Summary
The Pontiac Tempest has 10 recalls spanning the 1987-1991 production run, the most serious being a 1991 model year defect where the steering wheel nut may not have been tightened properly, allowing the steering wheel to separate from the column without warning while driving.
The 1989 model year carries several safety concerns. The fuel tank on 1989 vehicles can develop cracks on its underside that leak fuel, and if that fuel reaches an ignition source, a fire can result. On the restraint side, 1989 vehicles have three separate issues: the front shoulder belt retractor on passive restraint-equipped vehicles can fail to lock up in a crash or sudden stop, leaving occupants held only by the lap belt; front seat frame welds can fracture and allow the seat to shift unexpectedly; and front seatbelt latch plates can fail to engage the buckle or require repeated attempts before latching, leaving occupants unrestrained in a crash.
The 1987 model year has a cluster of hood latch problems and a door hinge concern. Multiple overlapping defects affect the secondary hood latch on 1987 vehicles: the latch may interfere with its own support bracket, a skid plate weld may fracture and disable the secondary latch, or the latch can become bent from improper adjustment, all of which can allow the hood to fly open if the primary latch fails. Separately, 1987 door hinge pins can break and cause a door to swing open while driving, and in a crash, the broken hinge reduces the structural protection the door provides to occupants.
