RoadVitals

1987 Ford Tempo Owner Complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full

Data refreshed

Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
53
Latest Sep 4, 2002
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
19
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jan 1, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 53 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1987 Ford Tempo. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Complaints, most recent first

Showing 1–25 of 53 · page 1 of 3

Engine
Filed Sep 4, 2002

VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY AT ANY SPEED WHEN ENGINE IS HOT. DEALER HAS REPLACED NUMEROUS PARTS, INCLUDING FUEL PUMP. BUT IT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM.*AK *YH

NHTSA ID
8017879
Incident
Jan 1, 1988
Electrical
Filed May 8, 2002

THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL INTERMITTENTLY WHEN STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR WHEN STARTING DUE TO TFI MODULE FAILURE. *YH

NHTSA ID
565704
Incident
Jun 19, 2001
Engine
Filed Sep 5, 2001

THE VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY WITHOUT WARNING MAKING BRAKING AND STEERING MORE DIFFICULT, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS BUT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE SOLVED, ON ONE OCCASION THE DRIVE STRUCK A UTILITY POLE AND DAMAGED THE VEHICLE WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE MAKING A TURN.

NHTSA ID
562913
Electrical
Filed Sep 4, 2001
Crash reported

THE VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT NOTICE DURING SEVERAL DIFFERENT SCENARIOS AND THE BRAKING AND STEERING BECOME DIFFICULT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOPS, INCLUDING THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND ALTHOUGH THE STALLING WAS EVEIDENT, NO ONE COUL;D CLARIFY WHY AND HOW TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. I AM REPROTING THIS PROBLEM ON BEHALF OF MY ELDERLY MOTHER, WHO HAS HAD THIS STALLING PROBLEM SINCE SHE PURCHASED THIS USED VEHICLE AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIND ANYONE TO SUCCESSFULLY REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE TEMPO IS HER ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION AND SHE HAS HAD TO COPE WITH THE STALLING PROBLEMS BECAUSE SHE CAN NOT AFFORD A NEW VEHICLE. SHE RECENTLY STRUCK A UTILITY POLE WHEN THE VEHICLE STALLED WHILE SHE WAS MAKING A TURN AND DAMAGED HER VEHICLE. SHE DESPARATELY NEEDS SOME ASSISTANCE IN HAVING FORD MAKE HER VEHICLE SAFE. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD AT THEIR 1.800.392.3673 NUMBER AND SPOKE WITH A REPRESENTATIVE BY THE NAME OF SELVIN, WHO BASICALLY SAID THAT FORD WILL NOT VOLUNTARILY DO ANYTHING TO ASSIST AT THIS TIME AND HE WOULD NOT PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL CONTACT INFORMATION. PLEASE HELP!*AK

NHTSA ID
751648
Electrical
Filed May 2, 2001

ALTERNATOR REBUILT AND BOUGHT FROM ADVANCE AUTO PARTS. THIS WAS THE SECOND ALTERNATOR WITH PROBLEMS, THE FIRST WAS TAKEN BACK AND THIS ONE THE MECHANIC REPLACED AND SAID THAT WHO DOES ADVANCE'S REBUILDING ISN'T THAT GREAT. THE TIME AND MONEY SPENT FOR THEIR REJECT ALTERNATOR'S IS UNJUST. THE RED LIGHT INDICATOR STAYED ON UNTIL THIS NEW ALTERNATOR WAS PUT IN.*AK

NHTSA ID
744823
Engine
Filed Apr 12, 2001

VEHICLE HAS BEEN STALLING OFF AND ON SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE, NUMEROUS REPAIRS. CANNOT REMEDY.*AK

NHTSA ID
885779
Incident
Dec 1, 1987
ElectricalFuel system
Filed Dec 2, 2000

I AM FINANCIALLY OBLIGATED TO PAST DUE BILLS; HOWEVER I AM TRYING TO KEEP UP WITH THE CAR PROBLEMS, I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS ANY RECALL ON THIS CAR! AS MENTIONED I WAS GIVEN A FINE OF $50.00 FOR EXPIRED TAGS BY ABOUT A WEEK; I WOULD HAVE WENT TO MVA IF GIVEN A WARNING FOR RENEWAL! WITH ALL OF THE EXPENSES IN A CAR IS THERE ANY WAY TO GET SOME WORK DONE WITHOUT BEING INDEBTED TO A HIGH PRICED MECHANIC? ECONOMICS SHOULD NOT PLAY A PART FOR SAFETY OF A CAR; SHOULD HAVE WAYS TO HELP ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED. PLEASE READ OUT OF CONCERN AND NOT TO BE USED AGAINST ME BUT FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND TO HELP OTHERS WHO WANT A SAFE VEHICLE BUT CAN'T AFFORD ALL OF THE HIGH BILLS.F. NO SAFETY DEFECT MENTIONED . *AK

NHTSA ID
737185
Steering
Filed Sep 21, 2000

WHILE DRIVING INTO A DRIVEWAY TIE ROD: INNER BROKE OUT OF GEAR BOX, CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING. FORD HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. *AK

