1988 Ford Tempo LX All Wheel Drive review from North America
"An auto-mechanics' dream"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
4 alternators.
Retractable axel shafts on the transfer case.
Transmission at 85,000 miles.
Hole in piston at 92000 had to replace engine.
All the wheel bearings (front ones twice)
MAP sensor, throttle position sensor, oxygen sensor, and the coolant temp. sensor.
Both front spindels.
Starter (twice)
General comments?
This car was a mistake for me from the start. It drove fine for about 3 months then it began falling apart. I was lucky to go 2 weeks with out a major repair.
This car had no ability to accelerate and was prone to stalling. I had to power brake it to keep it running.
The gas mileage was horrible. About 14-15 mpg. I was told that this was due to the extra weight of the transfer case for the all wheel drive.
I can say that this was a comfortable car and that it handled really well in the worst snowy road conditions.
It also did seem to rust out like other tempos I have seen.
All in all I think that from what I have learned you want to stay away from the LX series. The GL series seems to be much more reliable cars.
Recommended Reviews:
![]() ![]() | Less reliable as the years were added on |
![]() ![]() | A great performer for an economical car |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 1996 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 1999 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.3 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 3/10 |
| Reliability marks | 2/10 |
| Comfort marks | 7/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 3/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 3/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 75000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 98000 miles |
| Previous car | Mercury Capri |
| Date of Entry | 22nd November, 2003 |

