Owners filed 48 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the electrical system. It has been recalled 2 times.
Not among the Mercury Topaz years to avoid. Which Mercury Topaz years to avoid →
20 of the 48 complaints (42%) are about the electrical system.
| Component | Reports | Crashes | Fires | Injuries | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System › Ignition › Switch | 6 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| Engine and Engine Cooling › Engine › Gasoline · engine | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Electrical System › Alternator/Generator/Regulator | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Electrical System › Ignition | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control · throttle and acceleration | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components · brakes | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control › Accelerator Pedal · throttle and acceleration | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Exterior Lighting › Headlights · headlights | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Wheels › Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Vehicle Speed Control › Linkages · throttle and acceleration | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defect. THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT.
Risk. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE OVERHEATING, SMOKE, AND POSSIBLY FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AREA OF THE VEHICLE.
Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.
Defect. THREADED INFLATOR COMPONENTS MAY HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING ASSEMBLY WHICH MAY ALLOW COMPONENTS TO SEPARATE WHEN INFLATOR RECEIVES A SIGNAL TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAG.
Risk. INFLATOR COMPONENT SEPARATION ALLOWS HOT COMBUSTION GASES TO ESCAPE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT WHICH COULD RESULT IN INJURIES TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS.
Remedy. REPLACE AIR BAG MODULES CONTAINING POTENTIALLY DEFECTIVE INFLATORS.
All 2 campaigns on file, newest first.
VEHICLE STALLED 7 TIMES AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER 5 TIMES, IGNITION MODULE WAS REPLACED TWICE, MULTI-FUNCTION SWITCH ONCE ,AND STARTER ONCE.*AK
HEADLIGHT COVERS MADE OF PLASTIC BECAME YELLOW, AND MAKES NIGHT DRIVING DIFFICULT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
THE VEHICLE'S TPI MODULE IS DEFECTIVE AND IS CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL INTERMITTENTLY, CONSUMER REQUEST THAT THE MANUFACTURER REPLACE THIS COMPONENT AT THEIR EXPENSE. NLM
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE WILL CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. THEN, IT TAKES A MINUTE OR TWO TO START IT OVER. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. FIRE STARTED IN THE STEERING COLUMN. VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 7774/IGNITION SWITCH. FORD ADVISED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. *AK
COPIES OF FORM O.M.B. NO. 2127-0008 SENT VIA US MAIL, AND E-MAIL TO: HTTP://WWW.NHTSA.DOT.GOV
BROTHER HAD DRIVEN THE CAR TO GET IT WASHED. THEN DROVE TO A RESTUARANT, AND THE CAR STARTED SMOKING AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. *AK
RIGHT HEADLIGHT LENSE COVER CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING. NM
ALTERNATOR LEAD TO THE BATTERY MELTED.
IDLES TO FAST ,BEYOND HIGH IDLE ,UNCONTROLABLE SPEED WHILE DRIVING
THE ALTENATOR CONNECTING WIRES GET HOT, AND THEY HAVE A TENDENCY TO MELT AND CATCH ON FIRE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
THE SMELL OF BURNED OIL AND SMOKE VISIBLE FROM THE FRONT GRILLE WAS CAUSED BY AN OIL LEAK. THE OIL PAN AND VALVE COVER NEED TO BE REPLACED BEFORE THE LEAK LEADS TO A FIRE.
WHENEVER ENGINE IS COLD ACCELERATOR PEDAL GETS STUCK. NEEDS TO PRESS VERY HARD IN ORDER FOR IT TO CATCH. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM WHICH OCCURS FREQUENTLY, BUT INTERMITTENTLY. *AK
WHENEVER ENGINE I S COLD, TE ACCELERATOR PEDAL GETS STUCK. NEEDS TO PRESS VERY HARD TO GET IT TO CATCH. TOOK TO DEALER & MECHANIC COULD NOT LOCATE PROBLEM. AT BEST IT'S FREQUENT AND INTERMITTENT. *AK
ALTERNATOR SOCKET FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE FIRE.
