RoadVitals

1991 Ford Tempo Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints 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.
31
Latest Oct 23, 2007
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
28%
of 110 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1991 Ford Tempo submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 31 reports on file name it.

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

Owner reports naming engine

The 25 most recent of 31, in the owner's own words

Engine
Filed Oct 23, 2007

1991 FORD TEMPO STARTED SMOKING AND THEN DEBRIS FLEW OFF AND HIT THE VEHICLE BEHIND HER. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE STALLED AS SHE ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER EXITED THE VEHICLE AND LOOKED UNDER IT AND DISCOVERED OIL WAS LEAKING AND PIECE OF FROM THE VEHICLE WAS MISSING. (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT)*JB

NHTSA ID
10207171
Incident
Sep 21, 2007
Engine
Filed Mar 4, 2002

MY CAR HAS A STALLING PROBLEM. SOMETIMES IT JUST DIES WHEN YOU STOP AT A STOP SIGN AND SOMETIMES IT TRY'S TO DIE WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING IT AND I HEARD A RECALL ON THE YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL OF MY CAR ON THE NEWS BUT I DIDN'T GET A LETTER TELLING ME OR SOMETHING THAT I COULD TAKE TO THE DEALER SO I CAN GET IT FIXED. BECAUSE IF I DON'T I'M GOING TO BE IN AN ACCADIENT IF I DON'T AND I HAD LIKE TO GET THE RECALL FIXED BECAUSE I HAVE A 7 MONTH OLD BABY AND DON'T WANT TO BE IN AN ACCADIENT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.*AK

NHTSA ID
758920
Engine
Filed Oct 1, 2001

CONSUMER STATES THAT SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE, IT STARTED EXPERIENCING STALLING MOSTLY AFTER COMING TO A STOP, CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO SEVERAL FORD DEALERS WHO CAN NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM AND HAS SPENT A LOT OF MONEY, THE STALLING HAS ALMOST CAUSED A COLLISION, VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 89767 MILES. *SLC

NHTSA ID
563538
Engine
Filed Sep 20, 2001

WHEN TRAVELING AT 50MPH AND COMING UP TO A STOP LIGHT/SIGN, VEHICLE WOULD STALL FOR NO REASON. HAD TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES FOR PROBLEM. EACH TIME A TEMPORARY FIX, AND THEN IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN. MECHANIC HAD TEST DRIVEN VEHICLE AND IT STALLED.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
896617
Incident
Sep 13, 2001
Engine
Filed Jul 31, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ON TURNPIKE, CONSUMERS MUFFLER/RESONATOR FELL OFF CAUSING DAMAGE TO LEFT REAR BUMPER, ALSO CAUSED DAMAGE TO ANOTHER VEHICLE.(OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT#10-90-340)*JB

NHTSA ID
562270
Incident
Jun 15, 2001
Engine
Filed Feb 26, 2001

VEHICLE WOULD STOP WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. *AK

NHTSA ID
881480
Incident
Jan 1, 2001
Engine
Filed Feb 26, 2001

WHEN DRVING AT ANY TIME AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE CUTS OFF IN MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, CAUSING LOSS OF ALL POWER. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
881445
Engine
Filed Feb 16, 2001

I HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH AS MANY AS 15 RED LIGHTS, AND I HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH THESE LIGHTS AT A RATE OF 5 TIMES A WEEK. SEVERAL OF THESE RED LIGHTS ARE LOCATED IN HIGH TRAFFIC AREAS. MY CAR HAS STALLED/DIED DURING IDLING OVER 50 TIMES AND COUNTING. USUALLY WHEN IT IS WARM WEATHER AND THE CAR IS IDLING AND HEATED UP TO A NORMAL TEMPERATURE. ITS RANDOM BASED, IN THE SUMMER COULD BE 10-20 STOPS BEFORE IT STALLS AND DIES, USUALLY WHEN I START TO ACCELERATE WHEN THE LIGHT TURNS GREEN. I REPLACED ALL THE ELECTRICAL EQUIPTMENT AND EGR PARTS, AND THE PROBLEM STILL OCCURED. DIAGNOSTIC EQUIPTMENT SHOWS NO PROBLEMS. I DID NOT LEARN ABOUT THIS HIDDEN DEFECT UNTIL THE NEWS MEDIA ANNOUNCED MAJOR LAWSUITS AGAINST FORD FOR THIS HIDDEN PROBLEM, WHICH MATCHES MY SYMPTOMS EXACTLY. IT IS A SHAME THAT FORD KNEW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND DID NOT PUT OUT ANY SERVICE ADVISORIES, AND IN FACT, DISCLAIMED THIS PROBLEM! I INVITED THE FORD PEOPLE TO COME RIDE IN THE CAR SINCE THEY CLAIM THE CAR IS SAFE. IT IS NOT FUN AND SAFE FOR AN 18-WHEELER TO HAVE TO STOP AT A GREEN-LIGHT WHEN I AM STALLED AND TRYING TO START MY FORD TEMPO!!!*AK

