1990 Ford Tempo problems & reliability
133 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1990 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.
9 complaints report injuries (12 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 46 | 35% |
| Seat Belts | 28 | 21% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 20 | 15% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 19 | 14% |
| Steering | 12 | 9% |
| Exterior Lighting | 6 | 5% |
| Power Train | 4 | 3% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 3% |
| Seats | 3 | 2% |
| Tires | 3 | 2% |
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
“Car has repeatable problem of not starting...have had it towed, due to this, numerous times, spent thousands of dollars trying to get it fixed, etc. Only to discover that it has two ignition defects...potentially... Since the car was not new when I bought it 3 years ago, I have no recourse but to bear the cost of…”
Electrical System · filed Oct 21, 2004
“Just after pulling into the driveway, the consumer smelled smoke . He opened the hood and noticed the top of the alternator plug was burning followed by wiring burning across to the battery. The terminal block on the left fender began burning and melting. *jb *nm”
Electrical System · filed Aug 12, 2004
“The tread on all four tires separated while driving 60 mph (kelly metric radial size 18570r14). Please provide the dot number. *nlm”
Tires · filed May 7, 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
- FAILED PASSIVE RESTRAINT
Engineering Analysis EA90008 · opened Dec 27, 1989 · closed Dec 31, 1991
Technical service bulletins
41 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1990 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
Experiencing a whine / buzz type noise in the speakers of the entertainment radio or two-way radio on vehicles with an in-tank electric fuel pump. *tt
99129 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 14, 1999
Information on "whining" / "buzzing" noise coming through entertainment or two-way radio speaker caused by the fuel pump. *tt
99129 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 14, 1999
Ford motor company now recommends sae 5w-30 viscosity grade for servicing any ford gasoline-powered vehicle regardless of model year. *tt
99816 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 3, 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
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 1990 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 1990 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.