1991 Ford Tempo GL review from North America

Belt tensioner pulley!

Alternator was replaced right before I bought it and so was one of the axle/CV joints.

I think the idle control sensor is going out.

Automatic seat belts hang open or closed rountinely.

Check engine light constantly coming on then going off.

Power steering pump leaks.

Its the newset car I've ever owned and when I bought it I thought it was the best I have owned. But now, its useless hunk of a body laying in my driveway has me very annoyed. The serpentine belt tensioner pulley made noise since the second week I had the car. One day it finally siezed up and slung the belt off.

Now, I usually fix all my own cars and maintain them fairly well. But this thing is impossble for a home mechainic to even attempt anything more than an oil change and plugs. There is exactly 1/2" of clearance between the wheel well and the front of the motor, everything is metric except the oil plug and spark plug. Even if I had the complete set of metric tools to work on this car it would be quite diffacult to replace the 70 DOLLAR TENSIONER PULLEY!! (that apparently takes aspecial tool or a very short hex head socket to remove) Then another 30 some bucks for a BELT!

I thought I got a good deal on this low miles, nice shape car, but I haven't really even been able to drive it much. My other car is an olds cutlass and I've had to fix a lot more on it (it has over 200K, tho) and the total of everything all together comes nowhere near the 100 bucks on parts alone it would cost to get this thing going again.

I wish I never got rid of my 70's model fury for this yard ornament. The fury never gave me ANY problems and got nearly as good gas mileage to boot (That's sad).