Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1990 record →
VEHICLE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. HORN WAS BLARING & OWNER LOOKED OUT WINDOW & NOTICED VEHICLE IN FLAMES. WAS TOLD FIRE OCCURRED NEAR IGNITION SWITCH AREA. CALLED DEALER & INFORMED UNDER RECALL (#96V071000). WILL REPAIR IGNITION SWITCH & WIRING HARNESS ONLY & NOTHING ELSE. OWNER NEVER RECEIVED NOTICE. HAD OWNED VEHICLE SINCE NEW. *AK
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT; THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT WHEN CLOSING THE DOOR OR TURNING ON THE IGNTION. *AK
CENTER REAR LAP BELT PULLED COMPLETELY OUT FROM THE ANCHOR POINT.
WHILE DRIIVNG 50-55 MPH THE CAR JUMPS LIKE IT IS TRYING TO CUT OFF. AT STOP SIGNS, IF DOES NOT HAVE FOOT ON BRAKE THE VEHICLE WILL SURGE. WHEN DRIVING AND COMING TO A SLOW DOWN OR STOP DRIVER HAS TO KEEP FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL AND BRAKE PEDAL SO THE VEHICLE WILL NOT DIE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER ARE AWARE OF PROBLEM. PROBLEM NOT CORRECTED. *AK
WHILE IN REVERSE POSITION AND FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE ACCERLATED TO 60 MPH, CRASHING INTO A HOME AND BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT WORK, CAUSING INJURIES AND DAMAGES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THIS PROBLEM. *AK
THE ELECTRIC LOCK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT WORK. THE DRIVER'S DOOR CAN ONLY BE OPENED FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE
ENGINE FIRE.
FRONT SEAT BACKS COLLAPSED DURING COLLISION, CAUSING INJURIES.
THE DRIVER'S SIDE MOTORBELT/SHOULDER STRAP DOES NOT SLIDE FORWARD ON ITS OWN.
INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL AND REAR IMPACT. AFTER BEING HIT FROM THE FRONT THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S FRONT SEATBACKS GAVE OUT(COLLAPSED) AND WENT BACK INTO THE UPRIGHT POSITION AND CAUSED DRIVER TO HIT HIS FACE ON STEERING WHEEL; THE PASSENGER'S SEAT REMAINED WHERE IT WAS, PINNING THE PASSENGER'S LEGS. *AK
ELECTRICAL:IGNITION SWITCH RECALL#96V071. VEHICLE PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, WALKED ABOUT 6 HOUSES DOWN .PEOPLE STARTED SCREAMING THAT VEHICLE WAS SMOKING,SUDDENLY BURST INTO FALMES. VEHICLE TOTALED. *AK
ENGINE OIL LEAKS. *AK
REPLACE ALTERNATOR 8 DIFFERENT TIME, POSSIBLE DUE TO DESIGN FLAW CAUSING IT TO SHORT OUT.
POWER SEAT BELT ON DRIVER SIDE IS INOPERATIVE.
OWNER STATES THAT HER VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE IT WAS PARKED ,SHE THEN RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH, ALSO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT IT STARTED FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. *AK *JB
ALTERNATOR WIRES BURNT.
