SkipThatYearREAL DATA. SMARTER CAR DECISIONS.
← New search

1991 Ford Tempo

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Tempo years

Owner complaints for the 1991 Ford Tempo are substantially higher than the model-year median of 30.

About this comparison →
110Owner complaints

Model-year median: 30

1Recall campaigns

View recall details →

4Investigations

View investigation details →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
126
1988124
1989133
1990110
1991176
1992227
1993161
1994
Compare all Tempo years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Engine And Engine Cooling
31Electrical System
22Service Brakes, Hydraulic
18Seat Belts
13Fuel System, Gasoline
9
All reported categories
Seats
8Vehicle Speed Control
8Steering
4Power Train
3Unknown Or Other
3Visibility
3Air Bags
1Equipment
1Exterior Lighting
1Fuel System, Other
1Structure
1Suspension
1

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: 6 of 110 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 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

11 crash reports6 fire reports8 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

31 reports
Clear category filter
Mileage unknown · Oct 23, 2007
Engine And Engine Cooling

1991 FORD TEMPO STARTED SMOKING AND THEN DEBRIS FLEW OFF AND HIT THE VEHICLE BEHIND HER. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED AS SHE ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND LOOKED UNDER IT AND DISCOVERED OIL WAS LEAKING AND PIECE OF FROM THE VEHICLE WAS MISSING. (OHIO TRAFFIC …

Read full complaint

1991 FORD TEMPO STARTED SMOKING AND THEN DEBRIS FLEW OFF AND HIT THE VEHICLE BEHIND HER. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED AS SHE ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND LOOKED UNDER IT AND DISCOVERED OIL WAS LEAKING AND PIECE OF FROM THE VEHICLE WAS MISSING. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT)*JB

NHTSA ODI #10207171

Mileage unknown · Mar 4, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

MY CAR HAS A STALLING PROBLEM. SOMETIMES IT JUST DIES WHEN YOU STOP AT A STOP SIGN AND SOMETIMES IT TRY'S TO DIE WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING IT AND I HEARD A RECALL ON THE YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL OF MY CAR ON THE NEWS BUT I DIDN'T GET A LETTER TELLING ME OR SOMETHING THAT I COULD TAKE TO THE DEALER SO I CAN GET IT FIXED. BECAUSE IF I DO…

Read full complaint

MY CAR HAS A STALLING PROBLEM. SOMETIMES IT JUST DIES WHEN YOU STOP AT A STOP SIGN AND SOMETIMES IT TRY'S TO DIE WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING IT AND I HEARD A RECALL ON THE YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL OF MY CAR ON THE NEWS BUT I DIDN'T GET A LETTER TELLING ME OR SOMETHING THAT I COULD TAKE TO THE DEALER SO I CAN GET IT FIXED. BECAUSE IF I DON'T I'M GOING TO BE IN AN ACCADIENT IF I DON'T AND I HAD LIKE TO GET THE RECALL FIXED BECAUSE I HAVE A 7 MONTH OLD BABY AND DON'T WANT TO BE IN AN ACCADIENT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.*AK

NHTSA ODI #758920

Mileage unknown · Oct 1, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

CONSUMER STATES THAT SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE, IT STARTED EXPERIENCING STALLING MOSTLY AFTER COMING TO A STOP, CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO SEVERAL FORD DEALERS WHO CAN NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM AND HAS SPENT A LOT OF MONEY, THE STALLING HAS ALMOST CAUSED A COLLISION, VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 89767 MILES. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #563538

Mileage unknown · Sep 20, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHEN TRAVELING AT 50MPH AND COMING UP TO A STOP LIGHT/SIGN, VEHICLE WOULD STALL FOR NO REASON. HAD TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR PROBLEM. EACH TIME A TEMPORARY FIX, AND THEN IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. MECHANIC HAD TEST DRIVEN VEHICLE AND IT STALLED.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #896617

Mileage unknown · Jul 31, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING ON TURNPIKE, CONSUMERS MUFFLER/RESONATOR FELL OFF CAUSING DAMAGE TO LEFT REAR BUMPER, ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO ANOTHER VEHICLE.(OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT#10-90-340)*JB

NHTSA ODI #562270

Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE WOULD STOP WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #881480

Mileage unknown · Feb 26, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHEN DRVING AT ANY TIME AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE CUTS OFF IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, CAUSING LOSS OF ALL POWER. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #881445

Mileage unknown · Feb 16, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

I HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH AS MANY AS 15 RED LIGHTS, AND I HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH THESE LIGHTS AT A RATE OF 5 TIMES A WEEK. SEVERAL OF THESE RED LIGHTS ARE LOCATED IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS. MY CAR HAS STALLED/DIED DURING IDLING OVER 50 TIMES AND COUNTING. USUALLY WHEN IT IS WARM WEATHER AND THE CAR IS IDLING AND HEATED UP TO A NORMA…

Read full complaint

I HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH AS MANY AS 15 RED LIGHTS, AND I HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH THESE LIGHTS AT A RATE OF 5 TIMES A WEEK. SEVERAL OF THESE RED LIGHTS ARE LOCATED IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS. MY CAR HAS STALLED/DIED DURING IDLING OVER 50 TIMES AND COUNTING. USUALLY WHEN IT IS WARM WEATHER AND THE CAR IS IDLING AND HEATED UP TO A NORMAL TEMPERATURE. ITS RANDOM BASED, IN THE SUMMER COULD BE 10-20 STOPS BEFORE IT STALLS AND DIES, USUALLY WHEN I START TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS GREEN. I REPLACED ALL THE ELECTRICAL EQUIPTMENT AND EGR PARTS, AND THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURED. DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPTMENT SHOWS NO PROBLEMS. I DID NOT LEARN ABOUT THIS HIDDEN DEFECT UNTIL THE NEWS MEDIA ANNOUNCED MAJOR LAWSUITS AGAINST FORD FOR THIS HIDDEN PROBLEM, WHICH MATCHES MY SYMPTOMS EXACTLY. IT IS A SHAME THAT FORD KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND DID NOT PUT OUT ANY SERVICE ADVISORIES, AND IN FACT, DISCLAIMED THIS PROBLEM! I INVITED THE FORD PEOPLE TO COME RIDE IN THE CAR SINCE THEY CLAIM THE CAR IS SAFE. IT IS NOT FUN AND SAFE FOR AN 18-WHEELER TO HAVE TO STOP AT A GREEN-LIGHT WHEN I AM STALLED AND TRYING TO START MY FORD TEMPO!!!*AK

NHTSA ODI #741043

Mileage unknown · Nov 29, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STALLED 7 DIFFERENT TIMES BEFORE THE CONSUMER GOT IT HOME. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #557670

Mileage unknown · Sep 13, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE STALLED WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS AFTER IT HAS BEEN WARMED UP. OR IF IT WAS SHOT. CONSUMER MUST WAIT TO COOL DOWN VEHICLE IN ORDER TO RESTART. IF CONSUMER DID NOT WAIT LONG ENOUGH IT WILL STALL OUT AGAIN. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO FORD, BUT DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. DEFECT HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR 2-3 YEARS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #870378

Official recalls

1

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

4

EA96024 · 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.

PE96005 · 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