IllustrationWHEN BACKING OUT THE DRIVEWAY CONSUMER NOTICED RUST ON THE PAVEMENT. INSPECTED VEHICLE AND NOTICEDT THAT STEEL SPRING WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THE SUSPENSION , RUSTED OUT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *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
What owners actually said
73 reportsVEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK POSITION, TURNED OFF FOR AROUND OR ABOUT TWO HOURS WHEN IT CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO AN WIRE WHICH SHORTED OUT. CONSUMER ALSO VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. 8AK
WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH DRIVER SMELLED GAS, PULLED OVER AND WITHIN 1 MINUTE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED BY FLAMES WHICH STARTED UNDERNEATH HOOD. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS.
WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ,STARTED SMELLING GAS AND PULLED OVER, WITHIN 1 MINUTE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES WHICH STARTED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND APPLYING THE BRAKES VEHICLE IS PULLING TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT, ALSO, THERE 1S VIBRATION/JERKING AND A GRINDING NOISE. *AK
WHEN TRAVELING 15 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT GEARS THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS AND TRANSMISSION WENT COMPLETELY OUT. VHEICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE OVER 30 MPH. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
ENGINE DIED SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO FAULTY IGNITION SWITCH, BROKEN CRIMP HOOKS THAT HOLD THE PLASTIC HALF OF THE SWITCH TO THE METAL HALF. MJS
THE REAR WHEELS LOCKED UP WHILE BRAKING AND TRYING TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE CAUSING CONSUMERS TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN THE TRUCK SLIDING AND HITTING A BRIDGE SHOULDER RAIL. NLM
VEHICLES VIBRATES AT SPEEDS ABOVE 35 MPH AND RUMBLING NOISE.
ONE OF THE STRAPS THAT HOLDS UP THE FUEL TANK RUSTED AWAY. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
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