Owners have filed 11 complaints
about the 1989 Subaru Justy with NHTSA between 1995 and 2002.
The largest single group is the transmission & drivetrain.
Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade:
A
B
C
D
F
ungraded
What breaks on a 1989 Subaru Justy
Every complaint is filed against a part. Follow any row for the complaints about that part alone.
Seat Belts
436.4%
1 crashes, 0 fires
Transmission & Drivetrain
436.4%
Equipment & Accessories
19.1%
Suspension
19.1%
Body & Structure
19.1%
When owners complained
A spike years after the car went on sale usually means a part wearing
out on schedule across the whole fleet — the kind of pattern no single
owner can see from inside their own car.
Feb 1995peak 2Sep 2002
NHTSA investigations into the 1989 Subaru Justy
An investigation is the step before a recall: the agency has seen enough
complaints to look into a pattern itself. An open one means it thinks
something may be wrong and nothing has been fixed yet.
EA95008Opened 10 Mar 1995Closed 2 Aug 1995FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:PRESSURE RELIEF DEVICES
TAKATA SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILURE
PE94051Opened 29 Jun 1994Closed 31 Oct 1994STRUCTURE
HOOD LATCH FAILURE
Recalls on the 1989 Subaru Justy
A complaint is one owner's allegation. A recall is the point at which
the manufacturer or a regulator agreed the defect is real and dangerous
enough to fix for free — however old the car is.
Canada — Transport Canada
Canada runs its own recall programme, and its campaigns do not
always mirror the American ones.
Recall 19951076,006 units in Canada
Seats And Restraints
DEFECT: THE (Takata) ABS PLASTIC FRONT SEAT BELT RELEASE BUTTONS ON THESE VEHICLES MAY BREAK ALLOWING PLASTIC PIECES TO FALL INTO THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY. IF THIS SHOULD HAPPEN, A NO LATCH, FALSE LATCH OR FAILURE TO UNLATCH CONDITION COULD OCCUR CREATING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH OR SUDDEN STOP. CORRECTION: FRONT SEAT BELT BUCKLES WILL BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED AS NECESSARY.
Recall 19910432,085 units in Canada
Lights And Instruments
Certain vehicles do not comply with CMVSS 108 - Lighting. The resinous reflex reflectors of the front parking/side marker lamps do not meet the photometric requirements of the Standard. Correction: Front parking/side marker lamps will be replaced on affected vehicles.
Recall 19890311,430 units in Canada
Powertrain
ON VEHICLES WITH 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION AND 4WD THE DESIGN OF THE TRANSMISSION CASE DIPSTICK AND THE FLUID LEVEL CHECKING METHOD DESCRIBED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL MAY RESULT IN INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION OF THE 4WD EXTENSION BEARING. THIS COULD LEAD TO BEARING SEIZURE AND POSSIBLE REAR WHEEL LOCK-UP WHICH COULD IN TURN LEAD TO LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. CORRECTION: VEHICLES WILL BE INSPECTED AND THE TRANSMISSION CASE WILL BE FILLED TO THE PROPER FLUID LEVEL. A MODIFIED DIPSTICK WILL BE INSTALLED AND AN INSERT FOR THE OWNER'S MANUAL DESCRIBING THE CORRECT FLUID LEVEL CHECKING PROCEDURE WILL BE PROVIDED.
Reports where the owner recorded a crash, a fire, an injury or a death.
Fairfield, TNCrash2 killed
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLES/LATCH FAILED TO HOLD SECURE DURING ACCIDENT, CAUSING DRIVER TO BE THROWN FROM VEHICLE, RESULTING IN TWO DEATHS. *SKD
NHTSA complaint #481733 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The most recent complaints
In the owners' own words, exactly as filed with NHTSA.
Richmond, VA
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
I FEEL THE DIPSTICK PROBLEM CAUSE THIS CAR'S TRANSMISSION TO BECOME DEFECTIVE.
NHTSA complaint #767033 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Richmond, VA
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE TRAVELING, ALSO, FAILURE LOCKED GEAR INTO DRIVE, AND WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT OUT. DEALER/MANUACTURER CONTACTED, AND SAID TAHT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *AK
NHTSA complaint #860316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
East Islid, NY
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
WHEN A/C BUTTON IS PRESSED, IT BLOWS OUT WARM AIR RATHER THAN COLD. DEALER CONTACTED APPROXIMATELY FIVE TIMES AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #836075 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fort Wayne, IN
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
FAILURE ON THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR, BELT WILL NOT RETRACT.
NHTSA complaint #982508 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Edina, MN
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL (95V-103.006).
NHTSA complaint #487106 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Fairfield, TNCrash2 killed
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
SEAT BELT BUCKLES/LATCH FAILED TO HOLD SECURE DURING ACCIDENT, CAUSING DRIVER TO BE THROWN FROM VEHICLE, RESULTING IN TWO DEATHS. *SKD
NHTSA complaint #481733 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Evans, WA
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
VEHICLE VIBRATES WHILE DRIVING, TRANSMISSION LIGHTS COMES ON IN THE DASHBOARD. TT
NHTSA complaint #970718 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Woodstock, CT
SUSPENSION:FRONT
FRONT SUSPENSION FAILURE, REAR BEARING FROZE THE U-JOINT CAUSING TIRE TO FAIL. TT
NHTSA complaint #969851 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.