IllustrationTHE VALVE COVER LEAKS OIL. NLM
1993 Ford Tempo
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Tempo years
Owner complaints for the 1993 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: 7 of 227 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 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 37 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 reports5 fire reports14 injury reports
What owners actually said
227 reportsDRIVER'S SIDE MOTORIZED SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR HAS FAILED , WILL NOT RETRACT BACK INTO POSITION, CAUSING A LOSS OF PROTECTION. *AK
WHEN TRAVELING AND UPON MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP,CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT, RESULTING IN A NEAR CRASH. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO REPLACE PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
I HAVE MADE ABOUT $10000 REPAIR AND IT IS IN THE SHOP @ LEAST 1 MONTH. I AM VERY UNSATISFIED WITH THE RESPONSE I HAVE GOTTON WITH FORD. RECALLS HAVE BEEN DONE AND I STILL HAVE LOTS OF PROBLEMS. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONE DIN SUMMARY. *AK
HARMONIC BALANCER ( CRANKSHAFT PULLY) ON THE FORD TEMPO IS DEFECTIVE. THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO RECALL THE TEMPO OR REIMBURSE OWNERS FOR THE WORK THAT HAS TO BE DONE IN ORDER TO HAVE THE VEHICLE WORK. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK
MOTORBELT REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS. MJS
SIMPLY: AFTER DRIVING CAR FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES THE CAR STARTS SMELLING LIKE GAS. I HAVE BATTLED WITH FORD TO FIX PROBLEM, AND THERE IS NO REPAIR PROCEDURE ACCORDING TO FORD. THEY ALSO SAY THERE IS NO HEALTH HAZARD IN SMELLING THE FUMES (I THINK DIFFERENTLY) I HOPE YOU CAN HELP US OUT WITH THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD NO SATISFACTION…
Read full complaint
SIMPLY: AFTER DRIVING CAR FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES THE CAR STARTS SMELLING LIKE GAS. I HAVE BATTLED WITH FORD TO FIX PROBLEM, AND THERE IS NO REPAIR PROCEDURE ACCORDING TO FORD. THEY ALSO SAY THERE IS NO HEALTH HAZARD IN SMELLING THE FUMES (I THINK DIFFERENTLY) I HOPE YOU CAN HELP US OUT WITH THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE HAD NO SATISFACTION FROM FORD...JUST THE RUNAROUND. AND ALSO MANY OTHER TEMPO OWNERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *AK
WHILE TRAVLING THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY FLASHING ON AND OFF. DEALER SAID THEY WOULD CHARGE 75 DOLLARS JUST TO LOOK AT IT. CONSUMER FELT THAT AIRBAG MAY NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC THE REAR TRANSMISSION MOUNT FELL OFF CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER STEERING & WENT RIGHT INTO PARK. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED IT WITH A M6056 AFTER MARKET SEALED- POWER MOUNT. *YC
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.