IllustrationFUEL PUMP SAFETY SWITCH WOULD ENGAGE ON ITS OWN & CAR WOULDN'T START UNLESS YOU HIT THE SWITCH. ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES AND SO HAS BATTERY.
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
Compare all Mustang 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: 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
Electrical System complaints
46 reportsHAD RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 96V071000 AND CONTACTED DEALER. TOOK VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS OF IGNITION SWITCH. 4 YEARS LATER, IGNITION SWITCH HAD A SHORT. DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR, WAS NOT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROBLEM. MANUFACTURER AGREED WITH DEALER.*AK
RECALL 96V071000/ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IGNITION SWITCH. VEHICLE HAD A BROKEN IGNITION SWITCH, AND CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT THE RECALL WAS THE REASON FOR THIS PROBLEM. ALSO, MSNUFACTURER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK
A FIRE STARTING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DUE TO A DEFECTIVE WIRING HARNESS AND ALTERNATOR WITHOUT ANY WARNING. *AK *ML
HOLE IN THE GAS TANK CAUSED FUSE INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND FUEL TO SPILL OUT OF THE TOP RESULTING IN A RUSTED MUFFLER AND BRACKETS, CONSUMER ALSO NOTICE STRONG GAS ODOR INSIDE VEHICLE. NLM
CAR WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT AT PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT ON 1/31/96. APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES LATER I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE IN THE PARKING LOT. THE FIRE COMPLETELY CONSUMED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND INTERIOR DASHBOARD AREA. THE PALM BEACH GARDENS FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, HOWEVER THE CAR…
Read full complaint
CAR WAS PARKED IN THE PARKING LOT AT PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT ON 1/31/96. APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES LATER I WAS INFORMED THAT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE IN THE PARKING LOT. THE FIRE COMPLETELY CONSUMED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND INTERIOR DASHBOARD AREA. THE PALM BEACH GARDENS FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE, HOWEVER THE CAR WAS TOTALED DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT INCIDENT REPORT INDICATED THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY A FAULTY IGNITION RELAY. THE CAR WAS REMOVED BY A TOWING SERVICE AND DELIVERED TO A JUNK YARD. A TOTAL OF $100 WAS PROVIDED FOR THE CAR FOR USED PARTS. THERE WAS NO INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR THIS INCIDENT. ON SEPT. 1996, WE RECEIVED A SAFETY RECAL NOTICE FROM THE FORD MOTOR CO. STATING THAT 1988-93 MODEL MUSTANGS COULD EXPERIENCE A SHORT CIRCUT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH LEADING TO OVERHEATING AND POSSIBLY FIRE. WE HAVE ATTEMPTED SEVERAL TIMES TO CONTACT FORD MOTOR CO. BUT HAVE RECEIVED NO SUPPORTING RESPONCE. ALSO, THE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BOARD HAS BEEN CONTACTED, BUT INDICATED THAT OUR APPLICATION DOES NOT FALL WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE BOARD. WE HAVE A COPY OF THE FIRE REPORT AND PHOTOS OF THE VEHICLE. PLEASE ADVISE.
VEHICLE RECEIVED RECALL REPAIR WORK ON THE IGNITION SYSTEM (96V-071) ON APRIL 21, 1999 ON APRIL 26, 1999 VEHICLE FIRE DUE TO ELECTRICAL FAILURE. MJS
APPROXIMATELY 5 MINUTES AFTER PARKING FIRE STARTED UNDER HOOD. DURING EXTINGUISH NOTICED SPARKING AT ALTERNATOR WIRE HOOKUPS.
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL FOR IGNITION SWITCH, STATES THAT DEALER WILL REPLACE SWITCH WITH NEW ONE. DEALER DID NOT, THEREFORE 10 MONTHS LATER VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO THIS.*AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM HOOD.OWNER PULLED OVER AND FIRE STARTED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO BURN UP COMPLETELY. *AK
Official recalls
196V071000 · 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
4PE94010 · 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