1990 Ford Tempo Problems

CAR HAS REPEATABLE PROBLEM OF NOT STARTING...HAVE HAD IT TOWED, DUE TO THIS, NUMEROUS TIMES, SPENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TRYING TO GET IT FIXED, ETC. ONLY TO DISCOVER THAT IT HAS TWO IGNITION DEFECTS...POTENTIALLY... SINCE THE CAR WAS NOT NEW WHEN I BOUGHT IT 3 YEARS AGO, I HAVE NO RECOURSE BUT TO BEAR THE COST OF REPAIRS MYSELF. I AM OUTRAGED THAT FORD GOT AWAY WITH NOT RECALLING THESE VEHICLES!!!

JUST AFTER PULLING INTO THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONSUMER SMELLED SMOKE . HE OPENED THE HOOD AND NOTICED THE TOP OF THE ALTERNATOR PLUG WAS BURNING FOLLOWED BY WIRING BURNING ACROSS TO THE BATTERY. THE TERMINAL BLOCK ON THE LEFT FENDER BEGAN BURNING AND MELTING. *JB *NM

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED. DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR SEAT BELT WITHOUT PAYMENT. *AK

1.) ROUGH IDLE, AND OIL LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON WHEN IDLING AND ONLY GOES OFF WHEN ACCELERATING, BUT OFTEN STALLS OUT, AND DOESN'T WANT TO RE-START. (HAD OIL CHANGED TWICE TO GET EXCESS GAS OUT OF IT FROM TRYING TO START IT.) HAD TO TOW CAR THREE TIMES. PAID $1,000 TO TRY TO GET IT FIXED, BUT ON THE WAY HOME IT DID THE SAME THING. 2.) COOLING FAN QUIT WORKING AND CAR OVERHEATED AND I PAID TO HAVE THE RADIATOR REPLACED, AS PETCOCK WAS LEAKING. MECHANIC DIDN'T NOTICE THAT FAN WASN'T WORKING, SO IT OVERHEATED ON THE WAY HOME WITH A NEW RADIATOR. I FIGURED THAT OUT. ONCE THE FAN WAS REPLACED WITH A WORKING FAN, NO MORE OVERHEATING. AFTER-MARKET RADIATOR WAS BIGGER THAN THE ORIGINAL, CAUSING THE AT FLUID LINE TO GET SAWED OFF BY THE PULLEY 3 TIMES, BEFORE SOMEONE JUST PLUGGED THE LINE AND INSTALLED A SEPARATE AT FLUID "MINI RADIATOR TYPE" COOLER. 3.) TRANSMISSION DRAGS; CAR HAS JUST OVER 70,000 MILES ON IT. HAS REPEATABLE PROBLEM WHEN STARTING OUT AND SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, USUALLY JERKING FORWARD WHEN IT SHIFTS. PUTTING CAR INTO DRIVE AFTER STARTING IT USUALLY ENDS UP IN THE CAR STALLING, AND THE IDLE IS DIFFERENT WHEN IT'S IN GEAR THAN WHEN IN PARK OR NEUTRAL. 4.) I RECEIVED A NOTICE ABOUT A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT REGARDING A DEFECTIVE TFI MODULE, BUT EVERY MECHANIC I SPOKE WITH SAID THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM, BUT THE NOTICE SAID THAT A BAD TFI MODULE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS MAKE THE CAR STALL WHEN IT'S GOING BAD, JUST SOMETIMES. STALLED IN RUSH HOUR ONCE. 5.) THE DRIVER SIDE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT QUIT WORKING, WHICH CAUSED THE PLASTIC GUIDE FOR THE BELT TO BREAK, AND WHEN I WENT TO FORD TO TRY TO GET THE PART, THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE IT WAS, AND SAID THAT THEY WEREN'T PLANNING TO HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE AFTER 2002 ANYWAY. OFTEN, I ABOUT GOT STRANGLED, AS DID OTHERS WHO RODE IN MY TEMPO, WHEN WE OPENED THE DOOR TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. 6.)FROM THE CAR OVERHEATING, THE FINISH ON THE HOOD IS PEELING AND CRACKING. *NLM

BRAKE ADJUSTERS FAILED 3 TIMES CAUSING BRAKE FAILURE

BRAKE LIGHTS ARE DEFECTIVE,. WHEN STEPPING ON BRAKES BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON. ALSO, STOPPING DISTANCE HAS INCREASED. *AK

