IllustrationBOUGHT CAR AT MOONEYS DESERT HOT SPRINGS AUTO SALES IN OCTOBER 10,2002 AS USED CAR. SEAT BELTS DO NOT WORK. SUSPENSION SHAKES, BRAKES MAKE NOISE. FUEL PUMP WENT OUT FIST TRIP. DRIVERS WINDOW DOES NOT RETRACK RIGHT. ENGINE OVER HEAT WHEN IDLING. WATER PUMP WENT OUT. AIR CONDITIONER AND HEATER DO NOT WORK.
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
Engine And Engine Cooling complaints
15 reportsWHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY HARD, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. ALSO, VEHICLE SHUT OFF UNEXPECTEDLY. *AK
I PURCHASED A CAR IN OCTOBER OF 2002, THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT WORK,THE A/C AND HEATER DO NOT WORK. FUEL PUMP WENT OUT AFTER AP. 300 MILES, WATER PUMP SHORTLY THERE AFTER. ALL 4 TIRES TREADED APART. ELECTRONIC SIDE MIRRORS DO NOT WORK. GAS GAGE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. HEATS UP WHEN IDLING. EXCESSIVE WOBBLE IN REAR END. FRONT END …
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I PURCHASED A CAR IN OCTOBER OF 2002, THE SEAT BELTS DID NOT WORK,THE A/C AND HEATER DO NOT WORK. FUEL PUMP WENT OUT AFTER AP. 300 MILES, WATER PUMP SHORTLY THERE AFTER. ALL 4 TIRES TREADED APART. ELECTRONIC SIDE MIRRORS DO NOT WORK. GAS GAGE DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY. HEATS UP WHEN IDLING. EXCESSIVE WOBBLE IN REAR END. FRONT END MAY BE FROM 1992 NOT 1993 MODEL OF CAR. DRIVERS WINDOW DOES NOT RETRACK RIGHT. TRUNK LID HOOK DOES NOT WORK. BRAKES MAKE NOISE. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON CONTINUOUSLY, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THEY CHANGED ALL SPARK PLUGS AND OIL, THE NEXT DAY CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE AND LESS THAN 5 MINUTES VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*AK. AFTER THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE DEALER INFORMED…
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WHILE DRIVING, THE ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON CONTINUOUSLY, CONSUMER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THEY CHANGED ALL SPARK PLUGS AND OIL, THE NEXT DAY CONSUMER PARKED THE VEHICLE AND LESS THAN 5 MINUTES VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*AK. AFTER THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE, THE DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE ENGINE WAS BAD, HOWEVER CONSUMER STATED THAT NO ONE INFORMED HER PRIOR THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE.*SLC
VEHICLE WILL STALL AND THEN SHUT OFF WHILE TRAVELING AT 65 MPH. *AK DEALER HAS REPLACED IGNITION MODULE, FUEL FILTER, SPARK PLUGS, AND DISTRIBUTOR CAP, HOWEVER VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALL, POSSIBLY ENGINE RELATED. *SLC
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
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
GEAR CRACKED CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO LOCK UP AND DESTROY ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. NLM
WATER PUMP HAS FAILED APROXIMATELY EVERY 20,000 TO 30,000 MILES FORM WHEN THE CAR HAD 11,000 MILES TO THE PRESENT. I AM UNABLE TO GET FORD TO TELL ME WHY THIS PROBLEM HAS CONTINUED TO OCCUR. I HAVE WORKED THROUGH THE DEALER TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM, BUT NO POSITIVE RESULTS WERE PRODUCED. *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.