1991 Ford Tempo

Fatalities reported

Owners filed 110 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the engine and engine cooling › engine › gasoline. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline18
020
Electrical System › Ignition7
000
Seat Belts › Front › Retractor6
101
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Drum5
000
Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner5
303
Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine5
100
Vehicle Speed Control4
201
Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator4
010
Unknown or Other3
000
Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar3
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Electrical System › Ignition96V071000
Filed Apr 25, 19967,900,000 vehiclesFord Motor Company

Defect. THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.

Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Seat Belts
Filed Dec 20, 200838,000 milesCA

SHOULDER HARNESS FOR BOTH FRONT OCCUPANTS FAILS TO LOCK WHEN VEHICLE MAKES A DRASTIC STOP. FORD SHOWS NO RECALL. I HAD TO MODIFY THE LOCKING HARNESS TO MAKE IT A FULL TIME RESTRAINT

Electrical System
Filed Nov 24, 200845,000 milesNC

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 FORD TEMPO. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 96V071000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE DEALER WOULD NOT HONOR THE RECALL. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 45,000.

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Oct 23, 2007IN

1991 FORD TEMPO STARTED SMOKING AND THEN DEBRIS FLEW OFF AND HIT THE VEHICLE BEHIND HER. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED AS SHE ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND LOOKED UNDER IT AND DISCOVERED OIL WAS LEAKING AND PIECE OF FROM THE VEHICLE WAS MISSING. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT)*JB

Unknown or Other
Filed Apr 6, 2006MT

CONSUMER PURCHASED A 1991 TEMPO AND WAS UNAWARE OF THE DEFECTS. *TS *JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Jul 1, 200540,000 milesNV

DT: THE CALLER TOOK VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR BRAKES, ROTORS, PADS AND CALIPERS REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE CAME BACK IN WORSE SHAPE THAN IT WAS BEFORE THE REPAIRS. THE CAR WAS MUCH HARDER TO HANDLE, AND SHOOK VIOLENTLY. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THE STEERING WHEEL SHOOK VIOLENTLY AND STEERED TO THE LEFT. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DROPPED OFF ON JUNE 21, 2005 THE GAS TANK WAS FULL, AND THE TRIP ODOMETER HAD JUST BEEN RESET, AND MILEAGE WAS 0. CONSUMER PICKED UP THE CAR 6 DAYS LATER AND THE CAR WAS ON EMPTY AND THE TRIP ODOMETER SHOWED 136 MILES. THE SHOP OWNER WAS CALLED THE NEXT MORNING AND WAS VERY ANGRY WITH THE CONSUMER BECAUSE SHE HAD THE NERVE TO BRING THIS TO HIS ATTENTION, THAT WAS WHAT THE REPAIR SHOP OWNER SAID. THERE WAS A SODA POP LID IN THE POWER STEERING FLUID RESERVOIR WHEN THE CONSUMER CHECKED THE VEHICLE AFTER SHE RETURNED HOME. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS AS OF YET. THE CONSUMER WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE CAR WAS IN THE SHOP TWICE FOR BRAKES. OWNER CHARGED THE CONSUMER $425.00 AND THE BRAKES STILL DID NOT WORK. CONSUMER HAS NO INFORMATION ON THE DEALER, OR AN ADDRESS. THE REPAIR SHOP WAS EXPRESS, SMOG AND TUNE ON 1234 NORTH BOULDER HIGHWAY, HENDERSON,NEVADA.*AK

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Jun 22, 2004105,000 milesCA

INTERMITTENTLY FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED TO FUNCTION. DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR MOTOR TWICE, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. *AK *NM

Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator
Filed Apr 24, 2004112,633 milesIN

TRAVELING AT A SPEED OF 60 MPH THE CAR BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN RAPIDLY THE WINDSHIELDWIPERS BEGAN SLOWING DOWN AND THE CAR WAS LOSING POWER A NEW ALTERNATOR WAS INSTALLED A WEEK PRIOR WHEN I POPPED THE HOOD THERE WAS A SMELL OF BURNING WIRES AND THE WIRES COMING FROM THE CAR TO THE ALTERNATOR WERE COMPLETELY MELTED, AND THERE WAS NO CONNECTION TO THE ALTERNATOR. THE TERMINAL WAS REPLACED AND THE ALTERNATOR WAS ALSO REPLACED, I DROVE 45 MILES FROM THE SHOP TO MY HOUSE AND CHECK UNDER THE HOOD THE CABLE ENTERING THE ALTERNATOR HAD ALREADY BEGAN TO MELT AND BUBBLE. *AK

Seat Belts › Front
Filed May 13, 200389,000 milesMO

DOOR OPERATED SHOULDER BELT FAILED, IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS A LARGE NUMBER OF THIS THING HAPPENING, ACCORDING TO THE MECHANICS IN THIS AREA. NO PART OF RESTRAINT SYSTEM SHOULD EVER FAIL. MANUFACTURERS HAVE DISCONTINUED USING THIS. WONDER WHY? *JB

Power Train › Automatic Transmission
Filed Apr 14, 2003PA

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN UP AN INCLINE THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPED OUT OF GEAR WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE BACKWARD. *NLM

Seats › Front Assembly › Recliner
Filed Jun 19, 2002DE

DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE WHILE DRIVING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Filed Jun 19, 2002DE

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION STEERING WHEEL BROKE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Mar 4, 2002MO

