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1990 Ford Tempo

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Tempo years

Owner complaints for the 1990 Ford Tempo are substantially higher than the model-year median of 30.

About this comparison →
133Owner complaints

Model-year median: 30

1Recall campaigns

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3Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
53
1987126
1988124
1989133
1990110
1991176
1992227
1993
Compare all Tempo years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Electrical System
46Seat Belts
28Service Brakes, Hydraulic
20Engine And Engine Cooling
19Steering
12
All reported categories
Exterior Lighting
6Power Train
4Vehicle Speed Control
4Seats
3Tires
3Visibility
3Service Brakes, Air
2Structure
2Suspension
2Air Bags
1Child Seat
1Fuel System, Gasoline
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 3 of 133 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

16 crash reports27 fire reports9 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

46 reports
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83,000 miles · Oct 21, 2004
Electrical System

CAR HAS REPEATABLE PROBLEM OF NOT STARTING...HAVE HAD IT TOWED, DUE TO THIS, NUMEROUS TIMES, SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TRYING TO GET IT FIXED, ETC. ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT IT HAS TWO IGNITION DEFECTS...POTENTIALLY... SINCE THE CAR WAS NOT NEW WHEN I BOUGHT IT 3 YEARS AGO, I HAVE NO RECOURSE BUT TO BEAR THE COST OF REPAIRS MYSELF…

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CAR HAS REPEATABLE PROBLEM OF NOT STARTING...HAVE HAD IT TOWED, DUE TO THIS, NUMEROUS TIMES, SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TRYING TO GET IT FIXED, ETC. ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT IT HAS TWO IGNITION DEFECTS...POTENTIALLY... SINCE THE CAR WAS NOT NEW WHEN I BOUGHT IT 3 YEARS AGO, I HAVE NO RECOURSE BUT TO BEAR THE COST OF REPAIRS MYSELF. I AM OUTRAGED THAT FORD GOT AWAY WITH NOT RECALLING THESE VEHICLES!!!

NHTSA ODI #10096145

Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 2004
Electrical SystemFire

JUST AFTER PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE . HE OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE TOP OF THE ALTERNATOR PLUG WAS BURNING FOLLOWED BY WIRING BURNING ACROSS TO THE BATTERY. THE TERMINAL BLOCK ON THE LEFT FENDER BEGAN BURNING AND MELTING. *JB *NM

NHTSA ODI #10087776

Mileage unknown · Mar 5, 2002
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING 40MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING, ENGINE STALLED, CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES AND VEHICLE DID NOT STOP RESULTING IN A COLLISION, WHICH TOTALED VEHICLE. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT VEHICLE SHUT OFF 4 TIMES, DEALER REPLACED BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, PLUGS/WIRES, AND STARTER BUT THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI #8004990

Mileage unknown · Nov 29, 2001
Electrical SystemSeat BeltsVisibilityCrash

REPLACED SEATBELT AND THEY DO THE SAME THING LOCK IN THE BUCKLE POSITION WHEN WIFE PUT IN DITCH SHE HAD TO SQUEZE TO GET OUTEVEN WHEN OPEN DOOR WOULD NOT RELEASE THE HEATER CONTROL HAS BEEN BURNT 3 TIMES AND CURRENTLY IS BURNT AGAIN THEN THE IGNITION HAS BEEN REPLACED UNDER A RECALL AND THAT DINGS NOW WHEN THE KEY ISN'T EVEN IN …

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REPLACED SEATBELT AND THEY DO THE SAME THING LOCK IN THE BUCKLE POSITION WHEN WIFE PUT IN DITCH SHE HAD TO SQUEZE TO GET OUTEVEN WHEN OPEN DOOR WOULD NOT RELEASE THE HEATER CONTROL HAS BEEN BURNT 3 TIMES AND CURRENTLY IS BURNT AGAIN THEN THE IGNITION HAS BEEN REPLACED UNDER A RECALL AND THAT DINGS NOW WHEN THE KEY ISN'T EVEN IN IT NICE RECALL I WENT TO THE DEALER ABOUT THE SEATBELTS THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST ABOUT 300.00 PER DOOR TO FIX MY WIFE WAS QUITE UPSET ABOUT IT WROTE FORD MOTOR A LETTER THEY NEVER ECNOLLEDGE IT. SHE WON'T EVEN LET ME REPLACE THE ENGINE IN IT CAUSE SHE SAYS SHE WILL NOT DRIVE THAT CAR THAT COULD GO UP IN FLAMES OR DOESN'T HAVE SEATBELT THAT WORK CAUSE FORD DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT WORKS PROPER SHE FEELS THE FORD COMPANY HAS DONE NOTHING BUT ENDANGERED MANY ADULTS AND CHILDRENS LIVES WITH THESE PROBLEMS AND SAYS SOMEONE OTTA TAKE CONTROL OVER THIS MATTER SINCERELY [XXX] AND [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI #755056

