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#BS-1989-FORRAN-1270

1989 Ford Ranger

Based on reports from 88 owners and 3 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Recalls

TSBs

🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 88 complaints, 7 crashes, 15 fires, and 3 recalls. Complaint rate is 4.0x the class average.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the Engine And Engine Cooling:engineHIGH

6 owners reported engine and engine cooling:engine issues — failures commonly reported around 118K miles.

!Inspect the Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited SlipMED

Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure

+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

0–30K

30–60K

60–90K

90–120K

120–150K

150K+

Peak failure range: 60–90K miles (3 reports) • Median: 118K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Engine And Engine Cooling:engine (6 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine6 (7%)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip6 (7%)

Wheels & Tires6 (7%)

Electrical System:ignition:switch4 (5%)

Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly4 (5%)

Fuel System4 (5%)

Visibility:rearview Mirrors/devices:exterior3 (3%)

Electrical System:wiring:interior/under Dash3 (3%)

1989 Ford Ranger: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine Issues

Engine And Engine Cooling:engine complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1989 Ford Ranger, with 6 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 118,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 118K-mile mark.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip Issues

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1989 Ford Ranger, with 6 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Wheels & Tires Issues

Wheels & Tires complaints account for 7% of all reports filed for the 1989 Ford Ranger, with 6 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to wheels & tires-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical System:ignition:switch Issues

Electrical System:ignition:switch complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 1989 Ford Ranger, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical system:ignition:switch-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 1989 Ford Ranger. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (3 recalls)

06E026000Apr 2006

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT.

89V109000Jul 1989

SUSPENSION:FRONT:WHEEL BEARING

FRONT WHEEL BEARING ADJUSTING NUT RETAINING KEYS MAY BE MISSING FROM FRONT AXLE ASSEMBLIES, ALLOWING THE NUT TO LOOSEN.

98E010000Apr 1998

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:DISC:ROTOR

EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION: AFTERMARKET BRAKE ROTORS FOR USE ON CERTAIN FORD AND MAZDA TRUCKS. CRACKED CASTINGS CAUSED CRACKS TO APPEAR ON THE OUTER DIAMETER OF THE ROTOR HAT OR AROUND THE STUD HOLE.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Ford Ranger is the 2019 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is engine.

1989 Ford Ranger vs. Class Average (Small Pickup Trucks)

This vehicle

Class avg

4.0x the class average — significantly more complaints than typical small pickup trucks vehicles.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 88 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 3 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Ford Ranger Model Years

2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1985 1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978

View all Ford Ranger years →

1989 Ford Ranger: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1989 Ford Ranger?

The most commonly reported issue with the 1989 Ford Ranger is related to the engine and engine cooling:engine, with 6 complaints filed with NHTSA.

Is the 1989 Ford Ranger reliable?

The 1989 Ford Ranger has 88 complaints, 7 crash reports, and 15 fire reports filed with NHTSA. This is 4.0x the class average — higher than typical for its segment.

How much does it cost to fix 1989 Ford Ranger problems?

Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.

Does the 1989 Ford Ranger have any recalls?

Yes, the 1989 Ford Ranger has 3 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

What mileage do Ford Ranger problems start?

Based on 11 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 118,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 60–90K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.

What’s in the full report?

10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.

How is this different from free NHTSA data?

NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.

How is this different from Carfax?

Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.

What if the report isn’t useful?

100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.