WINDSHIELD BROKE. (ANN ARBOR POLICE REPORT)
THE FRONT AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS ARE NOT WORKING. HAVE TO MANUALLY PULL THE SEAT BELTS OVER THE BODY BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT RETRACT. *AK
NO PARTS, THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE, THE DEALER SAID THAT HE WOULD CALL OR SEND A LETTER WHEN THE PARTS ARE IN AND IT HAS BEEN A MONTH AND STILL NO PARTS. PLEASE EXPLAIN IN DETAIL *AK
THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT OPERATE. *AK *JB
CONSUMER WAS IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY, DRIVER WAS INJURED . PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
POOR AUTOMATIC SEAT AND SHOULDER BELT PERFORMANCE. THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM DID NOT HOLD THE DRIVER IN PLACE UPON A FRONTAL IMPACT ACCIDENT. *AK
MOTOR MOUNTS DISINTEGRATED, TIE ROD END BUSTED, CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL, NO WARNING, SPEED 25 MPH. NO ACCIDENT. *AK
WHILE DRIVING EXPERIENCED BACKREST ADJUSTMENT GEAR FAILURE, WHEN DRIVER'S BACKREST COLLASPED AT APPROX. 25MPH, DRIVER RECLINED REARWARD. *AK
WHILE DRIVING STEPPED ON THE GAS PEDAL AND THE GAS PEDAL STUCK. *AK CONSUMER STATES HE HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE SINCE PURCHASE, VEHICLE WOULD TURN OFF ,CONSUMER CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND THEY INSPECTED IT, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE DETRATEAL SENSOR WAS BAD, WHICH WAS CASUING VEHICLE TO STALL, CONSUMER GOT THE THROTTLE FIXED AND LATER THERE WAS A RECALL AND WHEN CONSUMER REQUESTED HIS MONEY BACK DEAKER ADVISED HIM THEY COULD NOT GO THAT FAR BACK INTO COMPUTER.*JB
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT MAKES A HORRIBLE NOISE WENT IT RETRACTS.*AK
WAS DRIVING VEHICLE, STOPPED AT TRAIN STATION TO MEET SOMEONE, ANOTHER PERSON CAME IN THE STATION TO REPORT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.
ELECTRICAL SHORT UNDER BETWEEN SEATS CONSOLE CAUSED VEHICLE FIRE.
REAR BRAKES FAILED THREE TIMES DUE TO UNEVEN WEAR.
PASSENGER MOTORBELT MAKES GRINDING NOISE/RESPONDS TO DRIVERS DOOR.
ELECTRICAL SHORT, CAUSING THE ALTERNATOR CABLE TO MELT.AK
IN ORDER TO BRAKE, PUMPING THE PEDAL IS SOMETIMES REQUIRED. BRAKES SEEM TO FADE. REAR BRAKE ADJUSTERS ARE NOT WORKING.*AK *JB
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.
REAR BRAKE ADJUSTERS FAILED, CAUSING REAR BRAKE FAILURE.
REAR BRAKE ADJUSTERS REPLACED 3 TIMES. *SD
WHILE DRIVING HOME, TURNED INTO DRIVEWAY, AFTER ARRIVING AT HOUSE, FRONT STEERING TIE ROD (INSIDE) WAS SHEARED/BROKE OFF, COVERED W/RUBBER BOOT. *AK
WHILE DRIVING, AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CATCH ON FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. *AK RECALL 96V071 WAS NEVER RECEIVED, CONSUMER HEARD OF RECALL THROUGH A CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING, EXPERIENCED REAR BRAKE ADJUSTER FAILURE, WHEN NOTICED CLANKING SOUND AND REAR BRAKES WERE RUBBING. *AK
WHEN APPLIED, BRAKES MAKE A CLICKING NOISE, ADJUSTED SEVERAL TIMES, NO ACTUAL BRAKING PROBLEMS. *AK
PASSENGER'S AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT INOPERATIVE. *SD
THE REAR BRAKE ADJUSTER HAS FAILED AND HAS CAUSED POOR BRAKING PERFORMANCE. *AK
ALTERNATOR FAILED, CAUSING HARNESS TO MELT 5 TIMES. *SD
LINKING TRANSMISSION OIL, CAUSING TO BLOW THE CEIL.
THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT DISLODGED FROM THE ANCHORS AND CAME OUT OF THE CAR.PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RESTRAINT FAILED. *AK *JB
MOTOR MOUNTS REPLACED DUE TO TEARING. *DH
THE EMERGANCY PARKING BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD BECAUSE THE REAR BRAKES ARE NOT ADJUSTED PROPERLY. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
RIGHT FRONT TIRE CAUGHT FIRE. *DH
ENGINE FIRE. *DH
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1990 Ford Tempo → · Every Tempo year → · How the figures are calculated →