IllustrationONGOING PROBLEM WITH DRIVER'S SEAT REMAINING IN A DECLINING POSITION. UNABLE TO STAY UPRIGHT DUE TO A PART NEEDED TO BE CORRECTED. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND WERE AWARE THAT PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE, AND WAS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK
1994 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: 3 of 63 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.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seat Belts. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports
What owners actually said
63 reportsCAR WILL ROLL MAYBE 6 INCHES OR A FOOT WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, NO MATTER HOW LONG VEHICLE HAS BEEN TURNED OFF. VEHICLE JUMPS IN AND OUT OF GEAR, AND ROLLS WHEN IN PARK. *AK.ET.
THE GAS TANK WAS LEAKING FUEL ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE LEAK WAS CAUSED BY THE RUSTING OUT OF THE TANK. THE CAR HAS NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF RUST. THE CAR HAS BEEN KEPT IN A GARAGE AND HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN ON SALTED ROADS. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND CAN VERIFY THAT THE CAR HAS NEVER HAD ANY REAR END DAMAGE. ACCORDING TO OU…
Read full complaint
THE GAS TANK WAS LEAKING FUEL ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE LEAK WAS CAUSED BY THE RUSTING OUT OF THE TANK. THE CAR HAS NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF RUST. THE CAR HAS BEEN KEPT IN A GARAGE AND HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN ON SALTED ROADS. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND CAN VERIFY THAT THE CAR HAS NEVER HAD ANY REAR END DAMAGE. ACCORDING TO OUR MECHANIC THE LEAK COULD HAVE LEAD TO AN EXPLOSION. FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS BEEN RELUCTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS ANY PROBLEM WITH THE RUSTING OF A GAS TANK.
WHILE TRAVELING VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT ANY INDICATION . VEHICLE WILL NOT RESTART AFTER STALLING . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
ENGINE BALANCER IS GONE BAD, CAUSING A VERY LOUD NOISE WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DUE TO THE UNBALANCED BRACKET. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO REPLACE PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES BUT CAN'T FIND A PROBLEM. HAD A TUNE UP STILL DOESN'T START ALL THE TIME. WHEN IT DOESN'T START JUMP THE BATTERY AND IT STARTS FOR AWHILE
THE LOWER CAMSHAFT BALANCER IS LOUD, MAKING A RATTLING SOUND.CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK
APPARENTLY THE FORD COMPANY KNEW OF THE DEFECTIVE FAN MOTOR/BALANCE PROBLEM, BUT SENT NO NOTIFICATION TO OWNERS. THE PROBLEM COULD HAVE RESULTED IN AN ENGINE FIRE. NOW, WE ARE EXPECTED TO PAY OVER $200 TO FIX A DEFECTIVE PART THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED BY FORD 2 YEARS AGO. THIS IS IRRESPONSIBLE ON THE FORD COMPANY'S PART.
DEALERS WILL NEVER LISTEN TO CONSUMER AND FIX WHAT IS REALLY WRONG WHEN THEY CAN FIND SOMETHING ELSE. FIRST THAT WILL INCREASE COST OR NOT FIX THE PROBLEM THAT IS OCCURRING AND SHRUG SHOULDERS AND SAY THAT THE CAR IS WORKING WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. NO SAFETY DEFECT INCLUDED IN SUMMARY. *AK
THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH SEAT TRACKS AND ANCHORS. DURING A MINOR COLLISION IN WHICH THE CONSUMER WAS REARENDED, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATS FLEW BACK AND CHAIR RECLINED. BY THE END OF THE ACCIDENT, THEY WERE FACING THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK
Official recalls
197V019000 · 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.
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.