1987 Ford Tempo

The 1987 Ford Tempo’s federal record shows a concentration of complaints in the electrical system (32), engine and engine cooling (13), and notably, 21 fire complaints—a high proportion relative to the total complaints listed. While the year-by-year data begins with the 1990 model year, the trend across the second generation reveals a clear arc: complaints and TSBs escalate from 1990, peaking in 1993 (283 complaints, 82 TSBs), then decline sharply after 1994, with recalls and investigations also dropping to zero by 1996. The 1987 model, as the final year of the first generation, sits outside this dataset, but the later generation’s pattern suggests that earlier models may not share the same peak in reported issues. However, the 1987 Tempo’s specific fire complaints—21 in total—stand out as a significant concern not reflected in the later years’ data, implying a potential model-specific risk. Given the high number of fire-related complaints without a specified root cause, a buyer should thoroughly inspect the electrical and fuel systems before purchase.