NHTSA ID
741043
Engine
Filed Nov 29, 2000

WHILE DRIVING, VEHICLE STALLED 7 DIFFERENT TIMES BEFORE THE CONSUMER GOT IT HOME. *SLC

NHTSA ID
557670
Engine
Filed Sep 13, 2000

VEHICLE STALLED WHEN MAKING LEFT TURNS AFTER IT HAS BEEN WARMED UP. OR IF IT WAS SHOT. CONSUMER MUST WAIT TO COOL DOWN VEHICLE IN ORDER TO RESTART. IF CONSUMER DID NOT WAIT LONG ENOUGH IT WILL STALL OUT AGAIN. CONSUMER HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO FORD, BUT DEALER COULD NOT DETERMINE CAUSE. DEFECT HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR 2-3 YEARS. *AK

NHTSA ID
870378
Engine
Filed Mar 6, 2000
Fire reported

DROVE VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THEN PARKED IN A PARKING GARAGE. CAME BACK, AND VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. *AK

NHTSA ID
858005
Incident
Feb 4, 2000
Engine
Filed Aug 17, 1999

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE STALLS OUT AND DIES. THE DEALER HAS TRIED TO REPAIR VEHICLE PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
845185
Engine
Filed Oct 16, 1998

VEHICLE STALLED.

NHTSA ID
533915
Engine
Filed Jul 8, 1998

VEHICLE TENDS TO STALL AT INTERSECTIONS AND WHEN BACKING UP. NO CAUSE CAN BE FOUND FOR PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID
537826
Engine
Filed Feb 24, 1998

VEHICLE STALLS CONTINUOUSLY IN TRAFFIC RESULTING IN ACCIDENTS.

NHTSA ID
531135
Incident
Jan 3, 1995
Engine
Filed Jan 30, 1998

VEHICLE STALLS AT MOST ANY SPEED FROM IDLE AT TRAFFIC LIGHTS TO HIGH SPEED CRUISE ON FREEWAYS WHEN THE TEMPERATURE IS HOT OUTSIDE. DEALER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
523354
Incident
Jan 1, 1991
Engine
Filed Nov 14, 1997

VEHICLE CONTINUOUSLY STALLS, REPAIRS ON VEHICLE, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS.

NHTSA ID
524760
Incident
Dec 5, 1995
ElectricalEngine
Filed Oct 16, 1997

ENGINE CONTINUALLY STALLING.

NHTSA ID
523835
Engine
Filed Oct 7, 1997

ENGINE CONTINUOUSLY STALLS .

NHTSA ID
524947
Engine
Filed Oct 6, 1997

VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO STALLING AFTER REPAIRS/REPLACEMENTS WITHIN TWO WEEKS OR LESS. CORRECTIVE ACTION IS UNCLEAR FROM DEALER. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
816897
Engine
Filed Aug 8, 1997

ENGINE: WHEN DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE OR STOP THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLS. ALSO WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE IT STALLS AND MAKES A VIBRATING NOISE. *AK

NHTSA ID
814100
Incident
Jul 4, 1997
Engine
Filed May 20, 1997

MUFFLER RUSTED ON INSIDE, PIECES OF RUSTED MUFFLER DEBRIS STOPPED THE EXHAUST FLOW AND CAUSED BACK PRESSURE AGAINST THE PFE SENSOR AND ENGINE, RESULTING IN THE ENGINE STALLING.

NHTSA ID
517019
Incident
Feb 3, 1995
EngineSeat beltsVisibility
Filed Oct 18, 1996

SEAT BELT FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ID
510224
Incident
Sep 1, 1996
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Oct 17, 1996

WHEN TAKING CAR OUT OF PARK TO DRIVE THE CAR STALLS , HAVING OTHER PROBLEMS.*AK ALSO REPLACED FUEL PUMP 4 TIMES ALSO HAS NEEDE MULTIPL GAKETS REPAIRS.*JB

NHTSA ID
803674
Engine
Filed Oct 9, 1996

CLAMPS HOLDING MUFFLER IN PLACE BREAK AT NORMAL/HIGH SPEEDS.

NHTSA ID
509634
Incident
Oct 4, 1996

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .