IllustrationBALL JOINTS WENT OUT 2 WEEKS AFTER CONSUMER PURCHASED VEHICLE. BALL JOINTS HAVE GONE OUT TWO OR THREE TIMES SINCE THEN. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER FIXED PROBLEM WHILE UNDER WARRANTY. BUT, AFTER WARRANTY WAS UP CONSUMER TOOK IT TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. BALL JOINTS WENT OUT WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 45 MPH. *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
What owners actually said
71 reportsWHEN DRIVING WOULD HEAR A METALLIC NOISE. HAD TROUBLE SHIFTING FROM 1ST & 2ND GEAR. TRANSMISSION DIP STICK WOULD HAVE METAL SHAVING ON IT. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC INDICATED THAT PLANATARY GEAR HAD FAILED. *AK
THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FAILED CAUSING A RATTLING NOISE TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD WHEN STARTED. THE METAL HAD SEPARATED FROM THE RUBBER AND THE KEYED CENTER PORTION APPEARS TO HAVE BROKE LOOSE FROM THE CASTING. NLM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
VEHICLE CONTINUALLY STALLS, MECHANIC IS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE PROBLEM.*ET
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
THIS CAR IS AT COLLEGE, SO THE NAME OF THE TIRE MIGHT BE INCORRECT. THAT RIGHT FRONT GETS WORN AND CHANGED MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY THAN THE OTHERS. YES, I'VE HAD ALIGNMENTS.*AK( DOT NUMBER: ACRV441097 TIRE SIZE: 185/70/R14 )
LINCOLN-MERCURY HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS MOTORIZED SEATBELT PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING TO IMPROVE THE REPLACEMENT PARTS. WHEN THE MOTOR DIES, THE BELT DOES NOT MOVE-A SCARY, NON-SAFETY FEATURE. *AK
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE IT HAS TROUBLE SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. THE OWNER HAS TO PULL OVER/SHUT OFF THE MOTOR, AND START IT BACK UP. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE BEFORE, AND WAS NOT ABLE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *AK
GEAR CRACKED CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO LOCK UP AND DESTROY ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. NLM
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.