IllustrationINTERMITTENTLY TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEARS. DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
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 reportsCONSUMER STATES WHEN WEATHER IS HOT THE ENGINE WILL DIE OUT. CONSUMER STATES AFTER VEHICLE HAS COOLED DOWN, CONSUMER IS ABLE TO RESTART. *JB THE CONSUMER HAD MODULE REPLACED AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION OF ENGINE SHUTTING OFF, BUT THE PROBLEM REOCCURRED THREE TIMES. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS RECALLING OTHER VEHICLES FO…
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CONSUMER STATES WHEN WEATHER IS HOT THE ENGINE WILL DIE OUT. CONSUMER STATES AFTER VEHICLE HAS COOLED DOWN, CONSUMER IS ABLE TO RESTART. *JB THE CONSUMER HAD MODULE REPLACED AS A POSSIBLE SOLUTION OF ENGINE SHUTTING OFF, BUT THE PROBLEM REOCCURRED THREE TIMES. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER WAS RECALLING OTHER VEHICLES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. *YH
HEARING A THUMP IN THE REAR BUT WAS NOT AWARE WHERE NOISE COULD HAVE BEEN. VEHICLE WAS GOING 25MPH AND FELT LIKE HAD NO STABILITY CONTROL. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK WHILE TRYING TO AVOID ACCIDENT CONSUMER HIT BRAKES AND STABILIZER LINK FAILED. *YD
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE HITS A BUMP DOOR AJAR LIGHT ILLUMINATES, AND DOOR UNLOCKS. SOMETIMES DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL SHUT, AND SOMETIMES IT WON'T. ALSO, SOMETIMES LATCH IS STUCK FROM INSIDE,. DRIVER FEELS TRAPPED AND UNSAFE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
UPDATE TO IMAGE # 827205: DRIVER'S SHOULDER BELT FAILS TO RELEASE FROM THE RETRACTING MECHANISM.*AK
THE MOTOR AND/OR TRANSMISSION MOUNTS ON THE DESCRIBED VEHICLE HAVE FAILED THREE(3) TIMES, THE FIRST AS NOTED, OCCURRED AFTER ONLY 18,000 MILES AND AT THE TIME THE CAR HAD JUST PASSED THE 36 MONTH NEW CAR WARRANTY. WADE FORD IN SMYRNA ,GA REPLACED THE MOUNTS THE FIRST TIME AT NO LABOR CHARGE...ONLY PARTS BECAUSE THE DATE WAS SO …
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THE MOTOR AND/OR TRANSMISSION MOUNTS ON THE DESCRIBED VEHICLE HAVE FAILED THREE(3) TIMES, THE FIRST AS NOTED, OCCURRED AFTER ONLY 18,000 MILES AND AT THE TIME THE CAR HAD JUST PASSED THE 36 MONTH NEW CAR WARRANTY. WADE FORD IN SMYRNA ,GA REPLACED THE MOUNTS THE FIRST TIME AT NO LABOR CHARGE...ONLY PARTS BECAUSE THE DATE WAS SO CLOSE TO THE WARRANTY EXPIRATION. SINCE THEN, THE MOUNTS HAVE FAILED TWO MORE TIMES. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANY OTHER CAR OWNERS OF THIS MAKE/MODEL HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM?*AK
SPEED ODOMETER KEEPS GOING OUT. THIS HAPPENS AT 45 MILES PER HOUR. NEEDLE JUMPS AND KIND OF STICKS IN PLACE. CONSUMER STATED THIS WAS FOURTH SPEED ODOMETER REPLACE IN 125,000 MILES.*AK
VEHICLE WILL STALL WITHOUT NOTICE. ONCE IT STALLED ON HIGHWAY. CONSUMER HAS YET TO CONTACT DEALER. *AK DEALER CAN NOT FIND THE CAUSE OF THE STALLING. *SLC
CAR CUTS OFF WHILE I'M DRIVING. THIS ONLY HAPPENS IN DAYTIME WHEN WEATHER IS VERY HOT. I HAVE TO LET THE CAR SIT ABOUT 20-30 MINUTES BEFORE IT WILL START AGAIN. NO PROBLEMS AT NIGHT, OR EARLY MORNING WHEN IT'S COOL. *AK
VEHICLE STALLS OUT AT ANY SPEED STANDING STILL OR IN MOTION. VEHICLE SEEMS TO HAVE THE PROBLEM MOST IN DO THE SUMMER. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM TO CORRECT IT.*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.