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1989 Ford MustangProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 109 owner complaints about the 1989 Ford Mustang, most often about the electrical system. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

61
CarFlaw IndexSolid year37% below the Mustang median · #29 of 41 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints10942 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage123kElectrical system, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through June 9, 2023. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1989 Ford Mustang has problems

109 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system4628
Seat belts203
Vehicle speed control91
Seats81
Structure80
Engine and engine cooling63
Exterior lighting41
Fuel system, gasoline31
Latches/locks/linkages30
9 other systems131

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

1989 Ford Mustang recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Electrical system: ignition

Recall 96V-071 · Apr 25, 1996 · 7,900,000 vehicles

Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Best & worst years

1989 vs. every other Mustang year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Mustang median. How we score

'67'68'69'70'71'72'73'74'76'77'78'79'80'81'82'83'84'85'86'87'88'89'90'91'92'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
4 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1989 Ford Mustang, and the recalls they led to.

  1. UNDERDASH FIRESPE89133 · closed Nov 28, 1989
    No recall
  2. FR SEAT FLOOR MOUNT FAILSPE90052 · closed Jun 20, 1990
    No recall
  3. HOOD LATCH FAILURESPE91137 · closed Feb 27, 1992
    No recall
  4. FUEL LINE ROUTINGPE94010 · closed Apr 19, 1994
    No recall
In owners' words

What Mustang owners report

Recent electrical system complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 FORD MUSTANG. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION KEY BECAME EXTREMELY HOT. THE CONTACT HAD NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER TO GET A DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
Complaint 10588614 · May 15, 2014 · 120,000 miles
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 FORD MUSTANG. WHENEVER THE KEY IS INSERTED INTO THE IGNITION TO START THE ENGINE, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT START ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. THE CONTACT MUST REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AND RETRY IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START. HE DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER…
Complaint 10229082 · May 28, 2008 · 123,000 miles
THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL #96 V 071 000, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*JB
Complaint 10011129 · Mar 7, 2003

Own a 1989 Mustang?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.