30 of the 174 complaints about the 1990 Ford Tempo are about the seat belts — 17% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 40,527 miles.
30
Complaints
5
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT MALFUNCTIONED. DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR SEAT BELT WITHOUT PAYMENT.
NHTSA complaint #10090314 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
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
NHTSA complaint #10010168 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
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).
NHTSA complaint #755056 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON 9-29-01. A CAR PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME AND I HIT THE FRONT OF MY CAR INTO THE LEFT FRONT (PASSANGERS) CORNER PANEL. THE CAR WOULD HAVE BEEN TOTALED HAD I HAD FULL COVERAGE. THE SEATBELT IS AN AUTOMATIC SEATBELT, SO WHEN THE KEY IS TURNED ON, THE SEAT BELT AUTOMATICALLY COMES BACK ON THE DOOR. WELL, THAT DAY IN THE ACCIDENT, THE SEATBELT NEVER LOCKED, THE TOP DIDNT, THE AUTOMATIC PART. WHAT SAVED ME FROM HITTING THE WINDSHEILD WAS THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE LAP BELT. I KNOW HAVE LUMPS IN MY BREAST THAT WONT GO AWAY FROM BOUNCING OFF THE STEERING WHEEL. I DONT HAVE A JOB AND THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO ABOUT IT. I STILL AND WILL AWALYS HAVE PROBLEMS WITH MY UPPER BACK, CHEST AND NECK FROM BOUNCING OFF THE STEERING WHEEL. AND YES, I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL RIGHT AFTER THE ACCIDENT IN AN AMBULENCE ON A STRETCHER. I CONTACTED FORD THROUGH THEIR WEB SITE TO SEE IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE SEATBELTS AND THEY SAID THEYC OULNT COME UP WITH ANYTHING CAUSE OF THE YEAR OF THE CAR. AS FOR THE MILEAGE ON THE CAR, I AM UNSURE, I KNOW IT HAD HIGH MILEAGE. ABOUT SIX MONTHS AFTER THE ACCIDENT OR LESS THAN THAT, I HAD TO SELL THE CAR, I COULDNT AFFORD TO KEEP IT IN STORAGE AND I WASNT ALLOWED TO HAVE IT LIKE IT WAS AT MY APARTMENT. THANK YOU.
NHTSA complaint #754402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
ARE MY DEFECTIVE SEATBELTS (DRIVER'S SIDE CLASP DOES NOT WORK) COVERED AND WHERE DO I GET THEM REPLACED?
NHTSA complaint #733650 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
CONSUMER HAD BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH SEAT BELT RETRACTOR. WHEN OPENING THE DOOR RETRACTOR WON'T MOVE.
NHTSA complaint #865373 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
SHOULDER BELT ON DRIVER'S SEAT DOESN'T WORK. WHEN CONSUMER TRIES USING THE SHOULDER BELT ALL THAT HE HEARS IS THE MOTOR RUNNING. THE CONSUMER THINKS THE SEATS ARE OFF TRACK. ALSO, PASSENGER'S SIDE SHOULDER BELT IS STUCK IN THE FRONT, AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE IS STUCK IN THE BACK.
NHTSA complaint #832789 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
SHOULDER MOTOR SEATBELT GETS STUCK. NEEDS TO PULL THE SHOULDER BELT IN ORDER TO WORK. DEALER REPLACED THE SHOULDERBELT 2 TIMES. CAUSE UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #830842 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
DRIVERS LAP BELT BUCKLE FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #535320 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER HARNESS WORKS INTERMITTENTLY WHEN OPENING THE DOOR. OWNER BELIEVES THAT THE MOTOR FAILS TO OPERATE.
NHTSA complaint #536414 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
CENTER REAR LAP BELT PULLED COMPLETELY OUT FROM THE ANCHOR POINT.
NHTSA complaint #523750 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT; THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT WHEN CLOSING THE DOOR OR TURNING ON THE IGNTION.
NHTSA complaint #819170 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE DRIVER'S SIDE MOTORBELT/SHOULDER STRAP DOES NOT SLIDE FORWARD ON ITS OWN.
NHTSA complaint #515696 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
POWER SEAT BELT ON DRIVER SIDE IS INOPERATIVE.
NHTSA complaint #602480 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE FRONT AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS ARE NOT WORKING. HAVE TO MANUALLY PULL THE SEAT BELTS OVER THE BODY BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT RETRACT.
NHTSA complaint #804402 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOES NOT OPERATE. *AK
NHTSA complaint #804761 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
POOR AUTOMATIC SEAT AND SHOULDER BELT PERFORMANCE. THE SEAT BELT SYSTEM DID NOT HOLD THE DRIVER IN PLACE UPON A FRONTAL IMPACT ACCIDENT.
NHTSA complaint #804326 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT MAKES A HORRIBLE NOISE WENT IT RETRACTS.
NHTSA complaint #802393 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
PASSENGER MOTORBELT MAKES GRINDING NOISE/RESPONDS TO DRIVERS DOOR.
NHTSA complaint #507557 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
PASSENGER'S AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT INOPERATIVE.
NHTSA complaint #506335 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE
SEAT BELT REPAIRS NOT PERFORMED DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PARTS.
NHTSA complaint #505205 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
THE REAR MIDDLE SEAT BELT DISLODGED FROM THE ANCHORS AND CAME OUT OF THE CAR.PLEASE DESCRIBE.
NHTSA complaint #985794 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RESTRAINT FAILED. *AK
NHTSA complaint #985741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RESTRAINT FAILED. *AK
NHTSA complaint #985741 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
PASSIVE RESTRAINT DOESN'T ENGAGE AUTOMATICALLY REMAINING IN LOCKED POSITION. FORD HAS REMEDY WHICH ALLOWS THEM TO BYPASS SYSTEM. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.
NHTSA complaint #980677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRAIN DRIVER WHEN VEHICLE HIT ROAD GUARD RAIL.
NHTSA complaint #979662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRAIN DRIVER WHEN VEHICLE HIT ROAD GUARD RAIL.
NHTSA complaint #979662 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY
UPON IMPACT, DURING REAR END COLLISION WHILE STOPPED, REAR LAP BELT BUCKLE DISENGAGED, ALSO FRONT PASSENGER LAP BELT STICKS WHEN PRESS RELEASE BUTTON. TT
NHTSA complaint #965671 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WORKS ON OCCASION, BROKE MOTOR MOUNTS, TIE RODS, ETC. TT
NHTSA complaint #961458 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SEAT BELTS
AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS FAILED IN AN ACCIDENT. TT
NHTSA complaint #959420 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.