Faults:

My Steering rack went after about a year and a half of ownership.

LED display burned out in the clock.

Air Conditioning died at 125000 Km.

Idle arm sheared off and tore through the engine block.

Frost plugs blew.

Had to replace thermostat.

Bought it with a big oil leak, now there is a slight leak from the front head gasket.

NOTE: Not all this happened at once, it was over a period of 2 years.

General Comments:

I'm still single because I'm madly in love with my Ford. Every day is a new experience with my Tempo. Its been an incredible first car. It's built like a tank! I was in a fender bender with another guy, and his Chevy fared worse than my car, and his was heavier! It is very roomy and comfortable, and is excellent at sustained highway speeds. It warms up very quickly in the winter, and handles well on ice and slush. Always starts with no problems. It has a few quirky little car things it does, but it gives it personality. The paint job is doing the typical peel that happens to the 89 Fords. However, I bought it like that. I plan on having my Tempo for a very long time.

Faults:

The alternator belt slips. Just had to adjust it.

Stalled when I first got it, but added fuel injector cleaner and fixed it.

The dash has a little crack in it, but who cares.

The clear coat came off the top of the car's hood, trunk and roof.

A/C dead, but got a retrofitting kit and fixed it.

Replaced, brake hoses and pads, and rotors on the front.

General Comments:

This car is very good for where I live in WV.

All Wheel Drive comes in handy when there is snow.

The car is in good running condition.

However it leaks oil.

I got it from an older couple who drove it like 1,500 miles every year, only in the winter.

I drive it back and forth from college every week.

That is a 126 mile drive one way.

It gets great gas mileage. 33 on the interstate and 25 on the highway.

Faults:

The a/c pump blew.

Blown a few fuses.

The transmission wore out, and was replaced in 1996 at 300,000 km.

General Comments:

A really great car!

Faults:

The oil pan leaked and I had to put a quart of oil into it every week for three months. That cost about $200 to fix.

The tires were extremely worn out when I got it, so I bought new ones.

The windshield cracked, which cost about $125 to fix.

The door locks only work on one side of the car.

The right rear window does not work. The car is equipped with power windows and locks.

A couple of hub caps fell off.

Someone hit my bumper in Walmart and it has a huge crack in it. If you are out there...

My alternator belt broke a couple weeks ago.

The muffler is going, but I don't have enough money right now to pay for it. At the moment, it is being held onto the car with duct tape.

The paint is chipping off all over the car.

The headlights are inadequate at night or in the rain.

The car has a stalling problem, however Ford is expected to recall the starter in a few months.

The bell signaling that you left your headlights on does not sound until you have left the car. This has caused me to have to jump it after work at least three times.

General Comments:

This is a great first car. It stalls a lot, however it has only failed to start again once. That was my friend Jeff's fault because his conga drum hit the emergency fuel shut off switch in my trunk and we did not realize it. However, the fact that a fairly small car such as this could fit a large conga in the trunk with room to spare is amazing.

It has great pick-up for getting on the highway.

The brakes are in great shape.

The steering wheel is made of a weird kind of rubber, but a $10 leather cover from Walmart fixed that.

The stereo system was great for 1989, however I needed more than a cassette player. The way it is designed, it was easy to install an aftermarket CD player and new Sony speakers.