NHTSA ID
871166
Fuel system
Filed Sep 14, 2000

CAR WONT RESTART AFTER IT HAS BEEN DRIVIN AND OR STOPPED AT IDLE SPEED. CAUSING ME TO BE STRANDED CONTINUALLY. FORD MOTOR WAS SUPPOSE TO FIX THE FUEL PUMP , BUT INSTEAD REPLACED TFI SWITCH AND TWO OTHER SENSORS , BUT AM STILL HAVING SAME SYMTOMS SENT CAR BACK AND NOW THEY TELL ME ITS THE FUEL PUMP WICH IS WHY I TOOK THE CAR TO THEM TO BEGIN WITH.. THEN I HERE ON THE NEWS ABOUT THIS TFI SWITCH THAT FORD MOTOR CHARGED ME AN ARM A LEG AND A FOOT FOR 640.00... I SEE A COVER UP OR SOMTHING IS NOT RIGHT AT MY EXPENSE.. NOT TO MENTION THE STEARING PROBLEMS AND THE BRAKE FAILURE.. AND NUMEROUS OTHER PROBLEMS NEVER AGAIN WILL I TRUST FORD.AND I CURRENTLY HAVE A COMPLAINT FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MY STATE WE WANT OUR MONEY BACK AND OUR CAR FIXED RIGHT. THIS HAS BEEN VERY FRUSTRATING I HAVE SUNK 700 PLUS ANOTHER 400 FOR BAKES ON A CAR THAT ONLY HAD 40.000 MILES WHEN I PURCHASED IT FROM A FAMILY MEMBER.*AK

NHTSA ID
731436
Incident
Mar 20, 2000
Fuel system
Filed Sep 9, 1999

FUEL PUMP FAILED. MJS

NHTSA ID
548421
Incident
May 1, 1997
ElectricalTransmission
Filed Jun 2, 1999

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED CONTINUED STALLING CONDITIONS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION MODULE. MJS

NHTSA ID
545892
Driver assistanceElectricalSteering
Filed May 26, 1999

MY CAR STARTED ACTING UP 1ST BY CUTTING OUT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE, THE IT WOULD REV UP,AND THEN COMPLETELY QUIT. THEN WHEN I TRIED TO START IT THE TACHOMETER WOULD SPIN AROUND BACKWARDS. AFTER SETTING FOR A FEW HOURS IT WOULD START AND MAYBE RUN FINE FOR A FEW DAYS. THEN PROBLEM 2 HAPPENED. MY HORN STARTED BEEPING FOR NO REASON AND I HAD TO TAKE THE FUSE OUT. THE CAR WILL NOT START AT ALL NOW. WE HAVE CHANGED THE COMPUTER BRAIN AND THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU SHUT THE DOOR THE HORN BEEPS WITH NO FUSE IN THE FUSE BOX. WE ARE NOW THINKING IT IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN. HOW CAN THIS PROBLEM BE FIXED, OR EVEN NARROWED DOWN TO SEE IF THAT IS THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
706894
Incident
Jan 5, 1999
Electrical
Filed May 18, 1999

THICK FILM IGNITION MODULE AND DIST STATOR FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING.

NHTSA ID
545656
Incident
Apr 14, 1999
BrakesDriver assistanceElectrical+1 more
Filed May 13, 1999

BRAKES FAILED. MJS

NHTSA ID
545527
Incident
Mar 5, 1999
Body & structure
Filed Mar 5, 1999

WHILE TRAVELING REAR SUBFRAME MOTOR MOUNTS BROKE, CAUSING ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION TO DROP, CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID
834593
Transmission
Filed Dec 24, 1998

TRANSMISSION IS FAILING TO OPERATE PROPERLY. VEHICLE MAKING NOISE WHEN SHIFTING INTO HIGH GEAR. DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID
832659
Engine
Filed Aug 18, 1998
Fire reported

ENGINE FAILED CAUSING FIRE. OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT.

NHTSA ID
539056
Incident
Jul 29, 1998
Engine
Filed Mar 11, 1998
Fire reported

ENGINE FIRE DESTROYED CAR(OHIO STATE POLICE)

NHTSA ID
530974
Engine
Filed Feb 13, 1998

EGR SENSORS FAILED CAUSING STALLING

NHTSA ID
530483
Engine
Filed Nov 10, 1997

VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY LOSES POWER/STALLS.

NHTSA ID
524595
Engine
Filed Sep 30, 1997

VEHICLE EXPERIENCES CONTINUED STALLING, UNABLE TO RECTIFY OR FIND FAULTY COMPONENT.

NHTSA ID
522822
Engine
Filed Sep 30, 1997

FILLED UP A QUARTER OF A TANK OF 87 OCTANE, SOON AFTER, VEHICLE STRUGGLED TO IDLE/STALLED. SUBSEQUENTLY, FILLED UP WITH GAS AT ANOTHER STATION AND VEHICLE RAN BETTER. HAD TO ADD GAS FOR TREATMENT FOR VEHICLE TO RUN NORMALLY. *AK

NHTSA ID
520825
Incident
Jun 30, 1997
Engine
Filed Sep 29, 1997

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 10-15 MPH VEHICLE STALLED. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AFTER VEHICLE STALLED OUT. VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY STARTED UP. OWNER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE DIES WHEN COMING TO A STOP, AND WHEN TURNING A CORNER. OWNER HAS NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID
816698
Incident
Sep 28, 1997
Engine
Filed Apr 10, 1997
Fire reported

OWNER STATES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IT STARTED TO STALL. WHEN OWNER PULLED OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT TOOK ONLY 15MIN FOR THE WHOLE VEHICLE TO BURN DOWN. *AK

NHTSA ID
810870
Interior & seats
Filed Feb 11, 1997

SEAT FRAME CRACKED, ALSO SLIDE RAIL SUPPORTS CRACKED.

NHTSA ID
514712

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Data on this page last refreshed .