IllustrationTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 MERCURY TOPAZ. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25-30 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD. IT ONLY ROLLED BACKWARDS INTO TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY WITH A MECHANIC. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30.
1992 Mercury Topaz
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Topaz years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 4 of 62 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Seat Belts. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports6 fire reports2 injury reports
What owners actually said
62 reportsTHE IGNITION SWITCH FELL APART 3 TIMES ON THE TOPAZ SINCE 1995, THE SWITCHES I BOUGHT AT FORD DEALERSHIP WAS THE EXACT SAME ONE THAT FELL APART. FIRST THE ACCESSORIES STOP WORKED ONE AT A TIME, A/C, TURN SIGNALS, RADIO, AIR CONDITIONING. THEN I PULL IT OUT AND REPLACED THE SWITCH, I CARRY AN EXTRA ONE IN T CAR AND HAVE THE REP…
Read full complaint
THE IGNITION SWITCH FELL APART 3 TIMES ON THE TOPAZ SINCE 1995, THE SWITCHES I BOUGHT AT FORD DEALERSHIP WAS THE EXACT SAME ONE THAT FELL APART. FIRST THE ACCESSORIES STOP WORKED ONE AT A TIME, A/C, TURN SIGNALS, RADIO, AIR CONDITIONING. THEN I PULL IT OUT AND REPLACED THE SWITCH, I CARRY AN EXTRA ONE IN T CAR AND HAVE THE REPLACEMENT DOWN TO 45 MINUTES. I REPLACED THE SWITCH NOW WHEN THE SECOND SIGN OF FAILURE OCCURRED. I HAVE A SMALL POUCH WITH ALL THE TOOLS. I NEED TO CHANGE THE PART AND HAVE THE BOLTS AND SCREWS MARKED THAT I HAVE TO TAKE OUT. I EVEN WRITE THE DATE AND MILEAGE I CHANGE IT IN MY SERVICE MANUAL SO I ALMOST CAN TELL WHEN THE NEST FAILURE WILL OCCUR. I KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE REPLACEMENT SWITCHES WHEN I CAN BUY THEM AT A DEALERSHIP FOR ANY WHERE FROM $9 FOR FIRST TO $16 THIS LAST TIME. THE LAST THING I BOUGHT THAT CHEAP WAS A PAIR OF WINDSHIELD WIPERS AT A DEALERSHIP.*AK
TO WHOM THIS MAY CONCERN; I BROUGHT MY DAUGHTER'S CAR IN FOR SEATBELT REPAIR. THERE WAS FAILURE OF THE SHOULDER STRAP TO OPEN WHEN GETTING INTO THE CAR. MY COMPLAINT IS WITH THE DEALERSHIP HAMMONTON AUTO GROUP WHITE HORSE PIKE HAMMONTON NJ. ON 6/25 THE CAR WAS BROUGHT IN- CHARGING $80 TO DIAGNOSE THAT THE SWITCH ON THE PASSEN…
Read full complaint
TO WHOM THIS MAY CONCERN; I BROUGHT MY DAUGHTER'S CAR IN FOR SEATBELT REPAIR. THERE WAS FAILURE OF THE SHOULDER STRAP TO OPEN WHEN GETTING INTO THE CAR. MY COMPLAINT IS WITH THE DEALERSHIP HAMMONTON AUTO GROUP WHITE HORSE PIKE HAMMONTON NJ. ON 6/25 THE CAR WAS BROUGHT IN- CHARGING $80 TO DIAGNOSE THAT THE SWITCH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE NEEDED REPLACING. THE PART COST $10 THE JOB WAS TO COST $260 - WHICH I FEEL WAS A CUSTOMER RIPOFF. WE DECIDED TO GET THE JOB DONE DESPITE THE OUTRAGEOUS COST. ON 6/26 WHEN WE ARRIVED TO PICK UP THE CAR-THIS SERVICE DEPT FIXED THE DRIVER SIDE WHICH WAS NEVER BROKEN IN THE FIRST PLACE. THEY DID NOT NOTICE THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE DIDN'T WORK AFTER AN $80 DIAGNOSTICS FEE. I AM NEVER GOING TO THIS PARTICULAR DEALERSHIP AGAIN. I AM ALSO REPORTING THIS TO THE BBB AND TO WHOEVER ELSE I CAN COMPLAIN TO. THIS IS WHY SO MANY AMERICANS ARE NOT BUYING FROM FORD ANYMORE.