1.) ROUGH IDLE, AND OIL LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON WHEN IDLING AND ONLY GOES OFF WHEN ACCELERATING, BUT OFTEN STALLS OUT, AND DOESN'T WANT TO RE-START. (HAD OIL CHANGED TWICE TO GET EXCESS GAS OUT OF IT FROM TRYING TO START IT.) HAD TO TOW CAR THREE TIMES. PAID $1,000 TO TRY TO GET IT FIXED, BUT ON THE WAY HOME IT DID THE SAME THING. 2.) COOLING FAN QUIT WORKING AND CAR OVERHEATED AND I PAID TO HAVE THE RADIATOR REPLACED, AS PETCOCK WAS LEAKING. MECHANIC DIDN'T NOTICE THAT FAN WASN'T WORKING, SO IT OVERHEATED ON THE WAY HOME WITH A NEW RADIATOR. I FIGURED THAT OUT. ONCE THE FAN WAS REPLACED WITH A WORKING FAN, NO MORE OVERHEATING. AFTER-MARKET RADIATOR WAS BIGGER THAN THE ORIGINAL, CAUSING THE AT FLUID LINE TO GET SAWED OFF BY THE PULLEY 3 TIMES, BEFORE SOMEONE JUST PLUGGED THE LINE AND INSTALLED A SEPARATE AT FLUID "MINI RADIATOR TYPE" COOLER. 3.) TRANSMISSION DRAGS; CAR HAS JUST OVER 70,000 MILES ON IT. HAS REPEATABLE PROBLEM WHEN STARTING OUT AND SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, USUALLY JERKING FORWARD WHEN IT SHIFTS. PUTTING CAR INTO DRIVE AFTER STARTING IT USUALLY ENDS UP IN THE CAR STALLING, AND THE IDLE IS DIFFERENT WHEN IT'S IN GEAR THAN WHEN IN PARK OR NEUTRAL. 4.) I RECEIVED A NOTICE ABOUT A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT REGARDING A DEFECTIVE TFI MODULE, BUT EVERY MECHANIC I SPOKE WITH SAID THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM, BUT THE NOTICE SAID THAT A BAD TFI MODULE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS MAKE THE CAR STALL WHEN IT'S GOING BAD, JUST SOMETIMES. STALLED IN RUSH HOUR ONCE. 5.) THE DRIVER SIDE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT QUIT WORKING, WHICH CAUSED THE PLASTIC GUIDE FOR THE BELT TO BREAK, AND WHEN I WENT TO FORD TO TRY TO GET THE PART, THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE IT WAS, AND SAID THAT THEY WEREN'T PLANNING TO HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE AFTER 2002 ANYWAY. OFTEN, I ABOUT GOT STRANGLED, AS DID OTHERS WHO RODE IN MY TEMPO, WHEN WE OPENED THE DOOR TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. 6.)FROM THE CAR OVERHEATING, THE FINISH ON THE HOOD IS PEELING AND CRACKING. *NLM

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY ALTERNATOR BELT SNAPPED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, AND VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

CONSUMER SLOWED DOWN TO TURN A CORNER AND VEHICLE STOPPED IN ITS TRACKS.ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. MECHANIC STATED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH STEERING. CONSUMER INDICATED TIRES WERE STUCK IN TURNING POSITION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

LOWER BALL JOINTS/LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON BOTH SIDES, AND INNER TIE ROD ASSEMBLY FAILED.

FRONT SEAT BACKS COLLAPSED DURING COLLISION, CAUSING INJURIES.

INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL AND REAR IMPACT. AFTER BEING HIT FROM THE FRONT THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S FRONT SEATBACKS GAVE OUT(COLLAPSED) AND WENT BACK INTO THE UPRIGHT POSITION AND CAUSED DRIVER TO HIT HIS FACE ON STEERING WHEEL; THE PASSENGER'S SEAT REMAINED WHERE IT WAS, PINNING THE PASSENGER'S LEGS. *AK

WHILE AT A STOP SIGN OR STOP LIGHT, VEHICLE STALLS AT TAKE OFF. PAINT IS PEELING OFF OF VEHICLE.*AK CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT THE TFI IGNITION MODULE WAS REPLACED AFTER ONE INCIDENT WHERE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START BUT DID NOT HELP THE PROBLEM, VEHICLE SURGES FOWARD AT TIMES, IT CAN MOVE FOWARD UP AN INCLINE WITHOUT PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR.*JB

WHILE IN REVERSE POSITION AND FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL VEHICLE ACCERLATED TO 60 MPH, CRASHING INTO A HOME AND BRAKING SYSTEM DID NOT WORK, CAUSING INJURIES AND DAMAGES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THIS PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 20 MPH ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, AND WAS SIDE CRASHED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM THE UPCOMING TRAFFIC. CURRENTLY, PROBLEM WAS COMING BACK. 2 TRANSMISSIONS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE. VEHICLE EXPERIENCING AN OIL LEAK. *AK *SLC

TRANSMISSION FAILED RESULTING IN SLIPPAGE.

