IllustrationWATER 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
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 reportsTHE VEHICLE WAS NOT HOT, AND WHEN JUST CHECKING THE RADIATOR IT EXPLODED, ALMOST CAUSING INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHEN I ASKED THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS TOWED (GRINWALD FORD) LOCATED IN WATERTOWN WI TO CHECK FOR RECALL NOTICES, OR WARRANTY INFO, THEY INFORMED ME "SNOTTILY" THAT "WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THIS IS COVERED" - SERVICE MGR ADMITTED TO NEVER HAVING SEEN THIS HAPPEN B4. I HAVE ASKED FOR BROKEN PARTS TO BE REPLACED AND I HAVE ASKED FOR…
Read full complaint
WHEN I ASKED THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS TOWED (GRINWALD FORD) LOCATED IN WATERTOWN WI TO CHECK FOR RECALL NOTICES, OR WARRANTY INFO, THEY INFORMED ME "SNOTTILY" THAT "WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THIS IS COVERED" - SERVICE MGR ADMITTED TO NEVER HAVING SEEN THIS HAPPEN B4. I HAVE ASKED FOR BROKEN PARTS TO BE REPLACED AND I HAVE ASKED FOR THE BROKEN PARTS IF YOU WANT THEM FOR INVESTIGATION. PLEASE ADVISE.
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
WHEN GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE AND TRYING TO USE THE SEAT BELTS, THE SEAT BELT'S ARE STUCK IN THE TRACKS, CAUSING THE AUTOMACTIC SEAT BELT TO KEEP GOING ACROSS THE FACE AND THE SHOULDER. SOMEONE CAN GET CUT FROM THE SEAT BELT GOING FROM THE BOTH SIDES. *AK
ELECTRIC SYSTEM FAILURE, CAUSINHG POWER WINDOWS/DOORS TO MALFUNCTION. ALSO ABS MAKE METAL TO METAL GRINDING NOISES.
DRVER'S SHOULDER BELT DID NOT RETRACT OR RELEASE WHICH CAUSED THE OCCPANT TO BE LOCKED IN. ALSO STATES THE EMERGENCY SEAT BELT RELEASE BUTTON WAS INOPERABLE. DEALER COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
SEAT BELT RETRACTORS DO NOT MOVE AT ALL, THERE IS NOT A SHOULDER HARNESS WHEN THESE DO NOT WORK. CANNOT MOVE MANUALLY. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
WHEN DRIVING THERE IS A LOUD SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WHEN STOPPING THE VEHICLE THERE IS SOME JERKING WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. DEALER STATED MOTOR MOUNTS NEEDED REPLACING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
DURING REAR IMPACT THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEAT BELTS DID NOT LOCK, AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEATBACK BROKE, CAUSING SEAT TO COLLAPSE INTO REAR SEAT. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *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.