1992 Ford TEMPO: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
95 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
101,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1992 model year. Data snapshot: . 6 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 12 of 95 complaints (12.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Steering behavior | 12 | 12.6% |
| Engine operation | 9 | 9.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 8 | 8.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 6 | 6.3% |
| Fuel system concerns | 4 | 4.2% |
| Braking behavior | 3 | 3.2% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 12 |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 11 |
| Seat Belts | 10 |
| Electrical System:Ignition:Switch | 8 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 8 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 5 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 5 |
| Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage | 4 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 12; Electrical System:Ignition: 11; Seat Belts: 10; Electrical System:Ignition:Switch: 8; Vehicle Speed Control: 8; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 5; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 5; Seat Belts:Front:Anchorage: 4
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 0 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 0; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 1
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (3). 89 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 23 |
| 1996 | 32 |
| 2000 | 19 |
| 2001 | 6 |
| 2002 | 6 |
| 2003 | 1 |
| 2004 | 3 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
1995: 23; 1996: 32; 2000: 19; 2001: 6; 2002: 6; 2003: 1; 2004: 3; 2005: 2; 2006: 1; 2008: 1; 2010: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 12 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 9 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 8 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10010415 · 2003-03-13 (March 13, 2003)
WHILE DRIVING MY CAR FROM BURDINES HIALEAH PARKING LOT, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED SMOKING AND I PULLED INTO THE FIRST PARKING SPOT THAT I SAW. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, BUT THE SMOKE CONTINUED TO INCREASE AND FINALLY THE STEERING WHEEL CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE SECURITY GUARD IN THE PARKING LOT USED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO KILL THE FIRE AND THE HIALEAH FIRE DEPART. WAS ALSO CALLED AND CAME IN. WHEN I CALLED MY MECHANIC REGARDING THIS ISSUE, HE TOLD ME IT WAS WEIRD, BECAUSE HE NEVER HEARD OF A STEERING WHEEL CATCHING FIRE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED AT THE M…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10010415 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10056854 · 2004-02-09 (February 9, 2004)
FRONT SEAT BELT AUTOMATIC RETRACTOR INOPERABLE.........VEHICLE NO LONGER HAS A THREE POINT RESTRAINT CAPABILITY.........UNSAFE!!!! THIS IS THE THIRD FAILURE FOR THE FRONT AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM ON THREE DIFFERENT VEHICLES. I'M THE "DUTY" MECHANIC FOR OUR FAMILY AND HAVE BECOME QUITE ADEPT AT FIXING THESE RESTRAINTS. I'VE REPLACED THE NYLON "FEED BELT" IN THE AUTOMATIC RETRACTORS.........THIS IS THE "FAILING" PART. IN MY OBSERVATION, THIS IS A DESIGN FAILURE BY FORD. SPECIFICALLY, THE NYLON "FEED/DRIVE" BELT FAILS BECAU…
Owner-reported narrative. 102,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10056854 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10071044 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
THE HORN QUIT WORKING, THE COOLING FAN HAS QUIT TWICE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED , NOW THE FAN PROBLEN IS IN THE WIRING , HAVENT FIXED IT YET, THE FUEL PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, THE RIGH HEADLIGHT HS BEEN REPLACED 7 TIMES IN 3 YEARS, THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT NO LONGER WORKS , THE TRANSMISSION LEAKS AT THE DRIVERS SIDE CV AXLE AND THE DRIVERS SIDE CV ASLE HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED 3 TIMES IN THE LAST 3 YEARS , THE MAX FUEL ECONOMY IS 16 MPG (HIGHWAY), THE ENGINE IDLES UP AND DOWN AT STOP SIGNS , THE IGNITION SWITCH ON THE STEERING WHEEL HAS CAME U…
Owner-reported narrative. 170,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10071044 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10071300 · 2004-01-15 (January 15, 2004)
PEELING AND FADING PAINT
Owner-reported narrative. 100,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10071300 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10122321 · 2005-05-27 (May 27, 2005)
ALL GASKETS & SEALS LEAK. NEEDS ABOUT A QUART OF OIL PER 15 MILES. BECAUSE OF OIL DRIPPING, CAR CATCHES ON FIRE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT PROBLEM, TOO EXPENSIVE!
Owner-reported narrative. 89,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10122321 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10125192 · 2005-06-13 (June 13, 2005)
WHILE DRIVING EASTBOUND ON ROUTE 20 NEAR OBERLIN, OHIO I HIT A POTHOLE WHICH WAS LARGE ENOUGH TO MAKE MY CAR SWERVE. THE POTHOLE WAS UNAVOIDABLE BECAUSE A CAR WAS DRIVING PAST ME IN THE OTHER LANE AND AT THAT POINT. NO MATTER HOW FAR I WOULD HAVE GONE TO THE RIGHT (NEAR THE WHITE LINE) TO AVOID IT, I WOULD HAVE STILL HIT IT. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONE BEHIND THE VEHICLE PASSING ME WHEN I HIT THE POTHOLE OR ELSE I WOULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. WHEN I GOT HOME I NOTICED SOME DIFFERENCE IN THE WAY THE CAR WAS DRIVING BUT PAYED NOT ATTENTI…
Owner-reported narrative. 104,650 miles reported. Look up ODI 10125192 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10154136 · 2006-03-27 (March 27, 2006)
1992 TEMPO RIGHT CALIPER, BATTERY CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE MOTOR NEEDED A COVER. SPRINGS AND STRUTS ALSO NEEDED REPLACING. *TS *JB
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10154136 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10241634 · 2008-09-09 (September 9, 2008)
CAR FIRE---CAR WAS PARKED IN MY MOTHER'S CARPORT---CAUGHT ON FIRE AT NIGHT---BURNED THE HOUSE---KILLED MY MOTHER... *TR
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10241634 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
2 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
96V071000 · Electrical System:Ignition
Reported: 1996-04-25 (April 25, 1996)
THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.
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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗97V019000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:Fan
Reported: 1997-02-25 (February 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: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