Ford Tempo Problems by Model Year
NHTSA recorded 1,185 consumer complaints across the 11 model years of the Ford Tempo (1984–1994) that have at least 5 complaints. 1993 has the most, with 227. Across all years, the part named most often is electrical system (317 mentions). Pick a model year below to see its parts, mileage, recalls and service bulletins.
All Tempo model years
Years with fewer than 5 complaints are not listed. The score compares years of the same model, allowing for the era and for how long each year has collected complaints: 50 is a typical year, lower means fewer complaints. It is not adjusted for sales volume.
| Year | Complaints | Median mi | Recalls | TSBs | Score (50 = typical) | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | 161 | 99,900 | 1 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1993 | 227 | 78,000 | 2 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1992 | 176 | 101,000 | 2 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1991 | 110 | 67,000 | 1 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1990 | 133 | 81,000 | 1 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1989 | 124 | 99,100 | 1 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1988 | 126 | 34,790 | 2 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1987 | 53 | — | 1 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1986 | 31 | 90,280 | 0 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1985 | 30 | 72,000 | 3 | 0 | Not compared (before 2008) | Stable |
| 1984 | 14 | 70,651 | 6 | 0 | — | Not enough data |
Parts named most often, all years
Counts add up complaint mentions across the listed years. A complaint can name several parts.
- Electrical system317 26%
- Engine cooling277 23%
- Seat belts219 18%
- Brakes118 9.8%
- Fuel system81 6.7%
- Vehicle speed control67 5.6%
- Transmission and drivetrain67 5.6%
- Steering61 5.1%
Example complaints
One per model year, chosen for length and detail. Personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
1994: “I have had multiple problems with the vehicle stalling. At a stop, the vehicle's idle speed varies and starts to shake and will stall if I don't put the car in neutral. Sometimes it has stalled even after putting it in neutral. I have recently had a tune-up and my gas filter replaced, with no results.”
NHTSA complaint #10065642, filed 2004-04, 82,895 miles1990: “Car has repeatable problem of not starting...have had it towed, due to this, numerous times, spent thousands of dollars trying to get it fixed, etc. Only to discover that it has two ignition defects...potentially... Since the car was not new when I bought it 3 years ago, I have no recourse but to bear the cost of repairs myself. I am outraged that Ford got away with not recalling these vehicles!!!”
NHTSA complaint #10096145, filed 2004-10, 83,000 miles1993: “I have a 1993 Ford Tempo, the crankshaft pulley stoped spinning.I found a recall on the internet for my car,and the same problem.I contacted Ford motor co. And they told me that my car came from a different location so the recall does not pertain to me.apparently there is a problem with the car.”
NHTSA complaint #10007603, filed 2003-02, 137,582 milesOther Ford models
38,897 complaintsFord Explorer
34,624 complaintsFord Escape
27,530 complaintsFord Fusion
22,441 complaintsFord Focus
22,107 complaintsFord Taurus
18,162 complaintsFord Windstar
14,152 complaintsFord Edge
14,106 complaints
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Methodology