IllustrationVEHICLE WON'T SHIFT OUT OF SECOND GEAR UNLESS THE CONSUMER IS DRIVING AT 40 TO 50 MPH, AND WHEN THE CONSUMER IS DRIVING AT 30 TO 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE WILL DOWNSHIFT ON IT'S OWN AT HIGH SPEED. *AK
1994 Ford Tempo
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Tempo years
Owner complaints for the 1994 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: 5 of 161 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 →
- Seat Belts. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
19 crash reports5 fire reports11 injury reports
What owners actually said
161 reportsWINDSHIELD WIPER BLADES WERE MAKING NOISES. TOOK TO THE MECHANIC, AND HAD TO REPLACE THE MOTOR. *AK
WHILE HAVING PFE SENSOR REPLACED, IT WAS NOTED THAT REAR CONTROL ARM AND LEFT REAR CORNER OF GAS TANK "BADLY RUSTED". MECHANIC BELIEVES IN PART DUE TO ACIDIC WATER COMING FROM DRAIN HOLE OF MUFFLER. RUSTING IS SO BAD REAR CONTROL ARM LOOKS CHARRED. MECHANIC ALSO NOTED HE HAD "NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS". HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO …
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WHILE HAVING PFE SENSOR REPLACED, IT WAS NOTED THAT REAR CONTROL ARM AND LEFT REAR CORNER OF GAS TANK "BADLY RUSTED". MECHANIC BELIEVES IN PART DUE TO ACIDIC WATER COMING FROM DRAIN HOLE OF MUFFLER. RUSTING IS SO BAD REAR CONTROL ARM LOOKS CHARRED. MECHANIC ALSO NOTED HE HAD "NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS". HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO DO NO LONG DISTANCE DRIVING, THAT RISK OF FIRE IS GREAT AND IF CONTROL ARM RUSTS FURTHER, RISK OF BREAKING AWAY FROM WHEEL COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT. *AK
FOR THREE YEARS THIS CAR HAS BEEN STALLING IN HOT HUMID WEATHER.THIS CAR RUNS FINE IN THE WINTER MONTHS.I HAD THIS CAR IN TO CAPITAL FORD WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, MANY PARTS WERE REPLACED.ONLY KNOW ONE KNOWS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THIS CAR.I FEEL THIS CAR IS VERY UNSAFE.WHILE DRIVING IT JUST STALLS IF I WAIT 15 MINUTES CAR…
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FOR THREE YEARS THIS CAR HAS BEEN STALLING IN HOT HUMID WEATHER.THIS CAR RUNS FINE IN THE WINTER MONTHS.I HAD THIS CAR IN TO CAPITAL FORD WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY, MANY PARTS WERE REPLACED.ONLY KNOW ONE KNOWS WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THIS CAR.I FEEL THIS CAR IS VERY UNSAFE.WHILE DRIVING IT JUST STALLS IF I WAIT 15 MINUTES CAR WILL RESTART I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING WITH OTHER CARS SUCH AS MINE. THANK YOU PAULA. *AK
WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT MY 94 TEMPO STALLS AND WILL NOT START UNTIL IT COOLS DOWN. IT WILL START AND RUN UNTIL THE ENGINE GET HOT AGAIN. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WERE INVESTIGATING THIS PROBLEM BUT DROPPED THE INVESTIGATION. PLEASE RESUME YOUR RESEARCH. I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT TRYING TO DRIVE 65 MILES TO SCHOOL EACH DAY AND I FEEL T…
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WHEN THE WEATHER IS HOT MY 94 TEMPO STALLS AND WILL NOT START UNTIL IT COOLS DOWN. IT WILL START AND RUN UNTIL THE ENGINE GET HOT AGAIN. I UNDERSTAND THAT YOU WERE INVESTIGATING THIS PROBLEM BUT DROPPED THE INVESTIGATION. PLEASE RESUME YOUR RESEARCH. I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT TRYING TO DRIVE 65 MILES TO SCHOOL EACH DAY AND I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AS WELL AS AN INCONVIENCE. *AK
CRANKSHAFT PULLEY BROKE APART ON THREE OCCASIONS. MJS
DRIVERS SIDE SHOULDER HARNESS BROKE.
CRANKSHAFT:PULLEY IS LOOSE, CAUSING A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BROKE, CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO FALL BACK WHILE DRIVING, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *AK
WHEN THE CAR IS STARTED THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT. DEALER REPLACED THE TRACK AND THE MOTOR. *AK
Official recalls
197V019000 · 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.
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.