1994 Ford Tempo

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/21/1998· SEAT BELTS

  BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER RESTRAINT SYSTEMS HAD A MAJOR FALIURE AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. IT IS TAKE WEEKS TO GET PART TO HAVE THEM REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE. I AM FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THESE SYSTEMS NON-FUNCTIONAL.

• 12/21/1995· SEAT BELTSCrash

  HAD A FRONTAL COLLISION SEAT BELT DID NOT RESTRAIN. TT

• 12/18/1996· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  CRUISE CONTROL, VEHCILE STALLED IN TRAFFIC WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL. *AK

• 12/11/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  A NO-START ON THESE DATES4/5/99,4/12/99, 6/9/99, 7/6/99, 9/19/00, 10/13/00. HAS DONW IT ONE MORE TIME. DEALER KELP PUTTING IN PARTS BUT DIDN'T FIX PROBLEM AND IT DOES START AND STALLS ALSO AND COULD CAUSE A WRECK AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHATS WRONG. *AK

• 12/08/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  WHEN GOING AT A SPEED OF 25MPH ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND THEN THE CAR STALLED IN TRAFFIC AND WOULD NOT START FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES LEAVING ME STRANDED FOR AN HOUR AT A TIME.*AK

• 12/08/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  BRAKE PADS, ROTORS AND CALIPERS FAILED.

• 12/07/1995· STEERING

  INNER AND OUTER TIE RODS CONTINUALLY FAIL CAUSING DAMAGE WHEEL AND TIRES. TT

• 12/05/1997· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  DRIVING VEHICLE 40MPH, WHEN ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON; THEN VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT. AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. SPEED VARIES. WOULD TURN VEHICLE OFF FOR A WHILE & THEN IT WOULD RESTART. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK

• 12/04/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  WHEN DRIVING AT 25MPH THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR STALLED. IT WOULD NOT START FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES.*AK

• 12/04/2000· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  FUEL TANK RUSTED/CORRODED THROUGH TOP. DEALER FOUND NOTHING WRONG WHEN TOLD OF COMPLAINT ABOUT FUEL FUMES IN GARAGE. SUBSEQUENT MECHANICAL INSPECTION DISCOVERED HOLE IN TANK. WHEN MECHANIC ATTEMPTED TO OBTAIN A USED TANK FROM AUTO PARTS YARD, FOUND OTHER TANKS IN SIMILAR VEHICLES ALL HAD CORRODED TANKS. NEW TANK ORDERED FROM FORD DEALER. *AK

• 12/03/2000· UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

• 12/03/2000· SEAT BELTS

  FORD DEALER REFUSED OUR REQUEST FOR DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE ZONE MGR. FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS INSULATED ITSELF FROM CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS. THERE ARE OVER 3 DOZEN SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE NTSA HOTLINE. MANUFACTURER SHOULD PAY FOR FAILED SAFETY EQUIPMENT. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK

• 12/03/1994· TIRES

  PREMATURE TREAD WEAR ON FRONT GOODYEAR TIRES. *SKD

• 11/28/1995· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  THROTTLE PEDAL STUCK TO THE FLOOR, RESULTING IN ACCELERATION. TT

• 11/27/2001· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED WITHOUT WARNING. *AK VEHICLE WILL NOT START AFTER STOPPING AND SHUTTING OFF ENGINE, ENGINE WILL START AFTER ONE TO TWO HOURS OF COOL DOWN TIME. *TT

• 11/26/1994· VISIBILITY

  DRIVER'S POWER WINDOW FAILED. *SKD

• 11/22/1999· EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  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. *AK

• 11/20/2001· SEAT BELTS

  BOTH FRONT RESTRAINTS ARE INOPERABLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITOINAL INFORMATION.*AK

• 11/19/2000· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  I AM FILING THIS REPORT ON BEHALF OF A FAMILY EMPLOYEE. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN OUR GARAGE ON TWO OCCASIONS. I SMELLED VERY STRONG GASOLINE FUMES. WHEN SHE TOOK THE CAR TO A FORD DEALER SHE WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. A LOCAL MECHANIC FOUND THE GAS TANK RUSTED THROUGH ON THE TOP OF THE TANK. WHEN HE WENT TO A WRECKING YARD TO FIND A LATE MODEL USED TANK, HE FOUND THAT THE RUST AREA WAS ON ALL THE USED COMPONENTS. HE REPLACED HER TANK WITH A NEW ONE AND PLACED A PROTECTIVE PATCH OVER THE AREA WHERE A DESIGN FLAW APPEARS TO ALLOW WATER TO PUDDLE AND CORRODE OR RUST THE TANK THROUGH ON TOP.*AK

• 11/16/1998· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  IN SEPT. AN ODOR OF GASOLINE WAS NOTED. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT WAS FOUND THAT GASOLINE WAS SEEPING FROM AN AREA ON THE UPPER BACK LEFT HAND CORNER OF THE TANK WHERE RUST WAS OCCURRING DUE TO CONDENSATE FROM THE CONDENSTATE VENT HOLE IN THE EXHAUST BEING AIMED AT THE UPPER LEFT CORNER OF THE GAS TANK. IN CHECKING WITH USED PART COMPANIES THIS SAME RUST PATTERN WAS SHOWING ON ALL TANKS OF THIS MODEL AND MAKE. THE RUST WAS OCCURRING FROM THE OUTSIDE IN AND GAS SEEPING WITH NO VISIBLE LEAKAGE OCCURING TO HAVE IT REGISTER ON THE GAS GAUGE. IF ODOR HAD NOT BEEN DETECTED THEN THERE COULD HAVE BEEN AN EXPLOSION IF THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN AND A SPARK HAD OCCURED. IN NOV. A BREAK OCCURRED WITH THE LEFT REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM WHERE THE SAME RUST HAD FORMED DUE TO THIS CONDENSATE BEING AIMED AT THE CONTROL ARM. THE RIGHT CONTROL ARM DOES NOT SHOW THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE PLACEMENT OF THE GAS TANK WITH THE CONDENSATE VENT BEING AIMED AT THESE TWO CRITICAL PARTS APPEARS TO BE A SAFETY HAZARD. HAVE THERE BEEN ANY OTHER REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM?

• 11/15/2000· SEAT BELTSCrash

  AT 35-40 MPH CONSUMER HAD ACCIDENT, UPON IMPACT DRIVER 'S SEATBELT DID NOT WORK, REAR SEATBELT THAT HELD CHILD SAFETY SEAT CAME UNBUCKLED, SEAT AND CHILD WERE THROWN FORWARD. 2 REMAINING SEATBELTS IN REAR NOT WORKING EITHER. SEATBELT HAD BEEN REPLACED PRIOR TO ACCIDENT. CONTACTED DEALER ABOUT NON WORKING SEATBELT PRIOR TO ACCIDENT WHO SAID WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED, SEATBELT NOT REPLACED DUE TO COST.RESTAINT ON DRIVERSIDE AND REAR USED FOR CHILD SEAT WORKED PRIOR TO ACCIDENT.PLEASE ADD VIN AND ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

• 11/15/2000· POWER TRAIN

  AS I REPORTED TO FORD THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS WHILE DRIVING IT IS AN AUTOMATIC. THE GAS PEDAL THEN BECOMES HARD TO PRESS DOWN. THE CAR MAKES A SEVERE JERKING MOTION MAKING ALL PASSENGERS JOLT SEVERLY. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO 2 DEALERS INCLUDING THE ORGINAL PURCHASED DEALER THEY ALL COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. YET IT CONTINUES THIS DAY TO DO THE SAME THING. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT MY DAUGHTER AND HUNSBAND AND I AND THE SAFTEY OF THIS CAR. PLEASE HELP ME WITH ANY INFORMATION. SINCERLY KAREN MARTIN. *AK

• 11/13/1995· SEATSCrash

  CONSUMER WAS IN ACCIDENT AND DRIVER SIDE SEAT WENT TO BACK OF THE VEHICLE. TT

• 11/12/2010· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD TEMPO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK IN ROUTED OUT AND CAUSED FUEL TO LEAK. THE CONTACT NOTICED THE FUEL ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT SMELL OF FUEL WAS NORMAL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL LEAKED WHENEVER THE FUEL TANK WAS FULL AND ONTO HOT EXHAUST PIPES. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000.

