Page 2 of 3 · complaints 51–100 of 110

1991 Ford Tempo complaints

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 1991 record →

Engine and Engine Cooling
Filed Oct 6, 1997NY

VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO STALLING AFTER REPAIRS/REPLACEMENTS WITHIN TWO WEEKS OR LESS. CORRECTIVE ACTION IS UNCLEAR FROM DEALER. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Filed Aug 8, 1997NY

ENGINE: WHEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE OR STOP THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLS. ALSO WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE IT STALLS AND MAKES A VIBRATING NOISE. *AK

Seat Belts
Filed Jun 23, 1997IL

PASSENGER'S SIDE MOTORIZED SEAT BELT DOESN'T MOVE TO OPEN POSITION. *AK

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash
Filed Jun 9, 1997NJ

WHILE BACKING OUT OF A SPACE THE CAR ACCELERATED W/O HITTING THE GAS PEDAL AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
Filed May 20, 1997OH

MUFFLER RUSTED ON INSIDE, PIECES OF RUSTED MUFFLER DEBRIS STOPPED THE EXHAUST FLOW AND CAUSED BACK PRESSURE AGAINST THE PFE SENSOR AND ENGINE, RESULTING IN THE ENGINE STALLING.

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Mar 26, 1997NH

THE SHOULDER BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT.

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Feb 19, 1997KS

DRIVER'S AND PASSEGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTORS STOPPED WORKING . *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed Feb 11, 1997MN

BRAKE ADJUSTER FELL OUT OF THE SIDE OF BRAKE DRUM CAUSING WHEELS TO LOCK UP. THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE BRAKE RELATED FAILURES. 7/6/01 NLM

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed Jan 28, 1997WV

VEHICLE QUITS INTERMITTENTLY. DUE TO GAS LEAKING OUT OF TANK 4 TO 5 FEET WHEN REMOVING GAS CAP. THE GAS HAS FINISHED SHOOTING OUT BEFORE THE CAP IS PUT BACK ON, THERE IS A BOILING SOUND AND THE VEHICLE IS FILLED WITH SMELLY GAS FUMES, CAUSING NAUSEA/HEADACHES/EMOTIONAL STRAINS. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Jan 22, 1997PA

WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT LOCKS AND WHEN OPENING THE DOOR, THE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT BACK. *AK

Vehicle Speed Control › LinkagesCrash
Filed Jan 21, 1997PA

AFTER PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND WOULD NOT STOP WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK

Fuel System, Gasoline › Fuel Injection System
Filed Jan 6, 1997TX

INTERMITTENT STALLING DUE TO FUEL INJECTION FAILURE; ALSO, CV BOOTS FAILED, RESULTING IN CLICKING NOISE. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › RetractorCrash1 injured
Filed Dec 2, 1996CA

SHOULDER BELT DID NOT TIGHTEN UP DURING REAR END COLLISION, LEAVING DRIVER UNRESTRAINED, OCCUPANT'S CHEST HIT STEERING WHEEL; VEHICLE IMPACTED WITH A MOVING TRUCK. *AK

Seat Belts
Filed Oct 30, 1996IL

THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE IS STUCK IN THE FORWARD POSITION. *AK *JB

Electrical System
Filed Oct 21, 1996TX

LIGHT CAME ON, HIGH PITCH WHINEY, AND A LOSS OF POWER DUE TO ALTERNATOR FAILURE. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed Oct 18, 1996NY

SEAT BELT FAILED. NLM

Electrical System › Ignition
Filed Oct 17, 1996AK

WHEN TAKING CAR OUT OF PARK TO DRIVE THE CAR STALLS , HAVING OTHER PROBLEMS.*AK ALSO REPLACED FUEL PUMP 4 TIMES ALSO HAS NEEDE MULTIPL GAKETS REPAIRS.*JB

Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System › Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe
Filed Oct 9, 1996FL

CLAMPS HOLDING MUFFLER IN PLACE BREAK AT NORMAL/HIGH SPEEDS.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Drum
Filed Sep 13, 1996NJ

REAR BRAKE ADJUSTER FAILURE, COMPLAINTS INDICATE THAT THE REAR BRAKE ADJUSTER FELL OUT OF POSITION, CAUSING SEVERE SCORING OF DRUM. PE96-005. *AK

Power Train › Automatic TransmissionFire
Filed Sep 4, 1996TX

TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK CAUSED ENGINE FIRE.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components
Filed Aug 13, 1996NY

BRAKES FADE INTERMITTENTLY.