Mileage unknown · Aug 30, 2001
Electrical System

96 V 071 000/ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IGNITION: VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OR WHILE PULLING OFF FROM A STOP POSITION. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS COVERED UNDER THAT RECALL. BUT, DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR RECALL. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #895544

Mileage unknown · Aug 14, 2001
Electrical System

I HAD TO HAVE MY IGNITION MODUAL REPLACED BECAUSE MY CAR WOULD STALL ON ME WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD. I READ IN THE PAPER TODAY THAT FORD IS FIGHTING THE RECALL ON THIS EXACT PROBLEM. I HAVE E-MAILED FORD IN HOPES OF RECTIFING THIS SITUATION, BUT THOUGHT I WOULD ALSO CONTACT YOU FOR HELP. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.*AK

NHTSA ODI #750462

Mileage unknown · Dec 19, 2000
Electrical SystemFire

GENERATOR IGNITED A SPARK, AND COATING ON ROOF CAUGHT ON FIRE. MECHANIC SAID THAT IT LOOKED LIKE THER WAS PROBLEM WITH HARNESS CONNECTOR. CONSUMER FELT ITS WAS A MANUFACTURER' DEFECT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #876731

Mileage unknown · Nov 15, 2000
Electrical System

THIS VEHICLE HAS A STALLING PROBLEM WHEN COMING TO A STOP SIGN OR INTERSECTION. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK THE CONSUMER SAYS THAT IGNITION SYSTEM WAS REPLACED AND THERE IS NO MORE STALLING PROBLEM. *YH

NHTSA ODI #875005

Mileage unknown · Nov 15, 2000
Electrical SystemCrash

WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN CONSUMER CAME TO STOP AND VEHICLE STALLED RESULTING IN BEING HIT ON LEFT REAR DOOR AND VEHICLE SPUN AROUND. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC REAR AXLE WAS BENT DUE TO THIS ACCIDENT. CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR DAMAGE TO VEHICLE, APPRXIMATELY $1300. VEHICLE HAS …

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WHILE MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN CONSUMER CAME TO STOP AND VEHICLE STALLED RESULTING IN BEING HIT ON LEFT REAR DOOR AND VEHICLE SPUN AROUND. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY MECHANIC REAR AXLE WAS BENT DUE TO THIS ACCIDENT. CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR DAMAGE TO VEHICLE, APPRXIMATELY $1300. VEHICLE HAS BEEN STALLING FOR THE LAST 30000 MILES. *AK THE CONSUMER SAYS THE ESTIMATE FOR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE IS MUCH MORE. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATES THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS LEMON AND HAD CHANGED HANDS FIVE TIMES. *YH

NHTSA ODI #874979

Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 2000
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingPower TrainCrashInjury

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, AND WAS SIDE CRASHED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM THE UPCOMING TRAFFIC. CURRENTLY, PROBLEM WAS COMING BACK. 2 TRANSMISSIONS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE. VEHICLE EXPERIENCING AN OIL LEAK. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #874099

Official recalls

1

96V071000 · Electrical System:ignition

Apr 25, 1996

THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.

Consequence & remedy

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

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

3

PE96005 · Rear Brk Adjuster Failure

Opened Jan 19, 1996 · Closed May 28, 1996

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

1984 - 1991 FORD TEMPO/MERCURY TOPAZ

DP96002 · Rear Brake System Failure

Opened Jan 11, 1996 · Closed Jan 19, 1996

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic

There is no summary currently available

EA90008 · Failed Passive Restraint

Opened Dec 27, 1989 · Closed Dec 31, 1991

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts

WE HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS REPORTS WHICH ALLEGE A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM.ADDITIONAL REPORTS ALLEGE THAT THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILED TO RESTRAIN/ADEQUATELY PROTECT THE OCCUPANT DURING AN ACCIDENT