IllustrationTHIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM FORD COMPANY IS BEING SUIED FOR I WAS NEVER TOLD CAR IS NOW WITH NEW OWER HAD TO TRADE IT IN WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
1993 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: 5 of 71 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 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
8 crash reports4 fire reports2 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
13 reportsVEHICLE STALLS OUT, AND WAS TOLD THIS IS A TFI MARGIN ( A DEVICE THAT REGULATES FLOW OF ELECTRIC CURRENT TO SPARKS PLUGS). WHEN VEHICLE STALLS, CONSUMER CUTS IT OFF, AND THEN TURNS IT BACK ON. IT IMMEDIATELY STARTS RIGHT BACK UP. *AK
INTERMITTENTLLY HOT CLIMATE VEHICLE STALLS OUT AND DIES. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK THE VEHICLE CAN NOT BE DRIVEN IN HOT WEATHER OR ON HIGHWAY DUE TO THE STALLING PROBLEM. *YH
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY IT IS HARD TO START VEHICLE AND IT OVERHEATS. RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE'S MAKE/MODEL FOR IGNITION AND ENGINE. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK
ELECTRIC SYSTEM FAILURE, CAUSINHG POWER WINDOWS/DOORS TO MALFUNCTION. ALSO ABS MAKE METAL TO METAL GRINDING NOISES.
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM UNDER THE DASH WHILE PARKED. *AK *JB
IGNITION FIRE. *SD
HEATER BLOWER SWITCH WIRES BURNED UP BECAUSE FUSE IS NOT BLOWING DUE TO WIRE SIZE NOT BEING APPROPRIATE. *AK
VEHICLE HESITATES AND VIBRATES. RESULTING IN VEHICLE STALLING. *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.