Is This A Lemon?

Year · Make · Model

1985 Ford Tempo

What the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration knows about this vehicle: every recall, every consumer complaint, every defect investigation, every NCAP crash test. Sourced directly from NHTSA data feeds.

4
Open recalls
30
NHTSA complaints
7
Defect investigations
21
Service bulletins

Consumer complaints

30 filed
3
Crashes
6
Fires
1
Injuries reported
0
Fatalities reported

What people complain about

  • Electrical SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
    5
  • Electrical SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE
    4
  • Engine AND Engine COOLING:ENGINE
    3
  • Electrical SYSTEM:IGNITION
    3
  • Vehicle Speed Control
    3
  • STEERING: Steering WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
    3
  • Engine AND Engine COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
    2
  • AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
    2

Recalls

4 campaigns
07E064000·FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP2007-08-27

CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMPS SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF CARTER, ACCUFLOW, NAPA, TRUFLOW, PARTS DEPO, AND PARTS MASTER, SHIPPED BETWEEN AUGUST 2006 AND JULY 2007 FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. THE FUEL PUMP DIAPHRAGM IN CERTAIN PRODUCTION RUNS MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED OR INADEQUATELY TESTED WHICH MAY CAUSE THE FUEL PUMP TO LEAK.

RiskA LEAKING FUEL PUMP COULD CREATE A VEHICLE FIRE HAZARD.

FixFEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 15, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL AT 248-354-7700.

85V145000·SUSPENSION:REAR1985-11-05

REAR SUPENSION CONTROL ARM-TO-SPINDLE ATTACHMENT BOLTS MAY BE SUBJECT TO FRACTURE CAUSING THE REAR SPINDLE TO SEPARATE DURING USE OF CAR. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF BOLTS FRACTURE AND REAR SPINDLE DISENGAGES FROM CONTROL ARM, LOSS OF CONTROL WILL BE EXPERIENCE WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT.

FixREPLACE REAR SUSPENSION BOLTS AS NECESSARY.

85V134000·ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE1985-10-22

THE UNEXPECTED OPEN THROTTLE CAUSES AN INCREASE IN ENGINE SPEED WHICH COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR AND A POTENTIAL CRASH. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THE ELECTRONIC ENGINE CONTROL PROCESSOR MAY EXPERIENCE AN INTERMITTENT TIMING PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM CAUSES IMPROPER EXECUTION ENGINE PERFORMANCE WHICH MAY MAINTAIN OR CAUSE A PARTIALLY OPEN THROTTLE.

FixREPLACE ELECTRONIC ENGINE CONTROL PROCESSOR, IF NECESSARY.

85V086000·SUSPENSION:REAR1985-07-03

REAR SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM-TO-SPINDLE ATTACHMENT BOLTS MAY BE SUBJECT TO FRACTURE DURING USE OF CAR. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF BOLTS FRACTURE, REAR SPINDLE COULD DISENGAGE FROM CONTROL ARM AND POSSIBLY RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL.

FixREPLACE REAR SUSPENSION BOLTS AS NECESSARY.

NHTSA investigations

7 actions
PE96005·SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1996-01-19 → 1996-05-28

REAR BRK ADJUSTER FAILURE

DP96002·SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1996-01-11 → 1996-01-19

REAR BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE

EA91052·SEAT BELTS1991-11-27 → 1992-11-24

SEAT BELT SEPARATION

PE89118·EQUIPMENT1989-04-19 → 1989-09-06

SPEED CONTROL MALFUNCTION

PE88034·POWER TRAIN1988-03-18 → 1988-09-19

HALFSHAFT FAILURE

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