1989 Ford Mustang Exterior lighting Problems
- Complaints
- 4about this part
- Share
- 4%of 109 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 106,500miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 4 complaints about the exterior lighting of the 1989 Ford Mustang, 4% of the 109 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 106,500 miles. 1 a fire, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“Seat belts pull out and latch however the cross body portion does not recede back into frame, only continues to loosen and not retract this happens at any time you ate using the seat belts, happens with front and passenger seat belts, either stopped. Driving, breaking or excelling. Its all the time . My best guess is that the seat belt mechanism is old and wore out. Speedometer stopped working about 8 months ago. At that time there was 131,000 original miles on the motor. No idea why the speedometer just stopped working as I was driving in town going about 35 miles per hour. …”
NHTSA complaint #11361416, filed 2020-09, 131,000 miles“My wife was driving the Mustang and following me at night. She had the fog lamps turned on along with the headlamps and the lights went out. She ran off the road before she could stop, but did not cause any damage. The lights kept flickering on and off staying off for several seconds. We finished the trip we were on with just the headlamps and they did not flicker. We did not bring the car back to town until august and I took it to immel motors Ford dealer in fredericksburg, tx. They could find nothing wrong with it. …”
NHTSA complaint #10651659, filed 2014-10, 82,000 miles“The plastic design of the headlights gets faded and opaque, causing the headlights to be dimmer, and may result in visual difficulties and in a potential accident. Please provide further information.”
NHTSA complaint #835477, filed 1999-03Exterior lighting: other model years
| Year | Complaints | Share of year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5 | 25% |
| 2024 | 8 | 9% |
| 2020 | 2 | 2% |
| 2019 | 1 | 1% |
| 2018 | 1 | 1% |
| 2017 | 1 | 0% |
| 2016 | 3 | 1% |
| 2015 | 42 | 10% |
| 2014 | 1 | 0% |
| 2013 | 2 | 1% |
| 2012 | 5 | 1% |
| 2011 | 3 | 1% |
| 2010 | 3 | 1% |
| 2009 | 2 | 1% |
| 2008 | 1 | 0% |
| 2007 | 11 | 2% |
| 2006 | 7 | 2% |
| 2005 | 16 | 2% |
| 2004 | 2 | 2% |
| 2003 | 5 | 3% |
| 2002 | 4 | 3% |
| 2001 | 9 | 5% |
| 2000 | 14 | 5% |
| 1999 | 7 | 3% |
| 1998 | 3 | 1% |
| 1997 | 2 | 1% |
| 1996 | 5 | 2% |
| 1995 | 11 | 2% |
| 1994 | 5 | 1% |
| 1993 | 2 | 2% |
| 1992 | 2 | 3% |
| 1991 | 3 | 4% |
| 1990 | 4 | 5% |
| 1989 | 4 | 4% |
| 1988 | 16 | 15% |
| 1987 | 5 | 13% |
| 1986 | 1 | 3% |
Other parts of the 1989 Ford Mustang
46 complaintsSeat belts
20 complaintsVehicle speed control
9 complaintsSeats
8 complaintsBody and structure
8 complaintsEngine cooling
6 complaintsFuel system
4 complaintsLatches, locks and linkages
3 complaintsOther or unknown
3 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
3 complaintsTires
2 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
2 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1989 Ford Mustang
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Nov 1, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology