The 1989 Pontiac Tempest has 4 recalls, the most serious being a fuel tank that can develop cracks along its underside, leak fuel, and catch fire if an ignition source is nearby.
The remaining three recalls all involve front seat safety. The front shoulder belt retractor on vehicles with a passive restraint system can fail to lock during a sudden stop or crash, leaving occupants held only by the lap belt and at greater risk of injury. Separately from the belt system itself, the front seat frame may have weld defects that cause the seat to shift unexpectedly during a crash or hard stop, affecting both occupant protection and steering control. The front seat belt latch plates may also fail to engage the buckle properly, or require repeated attempts to latch, meaning occupants may not be fully secured in a crash.