IllustrationHOSE/LINE COMING OFF THE BACK OF COMPRESSOR, LINE FROM MANIFOLD TO CONDENSOR FAILED ALSO. MJS
1993 Ford Tempo
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Tempo years
Owner complaints for the 1993 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: 7 of 227 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 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 37 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 reports5 fire reports14 injury reports
What owners actually said
227 reportsTHE DRIVER'S & PASSENGER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT MOTOR IS INOPERATIVE. THE BELTS ARE OFF THE TRACTS. WOULD NOT PROTECT OCCUPANT. CAN HEAR THE MOTOR RUNNING EVEN THOUGH THE BELTS HAVE NOT RETRACTED. THEY ARE USABLE BUT NOT LOCKED IN. WILL BE TAKING TO DEALER TO HAVE THEM CHECKED.
THE SHOULDER BELTS ON THE DRIVER SIDE (04 MAR 99) & THE PASSENGER SIDE (18 NOV 95) MOTOR IS INOPERATIVE. THE BELTS CAME OFF THE TRACTS. WOULD NOT PROTECT OCCUPANT. CAN HEAR THE MOTOR STILL RUNNING. THE SHOULDER BELT CAN BE USED BUT NOT LOCKED IN.
WHEN DECELERATING TO A STOPLIGHT CAR BUCKS AND THEN STALLS, NEED TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AT LIGHTS FOR IT TO KEEP RUNNING, ENGINE DOES NOT RUN SMOOTHLY, HAD NUMEROUS THINGS CHECKED/CLEANED, NONE SOLVED THE PROBLEM, CAR REPAIR MEN ARE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING TILT STEERING COLUMN BROKE, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO FALL DOWN. THE VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED BY DEALERSHIP. *AK
I HAVE THE FOLLOWING INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH MY CAR SINCE LAST FEBRUARY: WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MILES OF DRIVING, THE CAR SHUTS DOWN. IT START UP AGAIN AFTER ANYWHERE FROM ONE MINUTE TO TWO MINUTES. AFTER I GO ABOUT 3 MILES WITHOUT IT HAPPENING, IT WON'T SHUT DOWN AGAIN. ALSO, SOMETIMES WHEN I TURN THE CAR OFF TO RUN IN THE …
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I HAVE THE FOLLOWING INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH MY CAR SINCE LAST FEBRUARY: WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MILES OF DRIVING, THE CAR SHUTS DOWN. IT START UP AGAIN AFTER ANYWHERE FROM ONE MINUTE TO TWO MINUTES. AFTER I GO ABOUT 3 MILES WITHOUT IT HAPPENING, IT WON'T SHUT DOWN AGAIN. ALSO, SOMETIMES WHEN I TURN THE CAR OFF TO RUN IN THE STORE, AND WHEN I TRY TO START IT WHEN I COME OUT, IT WON'T START. THEN AFTER ABOUT 1 TO 2 MINUTES IT STARTS. I BROUGHT IT TO A FORD DEALER, THEY CHECKED OUT THE COMPUTER AND SENSORS, CLEANED THE INJECTION SYSTEM FOR THE FUEL, BUT COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. SINCE THEN THE FOLLOWING PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITHOUT THE PROBLEM RESOLVED. IGNITION MODULE, DISTRIBUTOR CAP, ROTOR, PLUG WIRES, SPARK PLUGS, GAS FILTER, IGNITION COIL, PICKUP COIL, AND THE COMPUTER. THE CAR WOULD NOT START FOR A MECHANIC AND HE SAID THERE WAS NO SPARK, SO THE PROBLEM IS ELECTRICAL. ANY SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT MIGHT BE CAUSING THIS WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU. *AK
I HAVE THE FOLLOWING INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH MY CAR SINCE LAST FEBRUARY: WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MILES OF DRIVING, THE CAR SHUTS DOWN. IT STARTS UP AGAIN AFTER ANYWHERE FROM ONE MINUTE TO TWO MINUTES. AFTER I GO ABOUT 3 MILES WITHOUT IT HAPPENING, IT WON'T SHUT DOWN AGAIN. ALSO, SOMETIMES WHEN I TURN THE CAR OFF TO RUN IN THE…
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I HAVE THE FOLLOWING INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH MY CAR SINCE LAST FEBRUARY: WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MILES OF DRIVING, THE CAR SHUTS DOWN. IT STARTS UP AGAIN AFTER ANYWHERE FROM ONE MINUTE TO TWO MINUTES. AFTER I GO ABOUT 3 MILES WITHOUT IT HAPPENING, IT WON'T SHUT DOWN AGAIN. ALSO, SOMETIMES WHEN I TURN THE CAR OFF TO RUN IN THE STORE, AND WHEN I TRY TO START IT WHEN I COME OUT, IT WON'T START. THEN AFTER ABOUT 1 TO 2 MINUTES IT STARTS. I BROUGHT IT TO A FORD DEALER, THEY CHECKED OUT THE COMPUTER AND SENSORS, CLEANED THE INJECTION SYSTEM FOR THE FUEL, BUT COULDN'T FIND THE PROBLEM. SINCE THEN THE FOLLOWING PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITHOUT THE PROBLEM BEING FIXED. IGNITION MODULE, DISTRIBUTOR/CAP/ROTOR/PLUG WIRES AND SPARK PLUGS, GAS FILTER, IGNITION COIL, PICKUP COIL, AND THE COMPUTER. THE CAR WOULD NOT START FOR A MECHANIC AND HE SAID THERE WAS NO SPARK, SO THE PROBLEM IS ELECTRICAL. ANY SUGGESTIONS ON WHAT MIGHT BE CAUSING THIS, WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU.
WHILE DRIVING AND COMING TO A STOP, VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.* AK CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE IS STILL STALLING.*SB
THIS ARE SAFETY RECALLS BY NHTSA THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO FIX PUTTING ME AND MY FAMILY IN DANGER! PLEASE HELP THIS CAR IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. THE ENGINE COOLING FAN IS DEFECTIVE, THE IGNITION SWITCH WON'T EVEN TURN MOST OF THE TIME, AND THE PCV IS ALSO DEFECTIVE AND MAKES THE ENGINE VIBERATE! ALSO THE CRANK…
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THIS ARE SAFETY RECALLS BY NHTSA THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY REFUSES TO FIX PUTTING ME AND MY FAMILY IN DANGER! PLEASE HELP THIS CAR IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. THE ENGINE COOLING FAN IS DEFECTIVE, THE IGNITION SWITCH WON'T EVEN TURN MOST OF THE TIME, AND THE PCV IS ALSO DEFECTIVE AND MAKES THE ENGINE VIBERATE! ALSO THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. ALL OF THOSE PROBLEMS WAS RECALLED BY NHTSA AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY WAS TOLD TO FIX IT AT NO COST TO THE OWNERS OF FORD TEMPO! NOW THEY REFUSE TO FIX IT THEREFORE PUTTING ME IN DANGER! PLEASE HELP. *AK
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS ON THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDES DO NOT MOVE ON THE RAIL. THE BELST ARE IN THE FORWARD POSITION. DEALER/ MANUFACTURER ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *AK
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.