What breaks most · 1990 to 2000 model years
Ford Tempo problems by year
Owners have filed 817 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Ford Tempo across model years 1990 to 2000. Three years stand out: 1993 for seat belts complaints, 1992 for engine and cooling complaints and 1994 for engine and cooling complaints. The quietest years are 1998, 1996 and 1997.
- Years to check closely: 1993, 1992, 1994
- Fewest complaints: 1998, 1996, 1997
- Complaints on file
- 8171990 to 2000, all trims
- Worst year
- 1993227 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 7665 fires · 77 injuries · 3 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 89kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 8Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 133 | 16 | 2 | Electrical system (46) | |
| 110 | 11 | 1 | Engine and cooling (31) | |
| 176 | 11 | 2 | Engine and cooling (45) | |
| 227 | 17 | 2 | Seat belts (61) | |
| 161 | 20 | 1 | Engine and cooling (45) | |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | Tires (1) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Powertrain and transmission (2) | |
| 2 | 0 | 0 | Seats (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Visibility (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Engine and cooling (1) |
What fails on the 1993 Ford Tempo
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 27% |
61 | 5 | Check recalls for seat belts on NHTSA.gov |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 27% |
61 | 1 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 1993 Ford Tempo |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 16% |
37 | 1 | Shop electrical system parts for the 1993 Ford Tempo |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 9% |
21 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 9% |
20 | 2 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 1993 Ford Tempo |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 5% |
11 | 2 | Shop all speed control and throttle parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Fuel systemFuel pumps and injectors | 4% |
10 | 1 | Shop fuel system parts for the 1993 Ford Tempo |
| Tires | 4% |
8 | 0 | — |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
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I have a 1993 FORD tempo, the crankshaft pulley stoped spinning.i found a recall on the internet for my car,and the same problem.i contacted FORD motor co. And they told me that my car came from a different location so the recall does not pertain to me.apparently there is a problem with the car.
-
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!
-
I have had multiple problems with the vehicle stalling. At a stop, the vehicle's idle speed varies and starts to shake and will stall if i don't put the car in neutral. Sometimes it has stalled even after putting it in neutral. I have recently had a tune-up and my gas filter replaced, with no results. *la
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 6, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Ford Tempo years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 1993, 1992, 1994 carry the most filings on the Ford Tempo. The 1993 alone has 227 complaints, led by seat belts.
What is the most common Ford Tempo problem?
On the 1993 model year, the most-reported component is seat belts with 61 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Ford Tempo problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Ford Tempo complaints that include mileage is about 89,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.