1989 Ford F-250: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
11 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
93,807 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1989 model year. Data snapshot: . 7 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Fuel System, Gasoline is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 11 complaints (36.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel system concerns | 5 | 45.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 18.2% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 9.1% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 4 |
| Electrical System | 2 |
| Engine | 1 |
| Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Auxillary Tank:Selector Devices | 1 |
| Tires | 1 |
| Unknown Or Other | 1 |
Fuel System, Gasoline: 4; Fuel/Propulsion System: 4; Electrical System: 2; Engine: 1; Fuel System, Gasoline:Storage:Auxillary Tank:Selector Devices: 1; Tires: 1; Unknown Or Other: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 1
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 4 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 |
| 2012 | 3 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2018 | 2 |
2011: 1; 2012: 3; 2013: 2; 2014: 1; 2015: 1; 2016: 1; 2018: 2
Pattern summary
Fuel System, Gasoline leads the component reports. Fuel system concerns appears in 5 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10436553 · 2011-11-21 (November 21, 2011)
I WAS DRIVING MY 1989 FORD F250 THAT I RECENTLY PURCHASED ON NOVEMBER 14TH 2011 AND WHEN I GOT HOME I SMELLED GASOLINE, UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I SAW FUEL RUNNING OUT OF THE FRONT FUEL TANK FILLER NECK PAST THE GAS CAP. I WAS USING THE REAR TANK AT THE TIME. I WENT ONLINE TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND THAT THERE WAS ACTUALLY A SAFETY RECALL ISSUED ON THIS PROBLEM FOR THIS TRUCK. I LOOKED UP THE VIN ON FORDS' WEBSITE AND IT SAID THERE WERE NO RECALLS ASSOCIATED WITH MY TRUCK, MY THOUGHT WAS THAT IT WAS PROBABLY …
Owner-reported narrative. 115,924 miles reported. Look up ODI 10436553 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10467463 · 2012-07-24 (July 24, 2012)
1989 FORD F250. CONSUMER STATES RUBBER PEELED OFF TIRE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE TREAD PEELED OFF THREE OF THE FOUR NEW TIRES HE PURCHASED. THE CONSUMER STATED THE INCIDENT HAPPENED ON OCTOBER 29, 2011, WHILE TRAVELING APPR 65-70 MPH. THE CONSUMER STATED HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE AS THE RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD BEGAN TO PEEL AWAY FROM THE TIRE AND DAMAGED HIS VEHICLE IN THE PROCESS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AND THEN THE TIRE BLEW OUT. JP
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10467463 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10476182 · 2012-09-18 (September 18, 2012)
1989 FORD F250. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SAFETY RECALL CONCERNING FUEL RESERVOIR *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSED TO HONOR A SAFETY RECALL. FORD INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THEY COULD NOT FIND HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER IN THEIR RECORDS AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE CONSUMER STATED EARLIER THIS YEAR. WHILE STOPPED AND IDLING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT SIGNAL, GAS FLOWED PROFUSELY FROM THE FRONT TANK FILLER CAP ONTO THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, AND THE GROUND BENEATH THE BED THAT SURROUNDED THE REAR WHEELS. HE SWITCHE…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10476182 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10483739 · 2012-11-08 (November 8, 2012)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 FORD F-250. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS NOT TAKEN TO A MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE ISSUE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NHTSA 91V146000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:AUXILIARY TANK:SELECTOR DEVICES). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 448,021.
Owner-reported narrative. 448,021 miles reported. Look up ODI 10483739 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10503487 · 2013-03-18 (March 18, 2013)
WHILE AT AN INTERSECTION WAITING FOR TRAFFIC TO CLEAR SO I COULD PULL ON TO THE HIGHWAY, I SMELLED GAS. I LOOKED IN MY SIDE MIRROR AND SAW GASOLINE GUSHING OUT OF MY FRONT FUEL TANK. IT WAS OBVIOUSLY UNDER PRESSURE BUT THE FUEL DOOR FORTUNATELY KEPT IT FROM SPRAYING ACROSS THE ROAD. I APPEAR TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM THE OTHER TWO COMPLAINT FILERS HAVE HAD AND REFERENCED THE SAME FORD RECALL CAMPAIGN OF 91V146000. IF I AM EVER ABLE TO GET THROUGH TO THE NUMBER FOR THE FORD RECALL [phone removed] I AM SUPPOSED TO REFERENCE RECALL NUMBER 91S39. I…
Owner-reported narrative. 22,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10503487 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10521965 · 2013-06-26 (June 26, 2013)
FUEL PUMP CONTINUES TO RUN AFTER IGNITION SWITCH IS TURNED OFF. THIS CAUSES EVENTUALLY THE BATTERY TO GO DEAD. I CAN HEAR THE FUEL PUMP CONTINUE AFTER IGNITION IS TURNED OFF AND PUMP CHANGES PITCH IN SOUND WHEN SWITCHING BACK AND FORTH FROM FRONT FUEL TANK TO REAR. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 93,807 miles reported. Look up ODI 10521965 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10667822 · 2014-12-22 (December 22, 2014)
SEVERAL YEARS AGO AFTER FILLING THE REAR TANK OF MY DUAL TANK 1989 FORD F250, I STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND SOON NOTICED FUEL POURING OVER THE LEFT REAR TIRE. I FIGURED IT WAS DUE TO A LEAK IN THE FUEL FILLER NECK AND STOPPED USING THE REAR TANK FOR THE NEXT 5 OR 6 YEARS ONCE BURNING OUT ALL THE FUEL. A FEW MONTHS AGO I DECIDED TO GET A FEW THINGS FIXED ON THE TRUCK AND ASKED THE MECHANIC TO SEE IF HE COULD ISOLATE THE LEAK IN THE REAR TANK. SURPRISINGLY AFTER DOING A PRESSURE AND SMOKE CHECK, HE FOUND NO LEAK AND RECOMMENDED I PUT A FEW GALLO…
Owner-reported narrative. 85,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10667822 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10678275 · 2015-01-22 (January 22, 2015)
DRIVING ALONG NO INDICATION OF ANY PROBLEM AND ENGINE STOPPED. TRIED STARTING SEVERAL TIMES AND NOTICED IGNITION SWITCH SEEMED VERY STIFF AND WOULD NOT FIRE OFF STARTER, LIGHTS WORKED, DOOR BELL WORKED, NO IGNITION. INSPECTED ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND DID NOT NOTICE ANYTHING UNUSUAL, BATTERY CABLES WERE TIGHT, CHECKED RADIATOR AND FOUND IT WORKING JUST FINE. AFTER A WHILE TRIED IGNITION AGAIN AND STARTED, DROVE A COUPLE MORE MILES TO HOME SAFELY. NEXT AM COULD NOT GET THE IGNITION TO WORK AT ALL, IGNITION SWITCH FELT LIKE IT WAS BROKEN WHEN KE…
Owner-reported narrative. 69,880 miles reported. Look up ODI 10678275 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.