1989 Ford Tempo Owner Complaints

THE CAR HAS MAJOR LEAKING ISSUES. EVERY TIME IT RAINS/SNOWS/SLEETS/HAIL IT LEAKS INTO THE CAR THROUGH THE DRIVERS SIDE INTO THE ROOF AND ONCE THAT AREA IS SOAKED IT STARTS TO DRIP SLOWLY ONTO THE SEAT AND FLOOR. THERE IS ALSO A LEAK IN THE TRUNK ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, OR AT LEAST THAT IS WHERE THE WATER ACCUMULATES UNTIL A SMALL PUDDLE HAS FORMED IN THE WELL THAT HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE. AND IT SEEMS TO ALSO SPREAD INTO THE BACKSEAT AND GATHERS IN THE BACKSEAT FOOTWELL BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SEAT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10587763

Incident

May 15, 2013

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1989 FORD TEMPO. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO AN UNKNOWN SPEED. THE VEHICLE CRASHED THROUGH THE GARAGE WALL AND EVENTUALLY STOPPED AND SHUT OFF AFTER A HALF MILE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND DRIVEN BACK TO THE GARAGE. THE WINDSHIELD WAS DAMAGED AND THE DRIVER SUSTAINED SCRATCHES. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 99,200.

NHTSA ID

10219949

Incident

Jan 9, 2008

Mileage

99,200 mi

TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT SUPPORT ON THE 1989 FORD TEMPO HAD DISENGAGED ON DRIVER'S SIDE AND FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER , AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO FIX THE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD. *AK UPDATED 2/22/2007 - THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE SEAT BELT SUPPORT WAS MADE FROM AN INFERIOR PLASTIC WHICH BECAME BRITTLE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10179485

Incident

Jul 1, 2006

Mileage

72,000 mi

CONSUMER LETTER CONCERNING THE SETTLEMENT IN A CLASS ACTION SUIT AGAINST FORD MOTOR COMPANY. *TS THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10156250

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

AUTOMOBILE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE PARKING LOT WHILE I WAS WORKING. TWO POLICE OFFICERS HEARD THE IGNITION CLICKING, BUT COULDN'T SEE A CAR WITH AN INDIVIDUAL IN IT. SHORTLY AFTER THE CAR WAS IN FLAMES. INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE AFTER THE FIRE SHOWS THAT THE FIRE APPEARED TO HAVE STARTED IN THE STEERING COLUMN.*AK

NHTSA ID

10093168

Incident

Sep 25, 2004

CONSUMER HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. TOOK VEHICLETO A MECHANIC, AND BRAKING SYSTEM WAS REPLACED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10061366

BATTERY DRAIN---UNKNOWN CAUSE

NHTSA ID

10069471

Incident

Mar 15, 2003

Mileage

99,500 mi

HEAD COVERS ATTACHMENT ON THE HEADLIGHTS CAUSE LESS VISIBILITY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. INTERMITTENTLY THE LIGHT WILL APPEAR TO BE NORMAL. FAILURE IS UNDETERMINED AT THIS TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID

10034424

Incident

Aug 22, 2003

CONSUMER INQUIRED ABOUT ANY RECALLS ON 1989 FORD TEMPO.*AK *JB

NHTSA ID

10019547

SINCE 2000, MY 1989 FORD TEMPO HAD BROKEN DOWN FOUR TIMES, TWICE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. EACH TIME, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THE PROBLEM WAS WITH THE ALTERNATOR, AND I HAD IT REPLACED. NOW, IN APRIL OF 2003, THE ALTERNATOR IS ABOUT TO DIE YET AGAIN. MY CAR HAS 99,000 MILES AND IS DRIVEN LESS THAN 10,000 MILES PER YEAR. FIVE ALTERNATORS IN THREE YEARS IS NOT FROM NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR ON A CAR. I BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFECT IN THE FORD TEMPO SYSTEM THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. AND I SEE FROM OTHER FILED COMPLAINTS I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10013933

Incident

Apr 3, 2003

Mileage

99,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING, CONSUMER STATES THAT THE GAS PEDAL FEELS STICKY AND IS HARD TO PUSH. *TT

NHTSA ID

563989

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE IGNITION MODULE IS DEFECTIVE. *SLC

NHTSA ID

563816

VEHICLE WILL STALL AT ANY GIVEN TIME. PROBLEM USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE 0VERHEATS. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER NOTED THAT PROBLEM COULD BE IGNITION SWITCH. *AK

NHTSA ID

898669

Incident

Oct 1, 2001

CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN WHEN ENGINE GETS HOT, CONSUMER STATES THIS HAPPENS ALMOST EVERY TIME VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AND USUALLY OCCURS AT A SIGNAL LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. *SLC

NHTSA ID

877761

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH MAY CAUSE A CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE. HOWEVER, IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM. *AK THE VEHICLE HEATED UP AFTER A 50 MILE TRIP. *YH

NHTSA ID

877112

ANY TIME AT A STOP LIGHT OR STARTING TO MOVE OR GOING AROUND CORNERS VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT FOR NO REASON. PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES. MECHANIC CAN NOT DUPLICATE OR RESOLVE PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

875946

THIS SEEMS TO HAPPEN WHEN THE CAR IS WARM ONLY. I HAVE BEEN STRANDED MANY TIMES. THIS IS NOT ONLY EXPENSIVE BUT A PROBLEM OF PERSONAL SAFETY. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID

735343

AFTER VEHICLE IS OPERATED AT CONTINUOUS HIGH SPEEDS (60MPH) VEHICLE WILL STALL WHEN APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, RED LIGHT ETC. VEHICLE WILL RESTART IMMEDIATELY, BUT WILL CONTINUE TO STALL AT NEXT STOP. I CONSIDER THIS TO BE DANGEROUS BECAUSE FOLLOWING TRAFFIC IS NOT EXPECTING THE STALL, AND GETTING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION CAN BE ADVENTUROUS. VEHICLE HAS HAD A MAJOR TUNEUP, (INCLUDING WIRES ROTOR ETC), THROTTLE BODY CLEANING, FUEL INJECTOR CLEANING BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. I HEARDTHAT NHSTA WAS TRYING TO GET FORD TO RECALL THIS MODEL BECAUE THE IGNITION MODULE WAS PLACED TOO CLOSE TO THE ENGINE AND WAS SUBJECTED TO INTENSE HEAT, LEADING TO STALLING.

NHTSA ID

731582

WHEN DRIVING IN HOT WEATHER VEHICLE STALLS, AND WON'T START BACK UP FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES. MECHANIC REPLACED IGNITION, AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.*AK

NHTSA ID

869691

IN 1989 WE PAID $40,000 FOR A NEW MOTORHOME THAT IS DEFECTIVE AND UNSAFE AND FORD REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE HAD REPEATED FAILURES DURING WARM WEATHER AS IT APPEARS THE SYSTEM VAPORLOCKS AND STALLS THE VEHICLE. THE LASTEST FAILURES HAPPENED ON OUR VACATION LAST WEEK AND WERE VERY DANGEROUS. ONE STALL OCURRED ON A TWO LANE MOUNTAIN ROAD WITH NO SHOULDER AND ON CURVES. WE BLOCKED THE LANE AND HAD TO DIRECT TRAFFIC AROUND TO AVOID A TERRIBLE HEADON. ANOTHER FAILURE WE COULD NOT GET IT OFF THE ROAD AND IT BLOCKED BOTH LANES. VERY DANGEROUS FOR US AND OTHERS. WE HAVE SPENT ABOUT $1000 OVER THE YEARS DOING WHAT FORD RECOMMENDED AND IT DID NOT WORK. MOTORHOME MAGAZINE HAS HAD NUMEROUS ARTICLES ABOUT THIS OVER THE YEARS AND STILL FORD WILL NOT HELP THEIR CUSTOMERS. WE RECIEVED INFORMATION ABOUT A LAW SUIT WHERE PEOPLE WERE KILLED BUT HAVE NOT HEARD THE OUTCOME. UPON SPEAKING TO A FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. TODAY, SHE SAID SHE RECEIVES 40-50 CALLS A DAY REGARDING THIS PROBLEM AND STILL FORD WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. WE ARE FACED WITH DONATING THIS MOTORHOME AS WE CANNOT SELL IT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE TO ANYONE. FORD SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET AWAY WITH THIS AND IGNORE A DESIGN FLAW IN THEIR PRODUCT. PLEASE HELP US TO GET FORD'S ATTENTION AND TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THEY APPARENTLY DO NOT MAKE THE 460 ENGINE ANYMORE DUE TO THE PROBLEMS. WHAT HAPPENS TO THOSE OF US WHO ALREADY HAVE ONE?

NHTSA ID

728044

Incident

Aug 14, 1992

FRONT RIGHT TIE ROD SNAPPED IN TWO PIECES. CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING. RIGHT TIRE WAS UNCONTROLLABLE. CAUSING VEHICLE TO SWERVE SHARPLY INTO CURB. POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY BUT WAS ON A "GET ON" RAMP TO FREEWAY. SO WAS VERY LUCKY BECAUSE NO UNCOMING TRAFFIC AND NO PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC. VEHICLE WAS NEVER INVOLVED IN ANY PREVIOUS ACCIDENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

722961

Incident

Jun 6, 1998

RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE (1989 FORD TEMPO) WAS ISSUED AT 1996, BUT WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION FROM MANUFACTURER. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER BY PHONE ON 12/20/1999. MANUFACTURER'S CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME THAT I WILL NOT RECEIVE ANY FREE REMEDY FROM THIS 1996 RECALL ON MY VEHICLE (1989 FORD TEMPO) SINCE THE RECALL IS CLOSED AND MY VEHICLE IS NOT UNDER ANY WARRANTY. CONTACTED NHTSA OFFICE BY PHONE ON 12/20/1999 AND WAS GIVEN ADVISE OF FILING SAFETY COMPLAINT ABOUT THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

716260

Incident

Sep 27, 1999

ENGINE FIRE. YH

NHTSA ID

549404

CONSUMER STATES THE PLASTIC COVER AROUND THE HEADLIGHTS IS CORRODED AND IT WILL NOT LET LIGHT SHINE THROUGH AND THE CONSUMER FEELS ITS VERY UNSAFE

NHTSA ID

851544

Incident

Oct 20, 1999

WHILE DRIVING CAR SUDDENLY STOPPED AND COULDN'T GO FORWARD. TOOK THE WHEEL OFF,AND SAW THART CALIPER PIN BROKE WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STOP. *AK

NHTSA ID

850490

Incident

Oct 6, 1999