MY CAR HAS A STALLING PROBLEM. SOMETIMES IT JUST DIES WHEN YOU STOP AT A STOP SIGN AND SOMETIMES IT TRY'S TO DIE WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING IT AND I HEARD A RECALL ON THE YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL OF MY CAR ON THE NEWS BUT I DIDN'T GET A LETTER TELLING ME OR SOMETHING THAT I COULD TAKE TO THE DEALER SO I CAN GET IT FIXED. BECAUSE IF I DON'T I'M GOING TO BE IN AN ACCADIENT IF I DON'T AND I HAD LIKE TO GET THE RECALL FIXED BECAUSE I HAVE A 7 MONTH OLD BABY AND DON'T WANT TO BE IN AN ACCADIENT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Oct 1, 2001UT

CONSUMER STATES THAT SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE, IT STARTED EXPERIENCING STALLING MOSTLY AFTER COMING TO A STOP, CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO SEVERAL FORD DEALERS WHO CAN NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM AND HAS SPENT A LOT OF MONEY, THE STALLING HAS ALMOST CAUSED A COLLISION, VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 89767 MILES. *SLC

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Sep 20, 2001UT

WHEN TRAVELING AT 50MPH AND COMING UP TO A STOP LIGHT/SIGN, VEHICLE WOULD STALL FOR NO REASON. HAD TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR PROBLEM. EACH TIME A TEMPORARY FIX, AND THEN IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. MECHANIC HAD TEST DRIVEN VEHICLE AND IT STALLED.*AK *SLC

Electrical System › Wiring › Front Underhood
Filed Sep 13, 2001UT

CAR STALLED IN A INTERSECTION JUST MISSED BEING HIT BY A LARGE TRUCK. CAR STALLS ALOT. FORD ATTEMPED TO FIX BUT IT CONTINUES TO STALL. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition
Filed Aug 14, 2001AK

I ALWAYS BLAMED MY PROBLEM ON THE TYPE OF GAS I WAS USING! FIRST TIME VEHICLE STALLED WAS WHEN IT WAS JUST A YEAR OR SO OLD. SINCE THEN, OVER THE YEARS, IT ALWAYS MANAGES TO STALL ON A HOT DAY. WE DON'T HAVE MANY HOT DAYS HERE. HAVE ONLY BEEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC ONCE - HAD TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER TO WAIT FOR COOLING. DID THIS MANY TIMES. AM 73 YR. OLD DUMB BLONDE!! HAD THE CAR CHECKED BY A MECHANIC, HE COULDN'T FIND ANY PROBLEMS. PEOPLE THREW OUT IDEAS - FUEL PUMP? WAS ALERTED BY THE CALIFORNIA CASE - NOW I KNOW WHAT MY PROBLEM IS!*AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
Filed Jul 31, 2001PA

WHILE DRIVING ON TURNPIKE, CONSUMERS MUFFLER/RESONATOR FELL OFF CAUSING DAMAGE TO LEFT REAR BUMPER, ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO ANOTHER VEHICLE.(OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT#10-90-340)*JB

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Feb 26, 2001GA

WHEN DRVING AT ANY TIME AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE CUTS OFF IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, CAUSING LOSS OF ALL POWER. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Feb 26, 2001CA

VEHICLE WOULD STOP WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Feb 16, 2001TX

I HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH AS MANY AS 15 RED LIGHTS, AND I HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH THESE LIGHTS AT A RATE OF 5 TIMES A WEEK. SEVERAL OF THESE RED LIGHTS ARE LOCATED IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS. MY CAR HAS STALLED/DIED DURING IDLING OVER 50 TIMES AND COUNTING. USUALLY WHEN IT IS WARM WEATHER AND THE CAR IS IDLING AND HEATED UP TO A NORMAL TEMPERATURE. ITS RANDOM BASED, IN THE SUMMER COULD BE 10-20 STOPS BEFORE IT STALLS AND DIES, USUALLY WHEN I START TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS GREEN. I REPLACED ALL THE ELECTRICAL EQUIPTMENT AND EGR PARTS, AND THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURED. DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPTMENT SHOWS NO PROBLEMS. I DID NOT LEARN ABOUT THIS HIDDEN DEFECT UNTIL THE NEWS MEDIA ANNOUNCED MAJOR LAWSUITS AGAINST FORD FOR THIS HIDDEN PROBLEM, WHICH MATCHES MY SYMPTOMS EXACTLY. IT IS A SHAME THAT FORD KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND DID NOT PUT OUT ANY SERVICE ADVISORIES, AND IN FACT, DISCLAIMED THIS PROBLEM! I INVITED THE FORD PEOPLE TO COME RIDE IN THE CAR SINCE THEY CLAIM THE CAR IS SAFE. IT IS NOT FUN AND SAFE FOR AN 18-WHEELER TO HAVE TO STOP AT A GREEN-LIGHT WHEN I AM STALLED AND TRYING TO START MY FORD TEMPO!!!*AK

20 of 110 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1993
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20001000Routine
19991000Routine
19981000Routine
19972000Routine
19962000Routine
19953000Routine
1994161150Routine
1993227251Fatalities reported
19921762211Fatalities reported
1991 — this page110161Fatalities reported
19901332270High concern

Compare every Tempo year →

Reading this record

1 death reported in complaints filed with NHTSA.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Apr 25, 1996. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.