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: 6 of 176 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.
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 45 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Seat Belts. Review the 41 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports20 fire reports12 injury reports
What owners actually said
176 reports
Mileage unknown · Dec 19, 1999
Seat Belts
MY AUTOMATIC SEATBELT WENT OUT. HAD NEW ONE INSTALLED ($375.00) LESS THEN 2 MONTHS LATER HAD ANOTHER ONE INSTALLED (IT WAS FOUND THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY) NOW THAT ONE IS NOT WORKING WHICH WAS INSTALLED FEB. 1999. IT HAS NOT BEEN WORKING SINCE LAST JUNE. I PUT ON OVER 50 MILES A DAY DRIVING TO WORK SO T…
Read full complaint
MY AUTOMATIC SEATBELT WENT OUT. HAD NEW ONE INSTALLED ($375.00) LESS THEN 2 MONTHS LATER HAD ANOTHER ONE INSTALLED (IT WAS FOUND THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY) NOW THAT ONE IS NOT WORKING WHICH WAS INSTALLED FEB. 1999. IT HAS NOT BEEN WORKING SINCE LAST JUNE. I PUT ON OVER 50 MILES A DAY DRIVING TO WORK SO THE 12,000 MILES IS OUT (WHICH I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS TO DO WITH MY SEAT BELT FUNCTIONING) I CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP GETTING IT "FIXED". NOW I HAVE NO FUNCTIONING SEATBELT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. (THE RIGHT SEAT BELT IS NOT FUNCTIONING EITHER, BUT CANNOT AFFORD TO GET THAT ONE "FIXED" AT THE RATE I AM BEING CHARGED FOR NOTHING. *AK
NHTSA ODI #716215
Mileage unknown · Nov 9, 1999
Air BagsCrash
WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A COLLISION AT A SPEED OF 53 MPH, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.THIS ACCIDENT HAPPENED IN THE RAIN. *AK
NHTSA ODI #849979
Mileage unknown · Oct 29, 1999
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling
VEHICLE CONTINUALLY DOES NOT START, SEVERAL REPLACEMENTS/REPAIR ATTEMPTS OF THE (STARTER/SOLENOID/MOTOR,BATTERY,ALTERNATOR/REGULATOR, HOWEVER CONTINUES TO EXPERIENCE NO START FAILURE. MJS
NHTSA ODI #549566
Mileage unknown · Sep 28, 1999
Engine And Engine Cooling
VEHICLE EXPERIENCED FAILURE OF THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY, BULLETIN 94M83 DENIED DUE TO TIME LIMIT. MJS
NHTSA ODI #548764
Mileage unknown · Sep 23, 1999
Electrical System
REPLACEMENT DUE TO RECALL IS DEFECTIVE AND MANUFACTURE WANT ME TO PAY FOR REPAIR. NO WAY!!! THEIR PROBLEM AND THEY NEED TO FIX. I NEED HELP!!!!!
NHTSA ODI #711926
Mileage unknown · Sep 20, 1999
Latches/locks/linkages
LEFT REAR DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM EITHER SIDE, AND DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER. VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. CAN NHTSA HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK REAR DOOR ON DRIVER'S SIDE WILL NOT OPEN FROM EITHER SIDE. *MJS
NHTSA ODI #840990
Mileage unknown · Aug 21, 1999
Equipment
UPON HAVING A FLAT TIRE, I FOLLOWED THE MANUAL INSTRUCTIONS AND ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE THE TIRE BY USING THE FACTORY INSTALLED JACK. BEFORE I COULD ELEVATE THE CAR HIGH ENOUGH TO REMOVE THE FLAT, THE JACK BUCKLED AND THE CAR FELL. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS HURT. I REALIZE MY ESP HAD EXPIRED, BUT THE JACK CERTAINLY IS NOT DESIGNED …
Read full complaint
UPON HAVING A FLAT TIRE, I FOLLOWED THE MANUAL INSTRUCTIONS AND ATTEMPTED TO CHANGE THE TIRE BY USING THE FACTORY INSTALLED JACK. BEFORE I COULD ELEVATE THE CAR HIGH ENOUGH TO REMOVE THE FLAT, THE JACK BUCKLED AND THE CAR FELL. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS HURT. I REALIZE MY ESP HAD EXPIRED, BUT THE JACK CERTAINLY IS NOT DESIGNED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY AND SAFELY. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP REPORTED THAT NEITHER THEY NOR FORD WOULD BE WILLING TO COMPENSATE ME FOR THE $40 TOW TRUCK CALL NOR WOULD THEY REPLACE THE JACK. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER COMMENTED THAT HE SEES A LOT OF THIS ON FORD CONTOURS (THE NEW VERSION OF TEMPO). DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE? FORD HAS NOT PROVIDED AN ADEQUATELY SAFE JACK ON THIS MODEL.
