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

Vehicle Speed Control complaints

4 reports

Clear category filter

Mileage unknown · May 23, 2001

Engine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed Control

WHILE AT A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT, VEHICLE STALLS AT TAKE OFF. PAINT IS PEELING OFF OF VEHICLE.*AK CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT THE TFI IGNITION MODULE WAS REPLACED AFTER ONE INCIDENT WHERE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START BUT DID NOT HELP THE PROBLEM, VEHICLE SURGES FOWARD AT TIMES, IT CAN MOVE FOWARD UP AN INCLINE WITHOUT PRESSING O…

Read full complaint

NHTSA ODI #889013

Mileage unknown · Sep 23, 1997

Vehicle Speed ControlCrashInjury

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

NHTSA ODI #816586

Mileage unknown · Oct 25, 1996

Engine And Engine CoolingVehicle Speed Control

Read full complaint

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

NHTSA ODI #804064

Mileage unknown · Jun 9, 1995

Vehicle Speed Control

1) VEHICLE WILL STALL AT ANYTIME WITH NO WARNING DUE TO POSSIBLE THROTTLE FAILURE. 2) REAR BRAKE STAR WHEEL FAILS . TT

NHTSA ODI #966538

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.