IllustrationIGNITION SWITCH CYLINDER IS TURNING WHICH IS DIFFICULT WHEN INSERTING KEY OR STARTING VEHICLE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
1992 Ford Tempo
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Tempo years
Owner complaints for the 1992 Ford Tempo are substantially higher than the model-year median of 30.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Tempo years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
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 reportsTSB 94M83 REPAIRED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY, NEXT FAILURE $328.74. NO SAFETY DEFCT ENUMERATED IN SUMMARY. *AK
WHILE MAKING A TURN TO THE LEFT ABOUT 5 MPH VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE LEFT SIDE, AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
SWICTH INVOVLED IN RECALL REPLACED BY DEALER , APPROXIMATLY TWO WEEKS AGO CAR NOW HAS A FAILURE STARTIN G , RELAY WILL CLICK, NO CORROSION NOR OTHER CONRIBUTING ISSUES NOTED WHEN FAILURE TO START OCCURS...
WHILE USING THE AIR CONDITION DURING A WARM DAY THE BLOWER CAME ON AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE KNOB. THE AIR BLEW AT HIGH SPEED FOR 10 MINUTES. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND WENT TO SHOP. RETURNED TO CAR, DROVE FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND THE BLOWER SUDDENLY STOPPED, THE CAR PROCEEDED ANOTHER 3 BLOCKS WHEN I NOTICE SMOKE …
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WHILE USING THE AIR CONDITION DURING A WARM DAY THE BLOWER CAME ON AND WAS NOT ABLE TO BE CONTROLLED BY THE KNOB. THE AIR BLEW AT HIGH SPEED FOR 10 MINUTES. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND WENT TO SHOP. RETURNED TO CAR, DROVE FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND THE BLOWER SUDDENLY STOPPED, THE CAR PROCEEDED ANOTHER 3 BLOCKS WHEN I NOTICE SMOKE COMING FROM THE VENT. I PULLED THE CAR OVER AND CHECKED UNDER THE HOOD, NO FIRE RETURNED TO THE INSIDE OF CAR AND SAW MORE SMOKE. I LOOKED UNDER THE DASHBOARD AND SAW A RED GLOW OF A FIRE WHICH WAS NOW BURNING THE UNDERSIDE OF THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. I MANAGED TO BEAT THE FIRE OUT AND BURNED MY HAND IN THE PROCESS. I HAD SOME ONE CHECK TO MAKE SURE THE FIRE WAS OUT A,ND PROCEEDED TO AN EMERGENCY HOSPITAL TREATMENT FOR THE BURNS. I DID SEE WHERE THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE HEATERS AND AIRCONDITIONERS FANS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM THAT MIGHT CAUSE A FIRE AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THE DAMAGE REPAIRED TO MY AUTOMOBILE. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE RESULTING IN VEHICLE FIRE, RECALL ON COMPONENT, HOWEVER CONSUMER DID NOT RECEIVE SEVERAL RECALL NOTICES, FORD DENIED RECALL REIMBURSEMENT DUE TO FAILURE OF THE CONSUMER TO REPAIR. (95S28)
TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR FOR A HALF MILE TO A MILE, TRANSMISSION REPLACED, HOWEVER PROBLEM CONTINUES.
WHEN GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE AND STARTING IT UP, THERE IS A CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, AS WELL AS AND WHEN CONSUMER IS TURNING VEHICLE OFF. *AK
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL IMPACT AT APPROXIMATELY 45-50 MPH, AND DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED, AND IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PROBLEM NOT REMEDIED. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
E83Z-19980-A CONTROL ASSY. & 10 PIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR E83B-14A468-B....SEEMS THE CHIP INSIDE THE CONTROL PANEL FAILS, CAUSING THE CONNECTOR BLOCK AND THE CONTROL PANEL TO OVERHEAT, THEREFORE MELTING BOTH, ESPECIALLY AROUND 12 AWG (POWER WIRES) BRN/ORG IN PARTICULAR. DON'T KNOW WHETHER HIGH SETTING SHOULD BE AVOIDED TO PREVENT…
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E83Z-19980-A CONTROL ASSY. & 10 PIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR E83B-14A468-B....SEEMS THE CHIP INSIDE THE CONTROL PANEL FAILS, CAUSING THE CONNECTOR BLOCK AND THE CONTROL PANEL TO OVERHEAT, THEREFORE MELTING BOTH, ESPECIALLY AROUND 12 AWG (POWER WIRES) BRN/ORG IN PARTICULAR. DON'T KNOW WHETHER HIGH SETTING SHOULD BE AVOIDED TO PREVENT FURTHUR ELECTRICAL FIRES...BUT I FEEL THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. *AK
Official recalls
297V019000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System:fan
Feb 25, 1997
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.
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
2EA96024 · 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.