IllustrationARE MY DEFECTIVE SEATBELTS (DRIVER'S SIDE CLASP DOES NOT WORK) COVERED AND WHERE DO I GET THEM REPLACED?
1990 Ford Tempo
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Tempo years
Owner complaints for the 1990 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: 3 of 133 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 46 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 28 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 20 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 reports27 fire reports9 injury reports
What owners actually said
133 reportsSTALLS WITHOUT WARNING. ONCE ON EXPRESSWAY, MOST ON 4 LANE 55 MPH ROADS. MANY SITUATIONS COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. AFTER SITTING AT ROADSIDE FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS IT WOULD START RIGHT UP. TRIED A NUMBER OF REMEDIES BEFORE HEARING OF THE POSSIBLE RECALL IN CALIFORNIA. IT WAS A USED FUNCTIONAL CAR SO WE DID ALL OF THE…
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STALLS WITHOUT WARNING. ONCE ON EXPRESSWAY, MOST ON 4 LANE 55 MPH ROADS. MANY SITUATIONS COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. AFTER SITTING AT ROADSIDE FOR ABOUT 2 HOURS IT WOULD START RIGHT UP. TRIED A NUMBER OF REMEDIES BEFORE HEARING OF THE POSSIBLE RECALL IN CALIFORNIA. IT WAS A USED FUNCTIONAL CAR SO WE DID ALL OF THE DO IT YOURSELF REMEDIES LIKE DRY GAS, NEW STARTER, ETC. ALL OF THE SITUATIONS IN THE ARTICLES ABOUT THE RECALLS DESCRIBED MY INSTANCES TO A T.*AK
THERE WERE SAFETY RECALLS ON THIS VEHICLE THAT WERE FOR THE IGNITION SWITCH. HOW DO I FIND OUT IF THIS RECALL WAS EVER DONE AND THE SWITCH REPLACED? *AK
THE PROBLEM STARTED IN 7/99 AND CONTINUES 9/00. AT APPROX. 65 MILES PER HOUR WITH TEMPERATURE AT 85 DEGREES + THE ENGINE CUTS OUT(STOPS). THIS MEANS NO POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES. WE ARE SENIOR CITIZENS AND HAVE ALMOST BEEN KILLED ON THE FREEWAY 6 TIMES. THE LAST TIME AN 18 WHEELER ALMOST LOST CONTROL AND JUST MISSED A SC…
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THE PROBLEM STARTED IN 7/99 AND CONTINUES 9/00. AT APPROX. 65 MILES PER HOUR WITH TEMPERATURE AT 85 DEGREES + THE ENGINE CUTS OUT(STOPS). THIS MEANS NO POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES. WE ARE SENIOR CITIZENS AND HAVE ALMOST BEEN KILLED ON THE FREEWAY 6 TIMES. THE LAST TIME AN 18 WHEELER ALMOST LOST CONTROL AND JUST MISSED A SCHOOL BUS LOADED WITH KIDS. WE NOW DO NOT LEAVE HEMET WHERE WE DRIVE 45MPH AND GET ANYWHERE IN 20 MINUTES. MY FAMILY MUST VISIT US OR COME AND PICK US UP. WE HAVE REPLACED THE TFI MODULE WITH A NEW FORD PART FOR $130 AT PEP BOYS A LOCAL REPAIR CHAIN. THERE ARE NO TESTS TO DISCOVER A FAILING COMPONENT. PLEASE HELP BEFORE MORE PEOPLE ARE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE LANE OF THE FREEWAY THAT MAY NOT BE AS GOOD A DRIVER AS MY WIFE AND I.*AK
CONSUMER HAD BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH SEAT BELT RETRACTOR. WHEN OPENING THE DOOR RETRACTOR WON'T MOVE.*AK
KOLCRAFT MODEL # 871536R, DOM 07/16/1998:WHILE CARRING CHILD IN HAND CARRIER, HANDLE POPPED OUT OF POSITION ON ONE SIDE, AND MOVED A NOTCH OR TWO. *AK
WINDOW WIPER MOTOR FAILED. MJS
THE CAR STALLS CONSTANTLY - WHEN YOUR AT A STOP THE CAR WILL STALL OR FALTER
THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHTS HAVE BECOME CLOUDED CUTTING DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY ON THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT THAT PASSES THROUGH. HAVE NOTICED THIS ON A LOT OF CARS. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO SEALED BEAM HEADLIGHTS? AREN'T THERE HEADLIGHT LENS TRANSPARENCY STANDARDS? *AK
CAR CONTANTLY STALLS, HAVE HAD SERVICE 3 TIMES TO CORRECT, NOTHING WORKS, NO ONE KNOWS WHAT IS WRONG.
Official recalls
196V071000 · 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
3PE96005 · Rear Brk Adjuster Failure
Opened Jan 19, 1996 · Closed May 28, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
1984 - 1991 FORD TEMPO/MERCURY TOPAZ
DP96002 · Rear Brake System Failure
Opened Jan 11, 1996 · Closed Jan 19, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic
There is no summary currently available
EA90008 · Failed Passive Restraint
Opened Dec 27, 1989 · Closed Dec 31, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
WE HAVE RECEIVED NUMEROUS REPORTS WHICH ALLEGE A MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM.ADDITIONAL REPORTS ALLEGE THAT THE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FAILED TO RESTRAIN/ADEQUATELY PROTECT THE OCCUPANT DURING AN ACCIDENT