1988 Ford Tempo problems & reliability
126 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1988 Ford Tempo. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
8 complaints report injuries (9 injured, 2 deaths reported).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 50 | 40% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 26 | 21% |
| Seat Belts | 16 | 13% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 11 | 9% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 6% |
| Exterior Lighting | 7 | 6% |
| Power Train | 5 | 4% |
| Tires | 5 | 4% |
| Seats | 4 | 3% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Dt: the consumer stated she is having retraction problems with her seat belt. The seat belt is not retracting correctly from the lap belt, from the buckle to the door post. This is happening on the drivers side only. The seat belt is allowing too much webbing and not retracting all the way back into the holder on the…”
Seat Belts · filed Jul 8, 2005
“Smelled hot wire smell while driving on highway. Noticed 1 inch flame in left airvent which grew to 5 inches when stopped car. Unhooked battery, poured liquid over dashboard which was on fire, closed door, waited for firetruck. I think it started in headlight switch. Car totaled, most of dash burnt away.*ak”
Electrical System · filed Jan 6, 2004
“The treads of the tire warped with only 10000 miles on it (firestone lemans radial at). *nlm shortly after the tire was changed a fire started under the hood. *nlm”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed May 2, 2003
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- REAR BRK ADJUSTER FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE96005 · opened Jan 19, 1996 · closed May 28, 1996
- REAR BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE
Defect Petition DP96002 · opened Jan 11, 1996 · closed Jan 19, 1996
- SEAT BELT SEPARATION
Engineering Analysis EA91052 · opened Nov 27, 1991 · closed Nov 24, 1992
- THROTTLE STICKING
Engineering Analysis EA90042 · opened Aug 31, 1990 · closed Dec 31, 1991
- FAILED PASSIVE RESTRAINT
Engineering Analysis EA90008 · opened Dec 27, 1989 · closed Dec 31, 1991
Technical service bulletins
34 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1988 Ford Tempo. The 10 most recent:
Information regarding transmission fluid usage charts. *slc
01157 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks. *slc
01156 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *mjs
0015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 10, 2000
Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses. *tt
99222 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 18, 1999
Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems. *tt
99196 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 1999
Information on the new flush and fill tool available through rotunda. *tt
99152 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 26, 1999
Ford motor company has released a new electrical grease ( f8az - 19g208-aa ) to reduce the possibility of moisture corrosion at the terminals. *yc
98246 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 7, 1998
Information on a new transmission fluid usage chart. *yc
9888 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 27, 1998
A new silicone gasket and sealant. *yc
9874 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 13, 1998
Information on a buzzing or rattle noise from the exhaust system. *tt
9864 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 30, 1998
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1988 Ford Tempo in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1988 Ford Tempo?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.