ALTERNATOR HAS BEEN REPLACED 6 TIMES DUE TO BURNT WIRING.
ALTERNATOR HAS FAILED ON SIX OCCASIONS RESULTING IN BURNT WIRING AND DAMAGE TO OTHER COMPONENTS.
OWNER STATES THAT SHE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHILE TRAVELING AT 15-25MPH AND FRONT AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS DID NOT HOLD/LATCH. ALSO, DEALER STATED THAT SAFETY CATCH WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK
FUEL TANK: THE FUEL TANK HAS CORRODED AND GAS IS LEAKING. TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR REPAIRS. FORDSTATED THAT THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE GAS TANK. *AK
AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE ALTERNATOR, CAUSING THE WIRING TO THE ALTERNATOR TO BURN OUT. *AK
PASSENGER'S SHOULDER BELT INOPERATIVE.
THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR BURNED OUT, TOOK TO DEALER TO BE REPLACED. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WIL NOT RETRACT, HAD THAT ONE FIXED, NOW THE PASSERGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. WHEN TRYING TO RETRACT THE SEAT BELT WILL NOT PULL OVER THE OCCUPANT. (UNDER INVESTIGATION EA 90 008). *AK
ARRIVING HOME, WAS PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY STEERING WHEEL FELT FUNNY, THE ENTIRE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL FELL OVER, TOOK TO DEALER, INFORMED TIE ROD BROKE, WAS REPAIRED, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER'S LUGS/NUTS CAME OFF, CAUSING A CRASH. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT HIGH AND LOW SPEED AND WHEN MAKING A STOP, THE VEHICLE STALLS/ HESITATES AND CUTS OFF. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.
BRAKE PEDAL GOES COMPLETELY TO THE FLOOR BEFORE STOPPING DUE TO REAR BRAKE ASSEMBLY ADJUSTOR. *AK
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.
IGNITION SWITCH FIRE.
VEHICLE STEERING COLUMN CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM CONTINUES TO FAIL, CAUSING BURNING AND SMOKING AT THE HARNESS AREA RESULTING IN DAMAGING OTHER COMPONENTS.
RECALL RELATED, IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE, VEHICLE WAS PARKED UNDER THE DASH COMPARTMENT FIRE, ELECTRICAL SHORT. *AK
INTERMITTENT STALLING. *SD
LOWER LEFT CONTROL ARM HAS GONE OUT OF VEHICLE. *AK
ELECTRICAL FIRE IN WIRING HARNESS TO ALTERNATOR. *SD
OIL LEAK.
BRAKES FAILED DUE TO UNKNOWN COMPONENT BREAKING OFF. *DSH
THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH WHILE DRIVING THE CAR. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK
APPLIED BRAKES, HEARD NOISE IN REAR AS IF SOMETHING WAS LOOSE; FEEL OF BRAKES PULLING; OWNER WILL PROVIDE MORE DETAILS. *AK
UPON REAR END COLLISION, RIGHT PASSENGER SEAT BACK COLLAPSED DUE TO SEAT LEVER FAILING. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
AFTER PARKED 30-40 MINUTES, VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE W/CAUSE UNKNOWN BY FIRE DEPT PORTAGE COUNTY IN KENT WA., PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT
THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED WITH ONLY 62,000 MILES.PLEASE DESCRIBE. TT
BRAKES FAIL UPON INITIAL APPLICATION, DON'T RESPOND UNTIL APPLIED A SECOND TIME. *AW
INTERMITTENT STALLING WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP/SLOW DOWN. *SKD
STEERING CASTER SPLIT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO PULL TO RIGHT.
WHEN VEHICLE GETS UP TO 10 MPH GAS PEDAL STICKS. TT
WHEN TAKING OFF FROM STANDSTILL; GAS PEDAL DOES NOT SMOOTHLY ACCELERATE; STICKS; CABLE TO TRANSMISSION IS SITUATED STRAIGHT UP/DOWN; SHOULD BE SLIGHTLY BENT. T
All 48 complaints, reproduced as filed.
No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.
Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.
Most recent recall on file: Apr 25, 1996. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.