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1992 Ford Tempo

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Tempo years

Owner complaints for the 1992 Ford Tempo are substantially higher than the model-year median of 30.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
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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: 6 of 176 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 →
  • Electrical System. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Seat Belts. Review the 41 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 reports20 fire reports12 injury reports

Seat Belts complaints

41 reports
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Mileage unknown · Feb 27, 2000
Seat Belts

MY IS: STEVEN ENCARNACION. ADDRESS: 1204 ST. JOSEPH WAY, PETALUMA, CA 94954-5360, E:MAIL STEVOE@HOME.COM. TELEPHONE #(707)763-7437. THIS IS THE THIRD OF FOUR (1ST ODI #719304, 2ND ODI #719313) COMPLAINTS I'M FILEING AGAINST G&C AUTOBODY FOR RENTING OUT VEHICLES WITH KNOWN SAFETY DEFECTS FOR PROFIT. ON 01/19/2000 I RENTED THE FOR…

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MY IS: STEVEN ENCARNACION. ADDRESS: 1204 ST. JOSEPH WAY, PETALUMA, CA 94954-5360, E:MAIL STEVOE@HOME.COM. TELEPHONE #(707)763-7437. THIS IS THE THIRD OF FOUR (1ST ODI #719304, 2ND ODI #719313) COMPLAINTS I'M FILEING AGAINST G&C AUTOBODY FOR RENTING OUT VEHICLES WITH KNOWN SAFETY DEFECTS FOR PROFIT. ON 01/19/2000 I RENTED THE FORD TEMPO, RENTAL AGREEMENT #25778, REPAIR ORDER #000676, WHILE OUR VEHICLE WAS TO BE REPAIRED. I BROUGHT UP THE FACT THAT THE RENTAL WAS MISSING THE RIGHT SIDE VIEW MIRROR TO CASEY PUTERBAUGH (G&C CUSTOMER SERVICE), SHE SAID "OH THE PARTS MUST BE ON ORDER". THE PASSENGER SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT WORKED INTERMITTENTLY AND WHEN IT DIDN'T I WOULD JUST GET IN AND LEAN AGAINST IT (OUR 1991 HONDA ACCORD EX THAT WAS BEING REPAIRED HAD AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS ALSO). ON 02/09/2000 AS I LEANED FORWARD TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE THE BELT CAME SLIDING FORWARD FROM BEHIND ME AT A VERY FAST SPEED, CAUGHT ME BEHIND THE NECK AND PUSHED MY HEAD INTO THE DOOR GLASS AND UPPER DOOR FRAME ABOVE THE GLASS. I TOOK THE CAR TO G&C TO GET ANOTHER RENTAL AND TALKED TO GENE CROZAT, HE SAID THE BELT COULDN'T THROW ME FORWARD AND THAT HE WASN'T GOING TO PAY FOR ANY MEDICAL TREATMENT. THE PETALUMA POLICE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THEY CARRY INSURANCE FOR IT. I HAD TO SEE MY DOCTOR FOR THE INJURY. WHEN I WAS OUTSIDE TALKING TO GENE ABOUT THE INJURY, MY WIFE WAS IN THE LOBBY AND SAID SHE HEARD WILBERT JOHNSON TELLING THE STAFF "THIS GUY OUT HERE HASN'T LEARNED TO STAY OUT OF THE WAY OF THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT!". I RECEIVED A CERTIFIED LETTER ON 02/26/2000 FROM G&C. IT STATES, 1)THE BELT WAS BEHIND ME WHEN I OPENED THE DOOR AND THREW ME (THIS IS CORRECT), 2)IT STATES I WASN'T USING THE BELT AS IT WAS INTENDED AND THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE (HOW DO YOU USE A DEFECTIVE BELT CORRECTLY? RESPONSIBILITY SEEMS TO BE A BURDEN TO G&C AUTOBODY), 3)GENE CROZAT, ALAYNE SATURDAY (CONTROLLER), MY WIFE AND I ALL AGREE THAT THE BELT IS DEFECTIVE RE:IT DIDN'T SLIDE FORWARD AND CAUSED THE INJURY.