Electrical System › Ignition › SwitchFire
Filed Aug 9, 1996PA

OWNER GOT INTO VEHICLE, WHICH WAS PARKED AT WORK, STARTED VEHICLE, PULLED OUT OF PARKING SPACE ABOUT 2 FT., NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, OWNER PUT OUT FLAMES, FIRE DEPT ARRIVED BUT FLAMES WAS ALREADY OUT*AK

Steering › Steering Wheel/Handle Bar
Filed Jul 30, 1996CA

WHEN MAKING A LEFT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL CASING BROKE, CAUSING STEERING FAILURE. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Jul 29, 1996NY

ABS BRAKE FAILURE, ALSO REPLACED PADS, ROTORS AND CLAIPERS, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN APPLIED. *AK

Seats
Filed Jul 18, 1996OH

DRIVER SEAT SPOT WELD ON THE BRACKET BROKE WHILE DRIVING, SEAT WENT INTO RECLINING POSITION. *AK *JB

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Drum
Filed Jul 17, 1996NJ

REAR BRAKE SELF ADJUSTERS FAIL TO ADJUST BRAKES. *DH

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed May 29, 1996MD

THE VEHICLE ACCELERATES WITHOUT WARNING WHEN TRYING TO SLOW DOWN. THE TRANSMISSION IS AN AUTOMATIC. *AK *JB

Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator
Filed May 16, 1996PA

ALTERNATOR FAILED TWICE.

Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator
Filed May 10, 1996MA

ALTERNATOR BROKE.

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed May 7, 1996CA

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM HAS FAILED AND NO LONGER RESTRAINS PROPERLY .PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Drum
Filed May 7, 1996NJ

SPRING FAILURE IN REAR BRAKES, CAUSING LOUD NOISE. *DSH

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Master Cylinder
Filed Apr 30, 1996NJ

WHILE DRIVING, HEARD LOUD THUMP; TOWED VEHICLE TO GARAGE, TOLD BY MECHANIC, REAR BRAKE SPRING HAD BROKEN; COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc
Filed Apr 5, 1996PA

BRAKE FAILURE, PULSATE WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, EMERGENCY BRAKES WILL NOT HOLD. *AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Drum
Filed Mar 5, 1996MN

BRAKE ADJUSTERS FAIL DUE TO THREADS EXPANDING MORE THAN NECESSARY TO FUNCTION TILL THERE IS NO LINING LEFT, CAUSING REAR WHEEL TO LOCK UP. *SD

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Mar 5, 1996UT

FAILED MOTOR MOUNT CAUSED ENGINE TORQUE TO BREAK SEAL ON AIR FILTER, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL, ALSO CAUSED CV BOOTS TO FAIL. *DSH

Fuel System, Gasoline › Storage › Tank Assembly
Filed Feb 26, 1996CT

GAS TANK LEAKING FROM THE SEAM. *AK

Electrical System › Ignition › Module
Filed Feb 21, 1996IA

COMPUTER INADEQUATE FOR CAR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *DSH

Electrical System › Wiring › Interior/Under DashFire
Filed Feb 15, 1996IN

WHILE DRIVING FLAMES CAME FROM THE AREA OF THE SPEEDOMETER SAYS FIRE DEPARTMENT, RESULTING IN TOTALLED. TT

Electrical System › Ignition
Filed Jan 23, 1996UT

THE VEHICLE STALLS AFTER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

Air Bags › FrontalCrash1 injured
Filed Jan 16, 1996TX

THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN A FRONT END ACCIDENT.PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine
Filed Dec 11, 1995IL

WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY PISTON ROD CAME LOOSE AND WENT THROUGH THE MOTOR CAUSED PIECES OF METAL TO FLY FROM CAR. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

SeatsCrash1 injured
Filed Dec 8, 1995CA

VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED AND THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BROKE. OTHER CAR TRAVELLED AT 35MPH. TT

Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump
Filed Nov 6, 1995NM

VEHICLE STALLS DUE TO FUEL PUMP FAILURE. TT

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed Oct 17, 1995GA

VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED, REPLACED THE SENSOR TWICE, TWO DIFFERENT SENSORS, TO NO AVAIL. TT

Seats › Front Assembly › ReclinerCrash1 injured
Filed Oct 4, 1995WV

STOPPED, WAITING TO TURN LEFT I WAS HIT FROM BEHIND, AS A RESULT MY CAR WAS TOTALLED. TT

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc › Pads
Filed Sep 27, 1995CA

EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE BRAKES, REPLACEMENT OF THE PADS EVERY YEAR. TT

Seats
Filed Sep 26, 1995FL

THE DRIVERS SEAT FRAME IS BENT AND IT WILL NOT RETURN TO THE NORMAL POSITION AND THE OWNER CANNOT DRIVE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

Electrical System › Ignition › Module
Filed Sep 26, 1995IL

ENGINE STALLS AFTER TAKING OFF FROM STANDSTILL; HAVE TO RESTART; CAUSED BY FAULTY FIPZ VA PROCESSOR, # 12A650. TT

Electrical System › Ignition
Filed Aug 8, 1995UT

IT DIES WHEN IT IS HOT OUT SIDE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT

Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › GasolineFire
Filed Jul 8, 1995TX

VEHICLE FIRE. *AK

Reading these

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 1991 Ford Tempo → · Every Tempo year → · How the figures are calculated →