IllustrationTHE BRAKE PISTONS KEEP PRESSURE ON THE PADS WHICH CAUSED THE WHEEL TO CATCH ON FIRE WHILE BEING DRIVEN. DEALER REPLACED THE PISTONS/CALIPERS AND THE WHEEL. *ML
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 reportsMOTOR ON THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS HAS COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING, CAUSING THE SEAT BELTS TO BECOME INOPERABLE EVEN WHEN ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. CAUSE UNKNOWN, THE SEAT BELT BECAME STRIPPED CAUSING THE SEAT BELTS TO STOP IN ONE PLACE/LOCK UP AND CONTINUE TO RUN AND GRIND IN ONE SPOT. *AK.ET.
WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE OVERNIGHT IT CAUGHT ON FIRE AROUND THE IGNITION SWITCH, BURNING THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. MANUFACTURER SHOWED THAT VEHICLE WAS FIXED UNDER RECALL IN JULY OF 96. DEALER CHECKED SERVICE RECORD AND HAS NO KNOWLEDGE OF VEHICLE BEING RECALLED OR REPAIRED. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THERE IS A LOUD NOISE COMING THE ENGINE. DEALER STATES THE NOISE IS COMING FROM THE CRANKSHAFT: PULLEY, AND THE DEALER GAVE THE CONSUMER A REPLACEMENT PART FOR THE VEHICLE. THE PART DOESN'T FIT. *AK
MOTORIZED DRIVER SEAT BELT DOES NOT DOES NOT MOVE. IT IS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRACK.
NO FAILURE DESCRIBED.
ENGINE/TRANSMISSION MOUNTS FAILED. QCAW
ELECTRICAL COMPUTER IS DEFECTIVE, THE DEALER CANNOT GET A DIAGONOSTIC READING FROM THE VEHICLE, THE COMPUTER IS DEFECTIVE AND DOES NOT WORK. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
SHOULDER SEAT BELTS DO NOT MOVE AT ALL,. THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
DURING FRONTAL IMPACT AT 60 MPH, THE DRIVER' S SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *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.