IllustrationWHEN FILLING THE GAS TANK UP WITH FUEL CONSUMER NOTICED A FUEL LEAK AT SEAMS OF THE TANKS. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER STATED BOTH TANKS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK *ML
1989 Ford F150
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 F150 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: 11 of 210 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 82 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 49 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 14 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 reports40 fire reports3 injury reports
What owners actually said
210 reportsGAS TANK LEAKING. *AK
THE FUEL RETURNS TO THE FRONT TANK IF BOTH FRONT & REAR ARE FILLED WITH GAS. THE FUEL JUST RETURNS TO THE FRONT TANK AND OVERFLOWS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY SWITCH DOES NOT WORK. IT QUIT YEARS AGO. THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF FIRES CAUSED FROM THIS PROBLEM BUT NO ONE WANTS TO FIX IT. GUESS A…
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THE FUEL RETURNS TO THE FRONT TANK IF BOTH FRONT & REAR ARE FILLED WITH GAS. THE FUEL JUST RETURNS TO THE FRONT TANK AND OVERFLOWS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY SWITCH DOES NOT WORK. IT QUIT YEARS AGO. THERE HAVE BEEN REPORTS OF FIRES CAUSED FROM THIS PROBLEM BUT NO ONE WANTS TO FIX IT. GUESS AFTER WE BURN UP IN A FIRE SOMEONE MAY DECIDE THERE WAS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. I HAVE EVEN WRITTEN A LETTER TO THE US DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION, TO A MR. JONATHAN WHITE, BUT HE DIDN'T EVEN SEE FIT TO ANSWER THE LETTER. THERE WAS A RECALL #91S39 ON THIS PROBLEM, THE MANUFACTURER SAYS OUR TRUCK WAS NOT INCLUDED. IF NOT INCLUDED, WHY IS IT DOING THE SAME THING AS RECALL #91S39 SAYS IT DOES. SOMEONE WITH ALOT MORE PULL THAN I HAVE IS GOING TO HAVE TO DO SOMETHING BEFORE ALOT OF PEOPLE GET HURT OR DIE. THIS IS SERIOUS, PLEASE TREAT IT AS SUCH. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, TRAVELING 65MPH, HEARD A LOUD BANG THAT SHOOK THE VEHICLE. PULLED OVER, COULD SEE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. OPENED THE HOOD, AND SAW THE WIRES COMING OUT OF THE ALTERNATOR WERE ON FIRE. CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK
THE OTHER BIG PROBLEM IS THE PAINT SCHEME IS SILVER & GREY'S & I HEARD THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THESE COLORS,MY PAINT & FACTORY SEALENT HAS BEEN FLAKING OFF FOR A WHILE & NOW HAS ONE HOLE IN THE BODY. ALSO THE IGNITION SWITCH I HAVE REPLACED TWICE THEY SEEM TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS.A/C HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE 3 MONTHS AFT…
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THE OTHER BIG PROBLEM IS THE PAINT SCHEME IS SILVER & GREY'S & I HEARD THEY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THESE COLORS,MY PAINT & FACTORY SEALENT HAS BEEN FLAKING OFF FOR A WHILE & NOW HAS ONE HOLE IN THE BODY. ALSO THE IGNITION SWITCH I HAVE REPLACED TWICE THEY SEEM TO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS.A/C HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE 3 MONTHS AFTER WE BOUGHT IT,SEALS KEEP BLOWING OUT ON IT SPITZER SAYS ITS OUR PROBLEM NOW. *AK
WE REPLACED ENGINE ON 5/13/98 ,IGN.CYL1/04STEERING COL1/04/00FUELTANK&SENG UNIT1/10/00 WE DID NOT KNOW THESE ITEMS WERE ONRECALL WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET OUR MONEY BACK? SAFTY WAS OUR CONCERN WITH OUR KIDS CAN YOU HELP US PEP BOYS DID ALL THE WORK FOR US. I HAVE RECEIPTS FOR ALL WORK DONE. THANK YOU
FUEL CAP IS DEFECTIVE. WHEN FILLING UP VEHICLE, FUEL CAP DOESN'T SECURE THE GASOLINE. IT SPILLS OUT OF THE FUEL TANK. *AK
FUEL SPILL WHEN BOTH TANKS ARE FULL.MUST USE THE FRONT TANK UNTIL ALL THE FUEL IS USED,THEN USE THE BACK UNTIL IT`S HALF-FULL THEN SWITCH TO FRONT. *AK
FUEL TANK LEAKING. NLM
MANUFACTURER'S RECALL REPAIRS DONE ON IGNITION SWITCH ON 27 JUL 97 AND 10 OCT 98, VEHICLE HAD UNDER HOOD FIRE. CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS WAS CAUSED BY MFR. RECALL FAILURE. ASKING NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK *YC
Official recalls
496V071000 · 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.
91V146000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:auxillary Tank:selector Devices
Sep 4, 1991
THE DUAL FUEL TANK SELECTOR VALVE MAY MALFUNCTION AND CAUSE AN OVERFILL CONDITION IN ONE OF THE FUEL TANKS, RESULTING IN AN OVERFLOW OF FUEL PAST THE FILLER CAP.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE OVERFLOW OF FUEL PAST THE FILLER CAP CAUSES A FUELLEAKAGE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A FIRE WHEN EXPOSED TO A SOURCE OF IGNITION.
Remedy: REPLACE THE DUAL FUEL TANK SELECTOR VALVE.
90V101000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
Jun 1, 1990
UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THE SNAP RING THAT LOCATES THE PARK GEAR ON THE OUTPUT SHAFT OF THE TRANSMISSION MAY FRACTURE.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: WHEN THE GEAR IS PLACED IN PARK, THE PARK GEAR WOULD NOTENGAGE, ALLOWING THE TRUCK TO ROLL FREELY IF THE PARKING BRAKE IS NOT PROPERLYSET. THIS COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: INSTALL IMPROVED SNAP RING AND REVISED TRANSMISSION EXTENSION HOUSING.
89V114000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:auxillary Tank
Jul 14, 1989
SHIELDS ON THE FRONTS OF THE MIDSHIP MOUNTED FUEL TANKS WERE OMITTED DURING ASSEMBLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: TRUCKS WOULD NOT COMPLY WITH 30 MPH IMPACT TEST OFFMVSS NO. 301, FUEL SYSTEM INTEGRITY.
Remedy: INSTALL FUEL TANK SHIELDS.
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
5EA91044 · Loss Of Brake Effectivenes
Opened Oct 30, 1991 · Closed Oct 30, 1992
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
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EA91031 · Fuel Expulsion
Opened Jun 26, 1991 · Closed Nov 1, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available
PE91077 · Loss Of Brake Effectivenes
Opened May 23, 1991 · Closed Oct 31, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
PE91017 · Ford Truck Inconsistent Vehicle Control.
Opened Nov 27, 1990 · Closed Apr 17, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
SEE CLOSE RESUME
PE90056 · Trnsmssion Park Gear Fail
Opened Mar 12, 1990 · Closed Jun 12, 1990
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission:gear Position Indication (prndl)
There is no summary currently available