IllustrationWHEN TURNING THE IGNITION SWITCH THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR TIGHTENS UP. THIS HAPPENED SOMETIMES, TOOK TO DEALER, HE INDICATED SOMTEHING WAS WRONG WITH THE TRACK . *AK
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
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: 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
What owners actually said
176 reportsAFTER TURNING RADIO ON, AREA AROUND LEFT SIDE OF RADIO GETS TOO HOT.
SUSPENSION FAILURE CAUSED ACCIDENT.
THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY ASSEMBLY FAILED AND REPLACED, CAUSING THE STEERING TO FREEZE.
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM TIRES, PULLED OFF ROAD, THEN NOTICED FLAMES, POURED WATER ON BRAKES, PACKED IT W/MUD, AFTER A FEW HOURS DROVE VEHICLE HOME. TOOK VEHICLE IN & HAD IT REPAIRED. *AK
THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS ARE INOPERATIVE, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT WILL NOT RETRACT AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT ALSO DOES NOT FULLY RETRACT OR IS TRAPPED IN THE TRACK. CONSUMER HAS YET TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. *AK
OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE FOR IGNITION SWITCH,TOOK TO VEHICLE DEALERS, THEY REPAIRED PROBLEM BUT OWNER SEES SMOKE UNDER DASHBOARD WHILE DRIVING. *AK
THE MANUAL LAP BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE ONCE LATCHED, IT WOULD NOT UNLATCH. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS A PENNY IN THE FEMALE BUCKLE PART WHICH WOULD NOT ALLOW IT TO UNLATCH. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH OVERHEATED/CAUGHT FIRE.
SUDDEN ACCELERATION DURING COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Official recalls
297V019000 · 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
2EA96024 · 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.