FaultScore

Ford Tempo headlight problems

44 of the 1,649 complaints filed about the Ford Tempo are about the lighting — 3% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1989.

44

Complaints

3%

Share of all complaints

0

Crashes

3

Fires

Lights complaints by model year

1986 Tempo 1 2.3%
1987 Tempo 1 2.3%
1988 Tempo 9 20.5%
1989 Tempo 16 36.4%
1990 Tempo 6 13.6%
1991 Tempo 1 2.3%
1992 Tempo 6 13.6%

Median failure at 170,000 miles

1993 Tempo 3 6.8%
1994 Tempo 1 2.3%

What owners said

1992 Ford Tempo at 170,000 miles Winnsboro, LA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

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 UNPLUGGED WHILE DRIVING TWICE , THE A/C HAS QUIT WORKING , THE CLEAR COAT HAS JUST ABOUT ALL PEELED OFF , THE REAR BRAKES HAVE TO BE ADJUSTED MANUALLY ABOUT ONCE EVERY 2 MONTHS , THE ALTERNATOR SQUEELS , THE RACK-N-PINION STEERING SEAL BURSTED SO THE POWER STEERING NO LONGER WORKS , .

NHTSA complaint #10071044 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Ford Tempo Deltona, FL

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:CONCEALMENT DEVICES

HEAD COVERS ATTACHMENT ON THE HEADLIGHTS CAUSE LESS VISIBILITY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. INTERMITTENTLY THE LIGHT WILL APPEAR TO BE NORMAL. FAILURE IS UNDETERMINED AT THIS TIME.

NHTSA complaint #10034424 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Ford Tempo Chatsworth, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

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

NHTSA complaint #759910 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Ford Tempo Dayton, OH

INTERIOR LIGHTING

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE HITS A BUMP DOOR AJAR LIGHT ILLUMINATES, AND DOOR UNLOCKS. SOMETIMES DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR WILL SHUT, AND SOMETIMES IT WON'T. ALSO, SOMETIMES LATCH IS STUCK FROM INSIDE,. DRIVER FEELS TRAPPED AND UNSAFE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #8003775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Ford Tempo LA Mirada, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

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

NHTSA complaint #8001286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Ford Tempo LA Mirada, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS

WHILE AT A STOP SIGN ANOTHER DRIVER PULLED ALONG SIDE OF CONSUMER AND STATED THAT BRAKE LIGHTS WERE OUT. CONSUMER PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL, AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #6900627 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Ford Tempo Paden City, WV

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

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

NHTSA complaint #896862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Ford Tempo Marietta, OH

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH

THE FRONT HEADLIGHTS BARELY PROVIDE ENOUGH LIGHT TO DRIVE AT NIGHT. THE GLASS IS VERY FOGGY AND MOISTURE SEEMS TO COLLECT IN THEM. I HAVE HAD THE BULBS REPLACED BUT THIS DOES NOT HELP TO LIGHT THE ROADWAYS. CAN FORD FIX THIS PROBLEM? THANK YOU.

NHTSA complaint #733651 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1986 Ford Tempo West Springfield, MA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

HEADLIGHTS ARE MALFUNCTIONING. DEALER SAYS THAT IT'S THE LENS. BUT THEY ARE OUT OF STOCK, AND HAVE NO IDEA WHEN THEY'LL BE IN. OWNER CANNOT PASS THE STATE SAFETY INSPECTION WITHOUT IT. *AK

NHTSA complaint #857487 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Ford Tempo West Covina, CA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

HEAD LAMPS FOG OVER WITH AGE. REDUCES AMOUNT OF LIGHT SERIOUSLY IMPARING NIGHT TIME VISIBLITY. I HAVE OBSERVED THIS PROBLEM ON MANY OF THE SAME AGE AND MODEL VEHICLES.

NHTSA complaint #715141 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Ford Tempo Dexter, MO

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:CONCEALMENT DEVICES

CONSUMER STATES THE PLASTIC COVER AROUND THE HEADLIGHTS IS CORRODED AND IT WILL NOT LET LIGHT SHINE THROUGH AND THE CONSUMER FEELS ITS VERY UNSAFE

NHTSA complaint #851544 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Ford Tempo Albrightsville, PA

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

THE HAEDLIGHT BULBS ARE MADE OUT OF A PLASTIC MATERIAL. OVER A PERIOD OF TIME THE MATERIAL WEARS OUT, CAUSING LITTLE LIGHT TO SHINE FROM THE HEADLIGHT, RESULTING IN LIMITED VISIBILITY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #850211 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Ford Tempo Tarrytown, NY

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

HEADLAMP LENS SURFACE WEATHERED/CORRODED, CAUSING POOR LIGHTING AND INSPECTION FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #710436 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Ford Tempo Hawley, PA

INTERIOR LIGHTING

DASHBOARD LIGHTS FAIL TO WORK DUE TO POSSIBLE SWITCH FAILURE. MJS

NHTSA complaint #546423 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Ford Tempo Miami, OK

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

PLASTIC COVER OF HEADLIGHT WILL NOT STAY CLEAR AFTER 5-6 YRS, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY .

NHTSA complaint #843565 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Ford Tempo Valparaiso, IN

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

THE PLASTIC HEADLIGHTS HAVE BECOME CLOUDED CUTTING DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY ON THE AMOUNT OF LIGHT THAT PASSES THROUGH. HAVE NOTICED THIS ON A LOT OF CARS. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO SEALED BEAM HEADLIGHTS? AREN'T THERE HEADLIGHT LENS TRANSPARENCY STANDARDS?

NHTSA complaint #707880 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1991 Ford Tempo Kinston, NC

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

HEADLIGHTS VERY DIM BECAUSE COVERS FADED BADLY. HAVE TALKED TO LOCAL DEALER AND SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT IS COMMON ON THIS MODEL TEMPO AS WELL AS MUSTANGS AND OTHER FORD VEHICLES. VERY DANGEROUS VISIBILITY LEVELS AT NIGHT. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER HAVE HAD NUMEROUS ALMOST ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THE POOR LIGHTING, ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE HALOGEN BULBS, THE ARE INEFFECTIVE.

NHTSA complaint #706460 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Ford Tempo ST. Louis, MO

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

HEADLIGHTS ARE SO DIM, CAN NOT SEE AT NIGHT WITH THEM ON. SAME PROBLEM WITH OTHER TEMPOS.

NHTSA complaint #704155 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Ford Tempo Miamisburg, OH

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

VEHICLE HAS MULTIPLE DRIVING LIGHTS WHICH ON ONCOMING TRAFFIC ARE A DISTRACTION.

NHTSA complaint #781111 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Ford Tempo Wellsville, NY

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS

HEAD LIGHT COVERS ARE PLASTIC AND CAN'T BE CLEANED DUE TO DESIGN BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT GLASS.

NHTSA complaint #541147 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Ford Tempo problems