1989 Ford Tempo GL from North America - Comments

Automatic transmission crapped out, requiring a re-build.

CV joints on both sides failed twice.

Tie-rods had to be replaced.

Steering wheel mounted crooked.

Anti-Roll bar mount broke loose.

Throttle Position Sensor went bad twice.

Coolant Temperature Sensor failed.

Multiple seal failure, car leaked oil and transmission fluid like a sieve.

Fuel pump failed on highway, 200 miles from nowhere.

Paint on hood, roof and trunk-lid faded and peeled.

Mirror motor went south, but only for a while. Started working again just before I traded this pile of junk in.

Front wheel-bearings failed twice in 4 months.

Trunk hold-open spring broke.

Ate tires like Cheeto's, the car couldn't hold an alignment for more than 3 or 4 months.

Driver's seat mounting bolts came loose.

Passenger seat mount broke, couldn't adjust seat.

Radio display went out.

Heater core ruptured, spewing fluid and steam into the passenger compartment.

The car rattled like a can of marbles, when I fixed one, it would rattle some other place.

The car handled like a freighter in a hurricane, even with new shocks and struts.

This looked like a nice car when I bought it, and it checked out fine with my mechanic. I had maybe 4 months of trouble-free driving, and then things started to go wrong one after another. Dealer service was rude at the best of times, non-existent at worst. As soon as I fixed something, something else broke, usually away from home. I hated this car and I hate Ford for foisting it on an unsuspecting public. These cars are death-traps and should removed from the road at Ford's expense. I'll never, ever buy another Ford product.

I own a 1989 Tempo and have seen many of the same problems. However, most were due to a lack of routine maintenance. I noticed that you had to replace the CV joints twice on your car. Did you check the engine and transmission mounts? Worn out mounts are the most common cause of CV joint failure. Perhaps the mechanic who replaced your CV joints neglected to check this crucial item.

Nonetheless, you are correct that the car was not made during Ford's finest years. However, that is reflected in their values today. You can pick one up very cheap (I got mine for free). If you do regular maintenance on these things, keep them washed and waxed, and don't abuse or neglect them, they can last as long as any other car. They just need more attention than your average Honda or Toyota. Also, parts are dirt cheap. So if you can fix it yourself, it can be a very inexpensive and reliable car to own.

Drove a Ford Tempo in Montreal, Canada, 1989 model and not 1990, which has the advantage of having the RPM reading. Had it about a year and a half. Amazing. Problems, of course, yet the car is a workhorse and even seemed like a miracle that it kept running. I wouldn't even call the problems PROBLEMS, just regular maintenance. The odometer was not working when we got it, yet I figure I did about 70 000 kilometres with the car. For a 16 year old car that probably had over 200 000 already that is incredible. Did the transmission start slipping? YES, and it never did again after using about 2 and a half bottles of LUCAS anti-slip combined with stop leak and adding fluid. So long as you don't burn out the transmission and its not mechanically damaged, a $20 bottle of Lucas antislip or two should render your transmission good as new til the car dies. In my case I chose to never do oil changes on this car. I just added when needed, and used plenty of additives.

My figuring is the $20 and time spent on an oilchange on an engine that truly can run well with only a quart of used oil, was definitely not a wise investment. I was right. The engine never failed me. Since I didn't have much to lose costwise, I never hesitated to start the car, and rev it at 5000 RPM to get it warmed up in a jiffy in the winter. Minus 39 Celcius and the car always started. I always kept my spark plugs newly changed of course, I know I replaced them at least 3 times in the time I had it.

Revving the engine at 5000 RPM immediately after start-up on any model Japanese car might be financial suicide, even someone who speaks highly of them would not take that risk.

So why did this car go to scrap? I had already replaced 2 bearings, a brake line, a brake caliper, tires were too good to go, battery had been changed only a week ago. I scrapped the car mainly because the wiper arm bar would not stay on the motor rod that pushes and pulls it. Just a nylon seal that uses up after 16 years. To get a new assembly at a scrap yard would be $35, getting to the scrap yard another $5 in gas, yet putting it on would be time too time consuming, and if it would not last, it would require purchasing the part from a dealer again. All in all the car had amazed me, after over a year of hard service, the starter had never went on me, the alternator had never went on me, the belts had never went on me, the water pump had not went on me, the radiator had not went on me. The car had never let me down once, I never had to walk half a block. In fact I would use it to DRIVE half a block just to put my mail in the mailbox sometimes. So given that there were still a lot of things that could have required regular repair or replacement after all that use and hadn't given out yet, I figured I'd scrap the car while I was way ahead, because of course, if you're in your right mind, you won't drive a car too far at all without the wipers working, Never know when to expect rain or snow. During the time I had the tempo I used it to push two of our other cars to a garage instead of calling a tow truck, I also remember pushing at least one other car in trouble once, and must have helped jump start more than 15 vehicles in cold weather. The alternator, engine and ECM remained intact. I am not surprised that many or none of the vehicles I helped jump start were not Ford Tempos. I find it funny that some people who lease or own a newer car, might even make fun of a Tempo owner, cannot even afford to change their spark plugs before winter hits...MK.