FaultScore

Ford Tempo steering problems

66 of the 1,649 complaints filed about the Ford Tempo are about the steering — 4% of everything owners reported. The worst model year for it is 1990.

66

Complaints

4%

Share of all complaints

7

Crashes

2

Fires

Steering complaints by model year

1981 Tempo 1 1.5%
1985 Tempo 4 6.1%
1986 Tempo 2 3.0%
1987 Tempo 6 9.1%
1988 Tempo 3 4.5%
1989 Tempo 8 12.1%
1990 Tempo 13 19.7%
1991 Tempo 4 6.1%
1992 Tempo 12 18.2%

Median failure at 170,000 miles

1993 Tempo 7 10.6%
1994 Tempo 6 9.1%

What owners said

1992 Ford Tempo at 170,000 miles Winnsboro, LA

STEERING

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.

1991 Ford Tempo Claymoont, DE

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION STEERING WHEEL BROKE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #8012167 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1992 Ford Tempo Scranton, PA Crash 1 injured

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. TRIED TO STEER VEHICLE BACK. STEERING WHEEL SPUN AROUND. DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE,GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT,CAUSING INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint #8011123 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Ford Tempo Edwardsville, PA

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

CONSUMER SLOWED DOWN TO TURN A CORNER AND VEHICLE STOPPED IN ITS TRACKS.ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. MECHANIC STATED THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH STEERING. CONSUMER INDICATED TIRES WERE STUCK IN TURNING POSITION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.

NHTSA complaint #8010570 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1985 Ford Tempo Clinton, OH

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

CAR STALLS WHEN STEERING WHEEL TURNED SHARPLY.

NHTSA complaint #754839 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1988 Ford Tempo Granada HI, CA

STEERING:RACK AND PINION

RACK AND PINION FAILED. NLM

NHTSA complaint #559307 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1987 Ford Tempo Yakima, WA

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

WHILE DRIVING INTO A DRIVEWAY TIE ROD: INNER BROKE OUT OF GEAR BOX, CAUSING A LOSS OF STEERING. FORD HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET.

NHTSA complaint #871166 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Ford Tempo Colorado Springs, CO Crash

STEERING:LINKAGES

FRONT RIGHT TIE ROD SNAPPED IN TWO PIECES. CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING. RIGHT TIRE WAS UNCONTROLLABLE. CAUSING VEHICLE TO SWERVE SHARPLY INTO CURB. POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY BUT WAS ON A "GET ON" RAMP TO FREEWAY. SO WAS VERY LUCKY BECAUSE NO UNCOMING TRAFFIC AND NO PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC. VEHICLE WAS NEVER INVOLVED IN ANY PREVIOUS ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #722961 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Ford Tempo Stockton, CA

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

ENGINE STALLS AT STOPS AND CUTS OFF WHILE CAR IS IN MOTION WHICH CAUSES STEERING COLUMN TO LOCK, MAKING CAR UNCONTROLLABLE. THE LAST TIME I WENT ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC LANE. (THANK GOD NO CARS WERE COMING TOWARD ME!!) THIS IS A LIFE-THREATENING PROBLEM BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW WHEN THE CAR IS GOING TO CUT OFF. WHAT IS WRONG?? IS THIS ONE OF THE PROBLEMS BEING ADDRESSED IN THE CLASS-ACTION SUIT FOR TEMPO'S? IN ADDITION, THE BRAKE LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON WHILE DRIVING, BUT GOES OFF WHEN I BRAKE??

NHTSA complaint #722944 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Ford Tempo Baltimore, MD

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

WHEN TRAVELING AND UPON MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN, STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP,CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT, RESULTING IN A NEAR CRASH. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO REPLACE PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.

NHTSA complaint #855730 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1989 Ford Tempo Staten ISL, NY

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

FRONT END TIE ROD FAILED CAUSING CONSUMER TO LOOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. NLM

NHTSA complaint #605585 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1992 Ford Tempo Huntington, WV

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

THE TIE-ROD(OUTER) HAS BEEN REPLACED (PASSENGER SIDE) TWICE WITHIN A YEAR SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND DURING TIRE REPLACEMENT ON THE FIRST TIME, AND DURING A BRAKE REPLACEMENT ON THE SECOND. THERE IS A VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING FROM A HIGH SPEED (45MPH OR GREATER). EACH TIME THE TIE-ROD IS REPLACED, THE VIBRATION GOES AWAY FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, THEN RETURNS GRADUALLY UNTIL THE VIBRATION IS DOMINATE DURING BRAKING. USUALLY AFTER ABOUT 3500 MILES SINCE REPLACEMENT OF TIE-ROD.

NHTSA complaint #708510 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1993 Ford Tempo Arlington, TX

STEERING:COLUMN

WHILE DRIVING TILT STEERING COLUMN BROKE, CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO FALL DOWN. THE VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED BY DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA complaint #839118 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1987 Ford Tempo Chauncey, OH

STEERING

MY CAR STARTED ACTING UP 1ST BY CUTTING OUT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO DIE, THE IT WOULD REV UP,AND THEN COMPLETELY QUIT. THEN WHEN I TRIED TO START IT THE TACHOMETER WOULD SPIN AROUND BACKWARDS. AFTER SETTING FOR A FEW HOURS IT WOULD START AND MAYBE RUN FINE FOR A FEW DAYS. THEN PROBLEM 2 HAPPENED. MY HORN STARTED BEEPING FOR NO REASON AND I HAD TO TAKE THE FUSE OUT. THE CAR WILL NOT START AT ALL NOW. WE HAVE CHANGED THE COMPUTER BRAIN AND THAT WASN'T THE PROBLEM. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU SHUT THE DOOR THE HORN BEEPS WITH NO FUSE IN THE FUSE BOX. WE ARE NOW THINKING IT IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN. HOW CAN THIS PROBLEM BE FIXED, OR EVEN NARROWED DOWN TO SEE IF THAT IS THE PROBLEM.

NHTSA complaint #706894 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1992 Ford Tempo Rocky Hill, CT

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM

POWER STEERING FAILURE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #514619 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Ford Tempo Cohasset, MA

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

INNER TIE RODS FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #525890 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1985 Ford Tempo Reno, NV

STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

POWER STEERING HIGH PRESSURE HOSE BROKE DUE TO CHAFFING AGAINST FRAME DUE TO DESIGN LOCATION, RESULTING IN VEHICLE ACCIDENT.

NHTSA complaint #503863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1990 Ford Tempo Akron, OH

STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

LOWER BALL JOINTS/LOWER CONTROL ARMS ON BOTH SIDES, AND INNER TIE ROD ASSEMBLY FAILED.

NHTSA complaint #781130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1994 Ford Tempo Harrodsburg, KY

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

THERE ARE SOME PROBLEMS WITH STEERING GEAR AND COLUMN BECAUSE WHEN CONSUMER WAS USING THE HORN SMOKE CAME OUT AND HORN NEVER WORKED AGAIN. ON THE OTHER HAND, THE IGNITION SWITCH WORKED SOMETIMES, AND IT WAS NOT EASY TO GET THE KEY IN. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #827889 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

1985 Ford Tempo Bowling GR, OH

STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR

HALF-SHAFT FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #539790 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other Ford Tempo problems