1989 Ford F150 electrical system problems
52 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the electrical system on the 1989 Ford F150 — 23% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“The horn doesn’t work. Everything mechanically works great. Concern is if airbag works Never worked since purchased in January 2015.”
filed Apr 3, 2023
“Tl* the contact owns a 1989 ford f-150. When the contact attempted to drive the vehicle off a used car lot, it failed to start. The contact bought a new battery, but the vehicle still would not start. The contact suspected that the ignition switch was faulty and there was an oil leak. The state…”
filed Mar 19, 2019
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related service bulletins
Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses. *tt
99222 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 18, 1999Ford motor company has released a new electrical grease ( f8az - 19g208-aa ) to reduce the possibility of moisture corrosion at the terminals. *yc
98246 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 7, 1998
Electrical System problems in other F150 years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 F150 | 22 | 22% |
| 2024 F150 | 38 | 21% |
| 2023 F150 | 80 | 20% |
| 2022 F150 | 122 | 21% |
| 2021 F150 | 125 | 13% |
| 2020 F150 | 82 | 12% |
| 2019 F150 | 98 | 8% |
| 2018 F150 | 169 | 8% |
| 2017 F150 | 126 | 9% |
| 2016 F150 | 182 | 9% |
| 2015 F150 | 167 | 10% |
| 2014 F150 | 160 | 11% |
Other reported problem areas on the 1989 Ford F150
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.