REPLACED SEATBELT AND THEY DO THE SAME THING LOCK IN THE BUCKLE POSITION WHEN WIFE PUT IN DITCH SHE HAD TO SQUEZE TO GET OUTEVEN WHEN OPEN DOOR WOULD NOT RELEASE THE HEATER CONTROL HAS BEEN BURNT 3 TIMES AND CURRENTLY IS BURNT AGAIN THEN THE IGNITION HAS BEEN REPLACED UNDER A RECALL AND THAT DINGS NOW WHEN THE KEY ISN'T EVEN IN IT NICE RECALL I WENT TO THE DEALER ABOUT THE SEATBELTS THEY TOLD ME IT WOULD COST ABOUT 300.00 PER DOOR TO FIX MY WIFE WAS QUITE UPSET ABOUT IT WROTE FORD MOTOR A LETTER THEY NEVER ECNOLLEDGE IT. SHE WON'T EVEN LET ME REPLACE THE ENGINE IN IT CAUSE SHE SAYS SHE WILL NOT DRIVE THAT CAR THAT COULD GO UP IN FLAMES OR DOESN'T HAVE SEATBELT THAT WORK CAUSE FORD DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE SOMETHING THAT WORKS PROPER SHE FEELS THE FORD COMPANY HAS DONE NOTHING BUT ENDANGERED MANY ADULTS AND CHILDRENS LIVES WITH THESE PROBLEMS AND SAYS SOMEONE OTTA TAKE CONTROL OVER THIS MATTER SINCERELY [XXX] AND [XXX]. *AK PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

WINDOW WIPER MOTOR FAILED. MJS

LIGHT LENSES HAVE TURNED FROM CLEAR TO WHITE AND NO LONGER FOCUS THE BEAM AHEAD, LIGHT LENES ARE MADE FROM PLASTIC, SUSPECT THAT UV PROTECTION PROVIDED ON OUTSIDE SURFACE TO PROTECT PLASTIC FROM SUNLIGHT AND NOT ALSO TO THE INSIDE SURFACE TO PROTECT LIGHT FROM UV RAYS GIVEN OFF BY QUARTZ BULBS. THIS PROBLEM WAS ALSO ON AN 85 TEMPO AND SEEMS TO BE ON MANY OTHER CARS. NLM

PLASTIC HEADLIGHT LENS HAS BECOME DISCOLORED, CAUSING BRIGHTNESS OF HEADLIGHTS TO BE EXTREMELY DIM. *AK *JB

THE TREAD ON ALL FOUR TIRES SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH (KELLY METRIC RADIAL SIZE 18570R14). PLEASE PROVIDE THE DOT NUMBER. *NLM

WINDOW WIPER MOTOR FAILED. MJS

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE REAR SUSPENSION FAILED, THE PART WHICH CAME OFF OF SUSPENSION IS NEAR THE EXHAUST AND IS CAUSING RUST ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, THE PASSENGER SIDE HAS NO RUST. *JB

LOWER BALL JOINTS/LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON BOTH SIDES, AND INNER TIE ROD ASSEMBLY FAILED.

1.) ROUGH IDLE, AND OIL LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON WHEN IDLING AND ONLY GOES OFF WHEN ACCELERATING, BUT OFTEN STALLS OUT, AND DOESN'T WANT TO RE-START. (HAD OIL CHANGED TWICE TO GET EXCESS GAS OUT OF IT FROM TRYING TO START IT.) HAD TO TOW CAR THREE TIMES. PAID $1,000 TO TRY TO GET IT FIXED, BUT ON THE WAY HOME IT DID THE SAME THING. 2.) COOLING FAN QUIT WORKING AND CAR OVERHEATED AND I PAID TO HAVE THE RADIATOR REPLACED, AS PETCOCK WAS LEAKING. MECHANIC DIDN'T NOTICE THAT FAN WASN'T WORKING, SO IT OVERHEATED ON THE WAY HOME WITH A NEW RADIATOR. I FIGURED THAT OUT. ONCE THE FAN WAS REPLACED WITH A WORKING FAN, NO MORE OVERHEATING. AFTER-MARKET RADIATOR WAS BIGGER THAN THE ORIGINAL, CAUSING THE AT FLUID LINE TO GET SAWED OFF BY THE PULLEY 3 TIMES, BEFORE SOMEONE JUST PLUGGED THE LINE AND INSTALLED A SEPARATE AT FLUID "MINI RADIATOR TYPE" COOLER. 3.) TRANSMISSION DRAGS; CAR HAS JUST OVER 70,000 MILES ON IT. HAS REPEATABLE PROBLEM WHEN STARTING OUT AND SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, USUALLY JERKING FORWARD WHEN IT SHIFTS. PUTTING CAR INTO DRIVE AFTER STARTING IT USUALLY ENDS UP IN THE CAR STALLING, AND THE IDLE IS DIFFERENT WHEN IT'S IN GEAR THAN WHEN IN PARK OR NEUTRAL. 4.) I RECEIVED A NOTICE ABOUT A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT REGARDING A DEFECTIVE TFI MODULE, BUT EVERY MECHANIC I SPOKE WITH SAID THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM, BUT THE NOTICE SAID THAT A BAD TFI MODULE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS MAKE THE CAR STALL WHEN IT'S GOING BAD, JUST SOMETIMES. STALLED IN RUSH HOUR ONCE. 5.) THE DRIVER SIDE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT QUIT WORKING, WHICH CAUSED THE PLASTIC GUIDE FOR THE BELT TO BREAK, AND WHEN I WENT TO FORD TO TRY TO GET THE PART, THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE IT WAS, AND SAID THAT THEY WEREN'T PLANNING TO HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE AFTER 2002 ANYWAY. OFTEN, I ABOUT GOT STRANGLED, AS DID OTHERS WHO RODE IN MY TEMPO, WHEN WE OPENED THE DOOR TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. 6.)FROM THE CAR OVERHEATING, THE FINISH ON THE HOOD IS PEELING AND CRACKING. *NLM

THE ELECTRIC LOCK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT WORK. THE DRIVER'S DOOR CAN ONLY BE OPENED FROM THE PASSENGER'S SIDE

THE CAR STALLS CONSTANTLY - WHEN YOUR AT A STOP THE CAR WILL STALL OR FALTER

CONSUMER WAS IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY, DRIVER WAS INJURED . PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

1.) ROUGH IDLE, AND OIL LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY COMES ON WHEN IDLING AND ONLY GOES OFF WHEN ACCELERATING, BUT OFTEN STALLS OUT, AND DOESN'T WANT TO RE-START. (HAD OIL CHANGED TWICE TO GET EXCESS GAS OUT OF IT FROM TRYING TO START IT.) HAD TO TOW CAR THREE TIMES. PAID $1,000 TO TRY TO GET IT FIXED, BUT ON THE WAY HOME IT DID THE SAME THING. 2.) COOLING FAN QUIT WORKING AND CAR OVERHEATED AND I PAID TO HAVE THE RADIATOR REPLACED, AS PETCOCK WAS LEAKING. MECHANIC DIDN'T NOTICE THAT FAN WASN'T WORKING, SO IT OVERHEATED ON THE WAY HOME WITH A NEW RADIATOR. I FIGURED THAT OUT. ONCE THE FAN WAS REPLACED WITH A WORKING FAN, NO MORE OVERHEATING. AFTER-MARKET RADIATOR WAS BIGGER THAN THE ORIGINAL, CAUSING THE AT FLUID LINE TO GET SAWED OFF BY THE PULLEY 3 TIMES, BEFORE SOMEONE JUST PLUGGED THE LINE AND INSTALLED A SEPARATE AT FLUID "MINI RADIATOR TYPE" COOLER. 3.) TRANSMISSION DRAGS; CAR HAS JUST OVER 70,000 MILES ON IT. HAS REPEATABLE PROBLEM WHEN STARTING OUT AND SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR, USUALLY JERKING FORWARD WHEN IT SHIFTS. PUTTING CAR INTO DRIVE AFTER STARTING IT USUALLY ENDS UP IN THE CAR STALLING, AND THE IDLE IS DIFFERENT WHEN IT'S IN GEAR THAN WHEN IN PARK OR NEUTRAL. 4.) I RECEIVED A NOTICE ABOUT A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT REGARDING A DEFECTIVE TFI MODULE, BUT EVERY MECHANIC I SPOKE WITH SAID THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM, BUT THE NOTICE SAID THAT A BAD TFI MODULE WOULDN'T NECESSARILY ALWAYS MAKE THE CAR STALL WHEN IT'S GOING BAD, JUST SOMETIMES. STALLED IN RUSH HOUR ONCE. 5.) THE DRIVER SIDE AUTOMATIC SEATBELT QUIT WORKING, WHICH CAUSED THE PLASTIC GUIDE FOR THE BELT TO BREAK, AND WHEN I WENT TO FORD TO TRY TO GET THE PART, THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHICH ONE IT WAS, AND SAID THAT THEY WEREN'T PLANNING TO HAVE THE PARTS AVAILABLE AFTER 2002 ANYWAY. OFTEN, I ABOUT GOT STRANGLED, AS DID OTHERS WHO RODE IN MY TEMPO, WHEN WE OPENED THE DOOR TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. 6.)FROM THE CAR OVERHEATING, THE FINISH ON THE HOOD IS PEELING AND CRACKING. *NLM