NHTSA ODI #719345

Mileage unknown · Dec 19, 1999
Seat Belts

MY AUTOMATIC SEATBELT WENT OUT. HAD NEW ONE INSTALLED ($375.00) LESS THEN 2 MONTHS LATER HAD ANOTHER ONE INSTALLED (IT WAS FOUND THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY) NOW THAT ONE IS NOT WORKING WHICH WAS INSTALLED FEB. 1999. IT HAS NOT BEEN WORKING SINCE LAST JUNE. I PUT ON OVER 50 MILES A DAY DRIVING TO WORK SO T…

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MY AUTOMATIC SEATBELT WENT OUT. HAD NEW ONE INSTALLED ($375.00) LESS THEN 2 MONTHS LATER HAD ANOTHER ONE INSTALLED (IT WAS FOUND THE FIRST REPLACEMENT WAS INSTALLED INCORRECTLY) NOW THAT ONE IS NOT WORKING WHICH WAS INSTALLED FEB. 1999. IT HAS NOT BEEN WORKING SINCE LAST JUNE. I PUT ON OVER 50 MILES A DAY DRIVING TO WORK SO THE 12,000 MILES IS OUT (WHICH I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT HAS TO DO WITH MY SEAT BELT FUNCTIONING) I CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP GETTING IT "FIXED". NOW I HAVE NO FUNCTIONING SEATBELT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. (THE RIGHT SEAT BELT IS NOT FUNCTIONING EITHER, BUT CANNOT AFFORD TO GET THAT ONE "FIXED" AT THE RATE I AM BEING CHARGED FOR NOTHING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #716215

Mileage unknown · Aug 20, 1999
Seat Belts

THE DRIVER'S / PASSENGER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RETRACT WHEN RELEASED. CONSUMER CAN HEAR THE MOTOR STILL RUNNING, BUT NOTHING HAPPENING. THE BELTS REMAINED IN THE SAME POSITION. VEHICLE WILL BE TAKING TO DEALER TO CHECK PROBLEM. *YC

NHTSA ODI #843683

Mileage unknown · Dec 29, 1998
Seat Belts

MOTOR ON THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS HAS COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING, CAUSING THE SEAT BELTS TO BECOME INOPERABLE EVEN WHEN ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. CAUSE UNKNOWN, THE SEAT BELT BECAME STRIPPED CAUSING THE SEAT BELTS TO STOP IN ONE PLACE/LOCK UP AND CONTINUE TO RUN AND GRIND IN ONE SPOT. *AK.ET.

NHTSA ODI #832760

Mileage unknown · Sep 17, 1998
Seat Belts

MOTORIZED DRIVER SEAT BELT DOES NOT DOES NOT MOVE. IT IS STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRACK.

NHTSA ODI #780409

Mileage unknown · Jul 30, 1998
Seat Belts

SHOULDER SEAT BELTS DO NOT MOVE AT ALL,. THE DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ODI #826094

Mileage unknown · Jun 4, 1998
Seat Belts

THE DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT WILL NOT RETRACT WHEN OPENING OR CLOSING THE DOOR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #823973

Mileage unknown · Apr 27, 1998
Seat Belts

SHOULDER BELT THAT'S ATTACHED TO DOOR WILL NOT RETRACT. CALLED DEALER & MECHANIC SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER, KEVIN, SAID HE WILL NOT FIX IT. NOTHING CAN BE DONE. OWNER BELIEVES IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. *AK

NHTSA ODI #822828

Mileage unknown · Apr 1, 1998
Seat Belts

FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #533569

Mileage unknown · Mar 24, 1998
Air BagsSeat BeltsCrashInjury

NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG DURING ACCIDENT .

NHTSA ODI #533002

Official recalls

2

97V019000 · 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.

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

2

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.