• 11/06/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THERE WAS A VERY LOUD KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE, AND THE DEALER HAD THE HARMONIC BALANCE REPAIRED. *AK

• 10/29/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  A HOLE IN THE MUFFLER TO PREVENT RUST IS CAUSING THE SUSPENSION AND THE GAS TANK TO PREMATURLEY RUST, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

• 10/27/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  EXHAUST PIPE CAME APART AT THE WELD AND FELL TO THE ROOD. *AK

• 10/25/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICCrash

  WAS DRIVING AND UPON APLYING THE BRAKES THERE WERE NO BRAKES, CONSUMER HIT A WALL . PLEASE DESCRIBE . *AK

• 10/24/1996· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE ON VEHICLE, FIRST AT 2,000 MILES THAN AGAIN AT 32, 000. WHEN PRESSING ON THE BRAKES THERE IS PULSATIION/SHAKING AND THE BACK BRAKES GRIND AND SCRAPE. *AK

• 10/20/1999· POWER TRAIN

  AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STICKS IN LOW GEAR *AK

• 10/20/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WHILE DRIVING THERE IS FLUID LEAKING OUT DUE TO ABLOWEN OUT ENGINE HEAD GASKET.TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IS VERY TIME CONSUMING AND COSTLY. *AK

• 10/17/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  CAR WILL SHUT DOWN, WITHOUT ANY TYPE OF INSTRUMENT/GAUGE WARNING, WHEN GOING AT 30+ MILES PER HOUR. PANEL LIGHTS COME ON JUST AS THEY WOULD WHEN YOU FIRST TURN THE IGNITION KEY. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED I HAD TO WAIT ABOUT 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE CAR WOULD RESTART. A MECHANIC WHO CHECKED OUT THE CAR SAID IT WAS THE IGNITION MODULE SYSTEM, AND THAT I COULD HAVE IT REPLACED OR WAIT FOR A GENERAL RECALL. ON LATER INCIDENTS, THE CAR WILL NOT START FOR AT LEAST 5 TO 10 MINUTES.*AK

• 10/16/2002· SEAT BELTS

  MY STEPDAUGHTER WAS DRIVING. THE ELECTRONIC SEATBELT TIGHTENED WHILE DRIVING AND COULD NOT BE RELEASED. SHE HAD DIFFICULTY MOVING HER FOOT TO SHIFT THE BREAK PEDAL OR MOVEMENT OF ANY TYPE. THE BELT WAS LOCKED AND SHE WAS PINNED TO THE SEAT WHILE DRIVING. IT WAS CHOKING HER, ALSO. WHEN SHE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR, SHE TRIED TO OPEN THE DOOR TO RELEASE THE SEAT BELT, THIS ONLY MADE IT TIGHTEN MORE, SHE MANAGED TO REMOVE A SMALL NAIL KNIFE FROM HER PURSE TO CUT HERSELF LOOSE. HAD THE CAR BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH FIRE OR WATER SHE WOULD HAVE BURNED UP OR DROWNED FROM A SEATBELT. OR HUNG HERSELF. MR

• 10/16/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  ON DRIVING OVER 55 MILES PER HOUR THIS CAR'S ACCELERATION BEGINS THROBBING AND SPEEDS OUT OF CONTROL. I RETURNED IT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THEY CHOSE TO PUT A BAND-AID ON RATHER THAN REPLACING THE COMPUTER. SINCE THAT TIME MOST MAJOR COMPONENTS ON THE CAR HAVE FAILED. MOST RECENTLY, WHILE DRIVING OR STOPPED AT A LIGHT, THE CAR SIMPLY DIES AS IF NO FUEL IS REACHING THE ENGINE. THE BATTERY CHARGES AND THE ENGINE TURNS OVER BUT THE CAR WON'T MOVE. I'VE HAD NEARLY $2500 IN REPAIRS FOR EVERYTHING FROM THE BATTERY, THE WATER PUMP, THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM, TO THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY REPLACED. TODAY I'M HAVING IT TOWED TO KOONS FORD BECAUSE I READ OF THE NATIONWIDE LAWSUIT REGARDING THE "THICK FILM IGNITION (TFI) MODULES NEAR THE HOTTEST PART OF THE ENGINE BLOCK, "CAUSING CARS TO STALL." MY MODEL (FORD TEMPO) AND YEAR (1994) IS ONE OF THE CARDS EQUIPPED WITH THIS MODULE. PLEASE TELL ME IF I CAN GET EITHER FORD OR LUSTINE CHEVROLET TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE TOWING AND EXPENSES RELATED TO THIS DEFECTIVE VEHICLE. I HAVE SAVED MOST OF MY RECEIPTS.

• 10/15/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  INTERMITTENT STALLING, ONCE ALMOST RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT.

• 10/15/1997· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  IGNITION SWITCH FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL.

• 10/15/1996· SEAT BELTS

  MOTORIZED SEAT BELTS FAILED.

• 10/14/1999· SEAT BELTS

  WHEN OPENING THE DOOR AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT STARTS TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY. IT WOULD STOP HALF WAY UP THE CURB ON THE TRACK. IT WOULD NOT GO ANY FURTHER. WOULD HAVE TO PUSH IT TO MOVE BELT ALONG THE TRACK. BEEN TO DEALER & MECHANIC WOULD NOT REPAIR DUE TO NOT BEING UNDER WARRANTY. *AK

• 10/14/1997· POWER TRAIN

  SPEEDOMETER CABLE FAILED. MJS

• 10/12/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  SPARK PLUGS & WIRES FAILED.*ET

• 10/11/2000· SEAT BELTS

  THE DRIVERS LAP SEAT BELT LET GO (BROKE) WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD,THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT STAY LATCHED .A COUPLE OF DAYS AFTER THE WARENTEE RAN OUT. *AK

• 10/11/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  HAVE HAD CAR IN SHOP DIFFEERENT TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM, STALLING AND NOT STARTING AND THE FORD PLACE CAN'T PIN POINT IT AND THEY TOOK IT TO A THIRD PARTY AND HE STATES HE CAN'T FIND IT BUT HE FOUND A CODE AS TO WHERE FORD COULDN'T AND IF NOT FIXED IT COULD STALL ON THE ROAD AND SOMEONE MIGHT HIT THE CAR AND SOME ONE WOULD GET HURT, AND ALOS FORD DOESN'T WANT TO FIX THE CAR ANYMORE FOR THAT PROBLEM AND IT'S SOMEWHERE IN THE FUEL SYSTEM OR THE ELECT SYSTEM THAT THIS THIRD PARTY TOLD ME. AND THE PERSON THAT HAD IT BEFORE ME HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR IF IT WAS SOLD AT JUST A LITTLE OVER 14000 MILES. *AK

• 10/11/1996· STRUCTURE

  DOOR/TRUNK GASKETS REPLACED.

• 10/10/2000· VISIBILITY

  THE HEATER AND AIR CONDITIONER FAILED TO WORK. THIS OCCURRED AFTER BRINGING CAR IN FOR EGR VALVE/EVP SENSOR. I RETURNED TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T CAUSE THE PROBLEM WHEN THEY TURNED OFF THE HEAT. THE HEATER WAS REMOVED AND THE WIRE CONNECTORS IN CONTROL HEAD ARE MELTED. REPAIR PERSONJOHN W ROMACK SAID IT WOUL D COST ~278.00 FOR NEW. CHECKED OUT JUNK YARD FOR ANOTHER HEATER. WHILE LOOKING I FOUND 4 OTHER HEATERS WITH THE SAME DAMAGE. I BOUGHT A USED ONE IN 1998, IT STOPPED WORKING 10/9/2000. WHEN COMPONENT WAS REMOVED THE SAME DAMAGE WAS FOUND. A MELTED HEATER CONTROL. (THIS APPEARS TO BE A WIRING PROBLEM.)

• 10/10/1996· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  SERPENTINE BELT ATTACHED TO THE HARMONIC BALANCER CRACKED, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO LOCK UP. *AK

• 10/09/1997· VISIBILITY

  POWER WINDOW MOTOR FAILED, STUCK IN THE DOWN POSITION.

• 10/06/2000· AIR BAGSCrash

  MY SON WAS INJURED AND HIS CAR WAS TOTALED IN A 35 MPH COLLISION WHEN THE FRONT OF HIS CAR STRUCK THE READ END OF ANOTHER CAR AFTER THAT CAR STOPPED ABRUPTLY. HIS AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. MY SON HIT AND BROKE THE WINDSHIELD AND WAS INJURED. HE WAS NOT WEARING HIS SEATBELT. *AK

• 10/06/1997· POWER TRAIN,VISIBILITY,STRUCTURE

  WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE VEHICLE DROPS OUT OF GEAR. THE OWNER HAS TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND PUT IT IN PARK .THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK WHEN ACCELERATING FROM LIGHT TRANSMISSION SLIPS DOES NOT SHIFT IN TO HIGHER GEAR. WIPER BLADE FAILED, REAR DOOR HARD TO CLOSE, AND THE HOOD DOES NOT CLOSE RIGHT. *YD

• 10/04/1995· AIR BAGSCrash

  CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT FELL BACKWARD CONSUMER HAD ARM OUT OF THE WINDOW INJURIED ARM THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOYED . TT

• 10/02/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  WHILE DRIVING AND UNPON DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL, PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER HAS CALLED THE DEALER , DEALER HAS REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER . *AK