1992 Ford Tempo Problems

What owners report

Owners of the 1992 Ford Tempo most often describe problems with the motorized automatic shoulder belts, which can jam or stop retracting, along with electrical trouble around the ignition switch and occasional stall or no-start conditions. Engine bay noises, stalling and coolant/fire-related reports also appear, generally on vehicles with substantial mileage and age.

1. 1
   Seat belts

   Automatic shoulder belts jam or stop retracting

   • 29 complaints (16%)
   • median 102,000 mi at 12.4 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1996–2004

   Complaints describe the motorized front shoulder belt running but not moving the belt, jamming partway along the track, or stopping altogether so the belt stays in one position. In some reports the retractor tightens too much or does not lock when it should. Owners say the retractor motor, track or the nylon feed belt needed replacement, and in several cases the dealer said the repair would be at the owner's expense. Spread across many years of ownership, often on higher-mileage vehicles past 100,000 miles.

   What to check: Open and close both front doors and watch whether each shoulder belt tracks the full length smoothly and locks when tugged. Ask whether the retractor motor, track or feed belt has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I really don't know the engine size or cylinders for sure. The driver's side motor shoulder belt has not worked for a time before I was given the car in november, l997. It is stuck in a position midway in the track. It was not operating properly and then stopped completely. This is a problem equipment on this car and I need to know what I can do about it. I am a low-income senior living on social security and would like this belt to be operational but can't afford to fix it on my income. Please let me hear from you.”

   NHTSA complaint #725950, filed 2000-07

   “The driver side automatic shoulder harness has failed 3 times in this vehicle. At around $150 each time it is getting quite expensive. I have contacted Ford motor co. And they said they would turn in my complaint to the proper department. The question I have is that, Ford recalled the probe for the same problem but not the tempos. Also I have looked locally and across the nation for replacement restraints at wrecking yards and they have all told me that when a Tempo (2 door) comes in that is one of the first things to go. …”

   NHTSA complaint #720931, filed 2000-04
2. 2
   Electrical system

   Ignition switch failure, no-start and dash/column smoke

   • 22 complaints (13%)
   • typically at 6.5 yrs old
   • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2003

   Owners report no-start conditions where the relay clicks but the engine will not crank, rough running, and repeated distributor failures. Several complaints describe smoke or fire at the steering column or ignition switch area, and some note the switch had already been replaced under a recall before trouble returned. Stuck or difficult key turning in the ignition cylinder is also described, along with dash warning lights for the charging system and general electrical faults. Reported across the 1990s and early 2000s, on vehicles with widely varying mileage.

   Recall 96V071000

   What to check: Ask for documentation that recall 96V071000 (ignition switch) was completed, and check for a sticky or hard-to-turn key, any burnt smell near the column, and whether the car cranks reliably when hot.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving my car from burdines hialeah parking lot, the steering wheel started smoking and I pulled into the first parking spot that I saw. I turned the car off, but the smoke continued to increase and finally the steering wheel caught on fire. The security guard in the parking lot used a fire extinguisher to kill the fire and the hialeah fire depart. Was also called and came in. When I called my mechanic regarding this issue, he told me it was weird, because he never heard of a steering wheel catching fire. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10010415, filed 2003-03

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #832351, filed 1998-12
3. 3
   Engine cooling

   Stalling and no-restart, sometimes when warm

   Mentioned in 7 of 60 sampled complaints

   Complaints describe the engine cutting out at speed or after stopping at lights, sometimes restarting only after a period of cooling, and in other cases an idle that will not settle or hunts at stop signs. Owners report the fuel pump, distributor module, starter switch and various sensors being replaced without fully resolving the stalling. Some reports link the behavior to hot weather or long drives. Described on vehicles from roughly 60,000 miles upward, with several reports mentioning hot weather or after long drives.

   What to check: Drive the car long enough to reach full temperature and let it idle, then shut it off and restart it. Ask whether the fuel pump or distributor module has been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The horn quit working, the cooling fan has quit twice and had to be replaced , now the fan problen is in the wiring , havent fixed it yet, the fuel pump has been replaced twice, the righ headlight hs been replaced 7 times in 3 years, the drivers side seatbelt no longer works , the transmission leaks at the drivers side cv axle and the drivers side cv asle has had to be replaced 3 times in the last 3 years , the max fuel economy is 16 mpg (highway), the engine idles up and down at stop signs , the ignition switch on the steering wheel has came …”

   NHTSA complaint #10071044, filed 2004-01, 170,000 miles

   “The car has recently began to stall after stopping at lights and intersections, it usually stalls immediately after hitting the gas, pushing me into the middle of an intersection. After repeated attempts the car will usually restart within a couple of minutes. As far as the seat belts, after purchasing the car the driver side automatic seat belt stopped working it is now stuck in one position and will not move.”

   NHTSA complaint #735899, filed 2000-11
4. 4
   Engine cooling

   Crankshaft pulley and front-end engine noise or breakage

   • 14 complaints (8%)
   • typically at 5.0 yrs old
   • filed 1995–2000

   Owners describe a loud noise from the engine traced to the crankshaft pulley, and in some cases the pulley breaking apart, stranding the car. Complaints also mention a replacement pulley that did not fit, a broken motor mount letting the engine drop onto the exhaust, and a failed camshaft gear that shut the engine off at speed. One owner reported a connecting rod failure that holed the block. Most reports come from vehicles in the 1990s at moderate to high mileage; the sample mileage data is sparse.

   What to check: Listen for belt-area squeal or knocking at cold start and look at the pulley for cracks or wobble. Ask whether the crankshaft pulley, belt and mounts have ever been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #832126, filed 1998-12

   “Engine crankshaft:pulley failed after service recall. Dealer refused recall repairs due to expiration of recall. Owner claims never received recall notification (94m83).”

   NHTSA complaint #522920, filed 1998-01
5. 5
   Fuel system

   Corroded fuel tank, fuel leaks and pump failures

   • 6 complaints (3%)
   • median 170,000 mi at 10.6 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • filed 1996–2004

   Complaints describe a fuel smell after filling up and a tank found rotted or corroded on one side, with the dealer attributing it to maintenance rather than a defect. Other owners report repeated fuel pump replacements after sudden engine shutdowns and multiple tank replacements. One report ties leaking engine oil and seals to a fire in the engine bay. Reported from the mid-1990s onward, with several vehicles well past 60,000 miles.

   What to check: Smell around the filler neck and under the rear of the car after a fill-up, look for stains or rust on the tank, and ask whether the fuel pump or tank has been replaced.

Buying note. These are old cars, so condition and records matter more than the model year itself: confirm the ignition switch recall was done and that both automatic shoulder belts work through their full travel, then check for fuel smells, a hot-start stall and belt-area engine noise on a test drive.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.