1986 Ford Tempo LX from North America - Comments

The engine mounts were broken when I got the car.

Two weeks after I got the car, the exhaust fell off.

To turn on the headlights, I had to get out of the car and hit them.

The rear shocks sagged.

The paint had the texture of an orange peel... where it had paint at all.

A tie rod went out.

The transmission got stuck in 1st gear due to a TV rod grommet breaking off.

The headliner fell down.

Some interior trim pieces were falling off.

The power windows never all worked at the same time. I went through two gears, two switches, and one motor. When I sold it, the left front still did not work.

The power seat went the way of the dodo.

The horn stuck on one morning, for no apparent reason. Pulling the fuse made me lose my cruise control.

The windshield was replaced (before I got the car).

The trunk latch broke, so I had to duct-tape the trunk lid down.

Both the radio and speakers quit working, due to fried wiring.

Hard rain would result in a swimming pool in my passenger side floorboard. The water leaked in through the heater or A/C vents, although I never figured out how.

The rear-view mirror broke off three times.

The accessory belt fell off.

Practically everything electrical had to be replaced. This includes the alternator, battery, distributer, distributer module, coil, and about $300 worth of sensors. Oh, don't forget the distributer cap, rotor, plugs, and plug wires.

The idle speed had to be raised to try to counter engine stalls. It did not work.

The car burned a little oil.

The kicker - One morning, I went outside to check the oil. I pulled on the hood release, only to have it break off in my hand!! The dealer could not fix it. Heck, they couldn't even figure out how to open the hood. I used a screwdriver to open my hood after that.

The car had 47,500 miles on it when I paid $2200 for it. That was $2200 too much.

The thing shook so bad at idle that the steering wheel would move over an inch up and down when the car was stopped.

The car had no interior room, only moderate trunk space, and no fold-down back seat.

The car ran from 0 to 60 in 16.5 seconds... about what you would expect from a school bus.

The car got 16 miles per gallon in the city, and a whopping 24 on the highway. That is downright pathetic for a so-called economy car.

It handled like a drunken shopping cart.

The engine noise at 70 miles an hour was deafening. I could not hear my radio, even if I turned it way up. On that topic, the engine sounded like a Hoover vacuum cleaner.

What was good about the car?

The brakes were OK.

I got to make many new friends at NAPA.

I took good care of it. I even changed the oil every 2,000 miles. After spending about $3,500 on it in 19 months, I sold it for $1750. I feel sorry for the new owners.

I hate my 86 too. Your problems are the same as mine;however, I just spent $900.00 trying to figure out why it is idling erraticly. The cause, it's a Tempo. The Ford dealership ran a system's diagnostic on it and found over ten sensors that went bad after we lifted the engine to put in new mounts. After replacing every single sensor in the car--I'm proud to announce that it's still being a Tempo and not working. Thanks Ford.

I have a 86 Ford Tempo and it is one of the greatest cars I have ever driven. It runs great. I have never had any real bad problems. It goes anywhere and when I say anywhere I mean anywhere. I have taken it mudding, driven through more snow then I thought a car could go through. I drove it through a river where water was 3/4 of the way up my headlights.

It has almost 200k miles on it, but there are some cars that have problems no matter what, but for me I love the Ford Tempo. I hope you have better luck with your new car.

Scott.

Scott.

I HAVE had much better luck with my other car. It is an '88 Accord LX. You can read about it under the caption "You cannot find a better college car...cheap, reliable, good gas mileage..." or something like that. Oh, and BTW, it has 255,000 miles on it and it runs great. I haven't had to fix anything on it since the review was written.

I have a 93 tempo gl. This is the best car I have had. After five years I have only speed 500 bucks repairing it.

I still have that darn car. It won't break all the way.

I do have to put oil in it EVERY TIME I start it. The oil leak is so bad, 5 miles the car will get so loud it sounds like it runs on steam. Then it will loose all pickup and stop running.

I replaced a bulb for the headlite, and it melted the headlite part and a piece of cardboard now holds it on.

You don't need a key to start it.

