FORD TEMPO · model year

1986 FORD TEMPO

42 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1986FORDTEMPO carries 42 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 14 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1986 TEMPO is electrical system:ignition:switch with 7 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition (4) and vehicle speed control (2). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 1986 TEMPO, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

42
Complaints
2
Crashes
14
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

42 filings

Crashes Reported

2 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH7
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION4
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL2
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE2
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS2
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL:LINKAGE AND CABLE2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING1
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL1
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH1
TIRES1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLING UNIT AND LINES1
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP1

Recent Complaints

20111104ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1986 FORD TEMPO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE IGNITION MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Mileage: 80,000

20051214FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN EXITING THE VEHICLE SHE SMELLED AN ODD ODOR. UPON REENTERING AND STARING THE VEHICLE WHITE SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN CHECKING UNDER THE HOOD SHE SAW FLAMES COMING OUT. SHE IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911. THE FIRE WENT OUT ON ITS OWN BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE ALTERNATOR APPEARED TO BE THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE. THE PLUG TO THE ALTERNATOR MELTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. A REPLACEMENT ALTERNATOR WAS PURCHASED, BUT THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *AK

Mileage: 100,560

20011120ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

ON THE IGNITION PROBLEM, THE CAR DIED ON THE STATE HIGHWAY & I HAD TO GET TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. MY CAR WAS LAID UP FOR 16 DAYS. HE FINALLY FOUND OUT IT WAS THE IGNITION THAT WAS MALFUNCTIONING AFTER DOING A TROUBLESHOOTING START & STALLING CONDITION. IT COST ME 118.07 FO THE REPAIRS AND ANOTHER$30.00 FOR THE TOW. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM EVEN BEFORE YOU DID THE RECALL. AND I WISH I COULD GET COMPENSATED FOR THE EXPENSENSE,BUT YOU SAID ONLY TO 100,000 MILES. I DONT THINK THAT IS FAIR! ON THE DRIVE TRAIN, I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND THN LOST POWER TO THE TRAIN, AND I COULD NOT STEER THE CAR. HAD TO COAST OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THIS HAPPENED ON EASTER SUNDAY,AND THE STATE POLICE STOPPED AND TOLD ME I HAD TO MOVE THE CAR OFF THE ROAD AND I COULD NOT LEAVE IT THERE. I AGAIN HAD TO GET TOWED! THE DRIVE AXLE COST ME $100.00. IT JUST FELL OFF THE CAR AND THE MECHANIC COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY BECAUSE THE PINS WERE STILL INTACT. IT SHOULD NEVER HAD COME APART LIKE IT DID THEY SAID. IT D

20010104ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

VEHICLE STALLS INTERMITTENTLY, NO MATTER WHAT SPEED. *AK

20001017ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY

BATTERY WAS DEFECTIVE. THERE WERE THREE BATTERIES TESTED FROM PEP BOYS. *AK

20000324VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY SPEED VEHICLE COULD ACCELERATE, EVEN WHEN STEPPING ON THE BRAKES. *AK

20000224EXTERIOR 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 *ML

19991021FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING

CONSUMER WENT TO START UP CAR AND WENT BACK INTO THE HOUSE. CONSUMER CAME BACK OUT AND CAR WAS SMOKING'. CONSUMER SHUT OFF CAR. WENT BACK INSIDE, AND WHEN CONSUMER RETURNED, THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ON FIRE. CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED THE DEALER YET. *AK

19991013ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

INTERMITTENT STALLING; CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A MALFUNCTIONING COMPUTER MODEL. VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND REPAIRS WERE MADE BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AT CONSUMER EXPENSE OF APPROXIMATELY $600.00. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE INFORMATION OR HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK

19990723FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM

THE CAR EXCELLERATES ON ITS OWN/PEGS RPMS/THEN LUGS AND WONT RUN SMOOTHLY

19980205POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:CONSTANT VELOCITY JOINT

CV JOINT FAILED.

19980205STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP

POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED.

19980205SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

BRAKE LINES/HOSES FAILED.

19980205SUSPENSION:REAR:SHOCK ABSORBER

SHOCKS FAILED.

19971015FireVISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR SHORTED OUT, CAUSING THE FIRE. ALSO DASHBOARD MELTED. *AK

19961231ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

ENGINE IDLES HIGH, LOSES POWER OVER 20 MPH, AND STALLS INTERMITTENTLY. *DH

19961119ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION

WHEN AT STOP SIGN AND MAKING A TURN THE CAR STALLS . PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

19960913FirePOWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

GEARS JUMPED FROM PARK TO DRIVE AND THEN CAUGHT FIRE. PLEASE GIVE MORE INFORMATION. *AK

19960624SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DRUM

REAR BRAKE ADJUSTER FAILURE, CAUSING PARTIAL LOSS OF BRAKING ABILITY. *DH

19960601FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHORTED, CAUSING FIRE. *DSH

Compare 1986FORDTEMPO to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 8 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1986 FORD TEMPO have?
The 1986 FORD TEMPO has 42 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 14 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 FORD TEMPO?
The most-complained component for the 1986 FORD TEMPO is ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH with 7 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION and VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL.
Is the 1986 FORD TEMPO safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.