NHTSA ODI #710309
Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 1999
Seat Belts
THE DRIVER'S / PASSENGER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RETRACT WHEN RELEASED. CONSUMER CAN HEAR THE MOTOR STILL RUNNING, BUT NOTHING HAPPENING. THE BELTS REMAINED IN THE SAME POSITION. VEHICLE WILL BE TAKING TO DEALER TO CHECK PROBLEM. *YC
NHTSA ODI #843683
Mileage unknown · Jul 21, 1999
Fuel System, Gasoline
CONSUMER HAS PUT IN 3 GAS TANKS WITHIN 62,000 MILES. ALL 3 TANKS BECAME DEFECTIVE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NHTSA ODI #842771
Mileage unknown · Jul 12, 1999
Steering
THE TIE-ROD(OUTER) HAS BEEN REPLACED (PASSENGER SIDE) TWICE WITHIN A YEAR SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND DURING TIRE REPLACEMENT ON THE FIRST TIME, AND DURING A BRAKE REPLACEMENT ON THE SECOND. THERE IS A VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING FROM A HIGH SPEED (45MPH OR GREATER). EACH TIME THE TIE-ROD IS REPLACED, THE …
Read full complaint
THE TIE-ROD(OUTER) HAS BEEN REPLACED (PASSENGER SIDE) TWICE WITHIN A YEAR SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND DURING TIRE REPLACEMENT ON THE FIRST TIME, AND DURING A BRAKE REPLACEMENT ON THE SECOND. THERE IS A VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING FROM A HIGH SPEED (45MPH OR GREATER). EACH TIME THE TIE-ROD IS REPLACED, THE VIBRATION GOES AWAY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, THEN RETURNS GRADUALLY UNTIL THE VIBRATION IS DOMINATE DURING BRAKING. USUALLY AFTER ABOUT 3500 MILES SINCE REPLACEMENT OF TIE-ROD.
THESE VEHICLES ARE ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, IOWA, MINNESOTA, NEBRASKA, NORTH DAKOTA, AND SOUTH DAKOTA. THE VEHICLES INVOLVED ARE 1992-1994 TEMPO/TOPAZ VEHICLES WITH 3.0L ENGINES; 1994 TEMPO/TOPAZ WITH 2.3L ENGINES; 1992-1995 TAURUS/SABLE WITH 3.8L ENGINES; 1994-1995 TAURUS/SABLE WITH 3.0L ENGINES AND 1992-1994 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL VEHICLES WITH 3.8L ENGINES. DURING HIGH WINDS, HEAVY, BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW, AND LOW TEMPERATURES, THE ENGINE COOLING FAN CAN BECOME BLOCKED OR FROZEN WITH SNOW. THE FAN MOTOR MAY NOT ROTATE AND COULD OVERHEAT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE SMOKE OR FLAMES FROM THE FAN AND/OR SHROUD, THE FAN ELECTRICAL WIRING, OR THE FAN MOTOR RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ELECTRICAL JUMPER HARNESS CONTAINING AN AUTOMATIC RESETTING CIRCUIT BREAKER TO PROTECT THE FAN MOTOR LOW SPEED CIRCUITRY FROM OVERHEATING.
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
2
EA96024 · Engine Cooling Fan Fires
Opened Sep 30, 1996 · Closed Apr 15, 1997
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
There is no summary currently available
PE96033 · Engine Cooling Fan Fires
Opened May 2, 1996 · Closed Sep 30, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
IN DECEMBER 1995, FORD RECALLED 119,313 VEHICLES IN CANADA TO REMEDY THE SUBJECT CONDITION IN CERTAIN 1992-95 TAURUS, SABLE, TEMPO, TOPAZ AND CONTINENTAL VEHICLES.FORD IS AWARE OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS OCCURRING IN NORTHERN REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES, BUT MAINTAINS THAT THE FREQUENCIES DO NOT WARRANT A FINDING OF AN UNREASONABLE RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY.
1992 Ford Tempo Problems, Complaints & Recalls | Skip That Year
Illustration