THE YEARS I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEAD GASKETS AND SEALS FOUR TIMES. BASICALLY SPENDING 3200 DOLLARS THREE TIMES AFTER THE WARRANTY WORK WAS DONE THE FIRST TIME. THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 TOYOTA PICKUP. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY COVERED WITH RUST. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED AND THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 166, 643.
WITHOUT WARNING, VEHICLE STALLED AT 25 MPH. AFTER TOWING TO DEALERSHIP AND WAITING OVER 7 WEEKS WAS TOLD HEAD GASKET BLOWN AND HEADS WARPED. THEN CHARGED OVER $4220.00 FOR REPAIRS ALREADY DONE. *JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 TOYOTA PICKUP. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL 05V389 RELATED TO REPLACING THE STEERING RELAY ROD. T THE CLOSEST DEALER WOULD REQUIRE HIM DRIVE FOR 3 HOURS. THE CONTACT PREFFERED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,00…
Read full complaint
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 TOYOTA PICKUP. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL 05V389 RELATED TO REPLACING THE STEERING RELAY ROD. T THE CLOSEST DEALER WOULD REQUIRE HIM DRIVE FOR 3 HOURS. THE CONTACT PREFFERED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND REQUESTED REIMBURSEMENT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000. *AK
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CLUTCH LOOSES POWER. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP DETERMINED THE BRAKE PEDAL BRACKET FRACTURED. THE BRACKET WAS SPOT WELDED. THE WELD IS COMING LOOSE AND THE BRACKET NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ALTHOUGH THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS DISPLAYED BY THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, #05V389000 ON THE VEHICLE REGARDING THE STEERING. THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE NOT AVAILABLE AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
PROBLEMS CONCERNING 1989 TOYOTA PICKUP TRUCK RUSTED FRAME. *MR *SC *JB
AFTER TRAVELING APPROX. ONE MILE, THE CONSUMER LEARNED HE HAD NO BRAKES. *PH THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LINE WAS DRIPPING FLUID. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. THE FRAME ON THE RIGHT REAR OF THE VEHICLE HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND LEFT A GAP IN THE FRAME. *SC *JB
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING CLUTCH FAILED AND BRACKET SNAPPED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
Official recalls
105V389000 · Steering:linkages:rod:relay:connecting
Sep 6, 2005
ON CERTAIN PICKUP TRUCKS AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, IF THE STEERING WHEEL IS REPEATEDLY TURNED UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS WHERE HIGH STEERING EFFORT AND POWER ASSIST ARE REQUIRED, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN FULLY TURNING THE WHEEL WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED, A FATIGUE CRACK MAY DEVELOP IN THE STEERING RELAY ROD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: IF THE VEHICLE IS CONTINUED TO BE OPERATED IN THIS CONDITION, THE RELAY ROD MAY FRACTURE, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING RELAY ROD. THE RECALL BEGAN OCTOBER 5, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
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.