FordTempo1985Overview/ford/tempo/1985/base/

1985 Ford Tempo

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1985 Tempo.

The 1985 Ford Tempo arrives with a 5.0-quart oil capacity spec'd for 20W-40, 20W-50, or 15W-40 viscosity grades, reflecting the era's lubrication expectations for its compact architecture. Owner-reported data tallies 33 complaints for this model year, with the electrical system emerging as the leading trouble area and four recalls logged against it. In the broader Tempo timeline spanning 1990 to 2000, complaint volumes swung dramatically from a single report in 1998 to 283 in 1993, positioning the 1985's 33-complaint tally as an early, relatively moderate showing that foreshadowed the model's later volatility.

Model year199419931992199119901989198819871985

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.0 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 20W-50 / 15W-40OEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Serpentine beltJK6386 alt E4FZ8620D
ThermostatE3TZ8255D

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length176.4 in
Overall width68.1 in
Overall height52.8 in
Wheelbase100 in
Curb weight2405 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.0 qt of 20W-40 / 20W-50 / 15W-40 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil20W-40 · 20W-50 · 15W-40 · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity5.0 qt
Engine OilAPI · 5W-30 · 10W-30 · 10W-40 · 15W-40 · 20W-40 · 20W-50
Engine Oil Capacity7.2 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 30,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Fuel Filter Water Separator (inspect)
Every 15,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Universal Vehicle Operation (inspect idle speed)
Every 52,500 miEngine Breather Filter (replace)
Every 100,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Timing Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1985 Ford Tempo precedes the provided federal record, which tracks data from 1990 through 2000. For the 1985 model, the primary complaint areas are the Electrical System (11) and Engine & Engine Cooling (7), with 6 fire and 4 crash complaints recorded. This represents a much lower volume of issues than the 1990-1994 period, where complaints peaked in 1993 at 283 and TSBs reached 82. The general trend for the recorded years shows a rise in complaints through 1994 followed by a sharp decline from 1995 to 2000. Given that the 1985 model lacks the high complaint and TSB volumes seen in the early 1990s, this is a good year to buy.

4
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
21
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
7
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
33
Owner complaints
4 involved a crash · 6 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 33 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Electrical System11
Engine & Engine Cooling7
Steering4
Tires2
Air Bags2
Vehicle Speed Control2
Suspension,Fuel System, Gasoline,Power Train,Electrical System1
Suspension1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 4 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

07E064000Fuel System, Gasoline:Delivery:Fuel PumpReported 27/08/2007

CERTAIN FEDERAL-MOGUL AFTERMARKET FUEL PUMPS SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF CARTER, ACCUFLOW, NAPA, TRUFLOW, PARTS DEPO, AND PARTS MASTER, SHIPPED BETWEEN AUGUST 2006 AND JULY 2007 FOR USE ON THE VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE… Remedy: FEDERAL-MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMPS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 15, 2007. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL-MOGUL AT 248-354-7700.

85V145000Suspension:RearReported 05/11/1985

REAR SUPENSION CONTROL ARM-TO-SPINDLE ATTACHMENT BOLTS MAY BE SUBJECT TO FRACTURE CAUSING THE REAR SPINDLE TO SEPARATE DURING USE OF CAR. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: IF BOLTS FRACTURE AND REAR SPINDLE DISENGAGES FROM CONTROL… Remedy: REPLACE REAR SUSPENSION BOLTS AS NECESSARY.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 21 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
011562001-08-06VisibilitySOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC
011572001-08-06Unknown Or OtherINFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC
00152000-01-10Power TrainINFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS
992221999-10-18Electrical SystemSUBJECT ON A WIRE HARNESS TERMINAL REPAIR KIT AVAILABLE FOR REPAIRING ELECTRICAL WIRING…
991961999-09-20EquipmentINFORMATION ON IDENTIFYING NON-APPROVED / ALTERNATE REFRIGERANTS WHICH COULD CAUSE…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Tempo. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1985 Tempo take?

5.0 qt of ABOVE 40 degrees F 20W-40 OR 20W-50, ABOVE 10 degreesF 15W-40, ABOVE 0 degrees F 10W-30 OR 10W-40, BELOW 100 degreesF 5W-30, per the factory manual.

Does the 1985 Tempo have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.