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.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →

133Owner complaints

Model-year median: 30

1Recall campaigns

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3Investigations

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Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

1990 Ford Tempo

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 133 owner complaints · 1 recall campaigns · 3 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

Electrical System: 46 reports
Seat Belts: 28 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 20 reports
Engine And Engine Cooling: 19 reports
Steering: 12 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

96V071000 — Electrical System:ignition

Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year

Compare all Tempo years →

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

What owners reported most

Electrical System

46 Seat Belts

28 Service Brakes, Hydraulic

20 Engine And Engine Cooling

19 Steering

All reported categories

Exterior Lighting

6 Power Train

4 Vehicle Speed Control

4 Seats

3 Tires

3 Visibility

3 Service Brakes, Air

1 Fuel System, Gasoline

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

Exterior Lighting complaints

6 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · Mar 28, 2002

Exterior Lighting

LIGHT LENSES HAVE TURNED FROM CLEAR TO WHITE AND NO LONGER FOCUS THE BEAM AHEAD, LIGHT LENES ARE MADE FROM PLASTIC, SUSPECT THAT UV PROTECTION PROVIDED ON OUTSIDE SURFACE TO PROTECT PLASTIC FROM SUNLIGHT AND NOT ALSO TO THE INSIDE SURFACE TO PROTECT LIGHT FROM UV RAYS GIVEN OFF BY QUARTZ BULBS. THIS PROBLEM WAS ALSO ON AN 85 TEM…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #759910

Mileage unknown · Dec 31, 2001

Exterior LightingService Brakes, Hydraulic

BRAKE LIGHTS ARE DEFECTIVE,. WHEN STEPPING ON BRAKES BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON. ALSO, STOPPING DISTANCE HAS INCREASED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #8001286

Mileage unknown · Dec 10, 2001

Exterior LightingService Brakes, Hydraulic

WHILE AT A STOP SIGN ANOTHER DRIVER PULLED ALONG SIDE OF CONSUMER AND STATED THAT BRAKE LIGHTS WERE OUT. CONSUMER PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL, AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #6900627

Mileage unknown · Sep 26, 2001

Exterior Lighting

PLASTIC HEADLIGHT LENS HAS BECOME DISCOLORED, CAUSING BRIGHTNESS OF HEADLIGHTS TO BE EXTREMELY DIM. *AK *JB

NHTSA ODI #896862

Mileage unknown · Oct 7, 2000

Exterior Lighting

THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS BARELY PROVIDE ENOUGH LIGHT TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. THE GLASS IS VERY FOGGY AND MOISTURE SEEMS TO COLLECT IN THEM. I HAVE HAD THE BULBS REPLACED BUT THIS DOES NOT HELP TO LIGHT THE ROADWAYS. CAN FORD FIX THIS PROBLEM? THANK YOU.

NHTSA ODI #733651

Mileage unknown · Jun 24, 1999

Exterior Lighting

THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHTS HAVE BECOME CLOUDED CUTTING DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY ON THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT THAT PASSES THROUGH. HAVE NOTICED THIS ON A LOT OF CARS. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO SEALED BEAM HEADLIGHTS? AREN'T THERE HEADLIGHT LENS TRANSPARENCY STANDARDS? *AK

NHTSA ODI #707880

Recall campaigns

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 ↗

Defect investigations

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

An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.