The inside is falling apart.

If you want heat,..get ready for a steam bath. It fogs up so bad it looks like "up in smoke"

The car wants to fall apart, but won't break all the way so I can s*** can it.

I have to agree with your review 100%.

My mom has a '86 Tempo and has had similar problems.

It's a piece of junk!

The entire car is blue inside and out, and to top it off it sounds like it's growling coming down the road, *IF* it's having a good day and actually running, that is. I call it the "Blue Beast".

But there is one good thing about it...

It taught me to not waste money on Fords.

If you're not convinced like me, just remember:

F-ound

O-n

R-oad

D-ead.

*<) ;o)

Stop waisting money on a Tempo.

When we bought our 1986 Ford Tempo in July 2002 from a dealer in Canada, the odometer read 14000 miles. And that was not tampered with. Everything under the hood was in mint condition, all shiny. As was the vehicle interior. Absolutely spotless.

Before could take the vehicle out of the dealer's showroom, he had to adjust the idling and patch up a couple rusty spots on the lower door.

We thought wow!,for $1200 we got ourselves a gem.

Soon we found out why this low-mileage semi-oldtimer was so cheap. In the first 2 months we spent $800 on new carburettors and and cooling systems. Then came the alternator, exhaust, shocks and side windows. That put us back another grand. It failed the emissions test a few times. The only good thing about it, is its tires. They are still the originals (1986!!) And it's not hard to guess why!

As long as we keep the foot on the gas, halfway down, it will keep running while waiting for the light to change to green.

Absolute rubbish car!!

DO NOT BUY A FORD TEMPO!

I have owned three Tempos, and all of them have passed 200K. I had an 84, an 85, and an 86. It's a toss-up which one I liked the most, because they all ran so great. The first was eaten by a deer (midflight across the highway), the second rusted out and was cannibalized for the third. The 86 ran on time every time. I couldn't have been prouder to own it. I'm not ashamed that it was an ugly car, although after a while, that baby-blue colour grew on me. I changed the transmission lines, and the transmission linkage. I also changed the alternator and the battery. That's it. All three of them had the same problems, but the same great qualities. I figure it's a good design manufactured by a low-quality company. Not everyone can get a Wednesday car, some people get the Friday cars.

Wow, I just spent $350 on a 86' tempo not even two weeks ago, and the exhaust fell off mine too. luckily this dude on my street can weld, but that still cost me $85 which isn't bad I guess, but then the car keeps wanting to shut off when its in low gear. Tempos are the worst cars ever!!! Even at school they said I drove the ugliest bucket known to man, but it does get me from "A" to "B" sooo I guess I can't complain too much. I felt like I was the only one in the world with an 86' Tempo, guess not.

P.S. Good Luck with your new car, get a Mustang or Mitsubishi, best cars in the world.

^Jet^B.

I agree 110% with your review, I also wrote a review on an 86 tempo GL, The only thing I can think that that tempo did for me was teach me how to fix everything on a car. I would rather trust a complete stranger to piggy back me across town, than to jump in my tempo and risk a catastrophic failure of say.. EVERYTHING and kill me and innocent bystanders. Henry ford is turning over in his grave thinking about the idiot that conceived this WONDER of a vehicle. Those of you who have had good luck with tempos, good for you. For those who have not, I share your pain.

I have a 86 tempo. my first car got it for 300$. I put a new front end on it about 165$. 1 year ago uther than oil changes it is better than my moms new 06 kia. she askes me to use it all the time. bad paint, rust, but that is it I love tis car. go ford.

Wow, after reading this review I don't feel so bad about the transmission failing on mine at 40k miles which caused me to sell the car.

If you hate Ford Tempos, then maybe you should try a 1984 Mercury Topaz. Bought one for $500. It well and truly was a gem. But it does have problems like it's brother. The Steering wheel bounces up and down, It idles reasonable well, but the engine gets faster until you put your foot down and it stalls out. But at 235000 Miles, it shows little wear for a 23 year old. The original paint is still glossy. But it hates cold mornings.