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE STEERING WHEEL.*MR WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED FLAMES BURST OUT FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED (96V-071000) BUT THE CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED THE NOTICE. THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. *TS *NLM
THIS VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL# 96V071000 CONCERNING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION SWITCH. IGNITION SWITCH MUST BE MANEUVERED FOR SOME ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PARTS TO FUNCTION. FOR INSTANCE, AIR CONDITIONER WILL COME ON BY MANEUVERING THE IGNITION SWITCH. ALSO, ELECTRIC SEAT BELTS/POWER WINDOWS/ TURN SIGNALS, AND BRA…
Read full complaint
THIS VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL# 96V071000 CONCERNING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: IGNITION SWITCH. IGNITION SWITCH MUST BE MANEUVERED FOR SOME ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PARTS TO FUNCTION. FOR INSTANCE, AIR CONDITIONER WILL COME ON BY MANEUVERING THE IGNITION SWITCH. ALSO, ELECTRIC SEAT BELTS/POWER WINDOWS/ TURN SIGNALS, AND BRAKE LIGHTS DON'T OPERATE. *AK
CONSUMER HAS HAD PAST PROBLEMS WITH FRONT AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS ON BOTH SIDES. AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT BACK. BELT HAS TO BE TUGGED ON TO RETRACT. MOTOR MAKES A GRINDING AND RATTLING NOISE.*AK
WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND COMING UP TO A STOP LIGHT/SIGN VEHICLE WOULD STALL OUT. HAD NO PRIOR WARNING. HAD NOT BEEN TO A DEALERSHIP TO INVESTIGATE PROBLEM.*AK
VEHICLE STALLS AT SLOW SPEEDS, 35 MPH AND WHEN COMING TO A STOP. *AK
STALLING AT HIGH TEMPERATURES, WON'T START AGAIN FOR 15-30 MINITUES. POSSIBLY A BAD IGNITION MODULE. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
Official recalls
297V019000 · Engine And Engine Cooling:cooling System:fan
Feb 25, 1997
THESE VEHICLES ARE ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING STATES: ALASKA, IOWA, MINNESOTA, NEBRASKA, NORTH DAKOTA, AND SOUTH DAKOTA. THE VEHICLES INVOLVED ARE 1992-1994 TEMPO/TOPAZ VEHICLES WITH 3.0L ENGINES; 1994 TEMPO/TOPAZ WITH 2.3L ENGINES; 1992-1995 TAURUS/SABLE WITH 3.8L ENGINES; 1994-1995 TAURUS/SABLE WITH 3.0L ENGINES AND 1992-1994 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL VEHICLES WITH 3.8L ENGINES. DURING HIGH WINDS, HEAVY, BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW, AND LOW TEMPERATURES, THE ENGINE COOLING FAN CAN BECOME BLOCKED OR FROZEN WITH SNOW. THE FAN MOTOR MAY NOT ROTATE AND COULD OVERHEAT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN CAUSE SMOKE OR FLAMES FROM THE FAN AND/OR SHROUD, THE FAN ELECTRICAL WIRING, OR THE FAN MOTOR RESULTING IN A VEHICLE FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ELECTRICAL JUMPER HARNESS CONTAINING AN AUTOMATIC RESETTING CIRCUIT BREAKER TO PROTECT THE FAN MOTOR LOW SPEED CIRCUITRY FROM OVERHEATING.
96V071000 · Electrical System:ignition
Apr 25, 1996
THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE96033 · Engine Cooling Fan Fires
Opened May 2, 1996 · Closed Sep 30, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
IN DECEMBER 1995, FORD RECALLED 119,313 VEHICLES IN CANADA TO REMEDY THE SUBJECT CONDITION IN CERTAIN 1992-95 TAURUS, SABLE, TEMPO, TOPAZ AND CONTINENTAL VEHICLES.FORD IS AWARE OF SIMILAR INCIDENTS OCCURRING IN NORTHERN REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES, BUT MAINTAINS THAT THE FREQUENCIES DO NOT WARRANT A FINDING OF AN UNREASONABLE RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY.