1994 Mercury Topaz

Defect. 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.

Risk. 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.

MY DAUGHTER IS CURRENTLY DRIVING A 1994 MERCURY TOPAZ GS THAT I HAVE REGISTERED WITH FORD MOTOR. LAST WEEK SHE EXPERIENCED A FRONT WHEEL ON FIRE AS A RESULT OF AN OVERHEATING BRAKE. THE BRAKE WAS REPAIRED AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE SPLASH SHEILD THAT IS NEXT TO THE ROTOR WAS MADE OF A PLASTIC TYPE COMPOSITE THAT OVERHEATED AND BURST INTO FLAME. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A BURNED TIRE AND SUBSEQUENT BLOWOUT AND ACCIDENT. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT.*AK

LEFT REAR CONTROL ARM ROTTED IN THE CENTER CAUSING A BREAK. THE CAR SPUN OUT OF CONTROL AND BENT THE RIGHT REAR CONTROL ARM AS WELL. UNKNOWN WHAT OTHER DAMAGE WAS CAUSED YET. LEFT REAR CONTROL ARM OBVIOUSLY HAD NO ANTI-CORROSION COATING. RIGHT CONTROL ARMS CORROSION-FREE. LEFT FRONT CONTROL ARM ALSO CORRODED BUT NOT AS BAD.*AK

THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP, WHICH CAUSED THE TIRES TO LOCK UP. *JB THE GAS PEDAL WAS HARD. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE. THE MAIN CONTROL THROTTLE VALVE WAS REPLACED. SCC

THE "LEFT REAR TRAILING ARM" IS RUSTED THROUGH. THE VEHICLE WAS CHECKED BY DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT THE MUFFLER IS POSITIONED AGAINST COMPONENT WHICH MAY BE CAUSING CORROSION. THE CONSUMER IS VERY CONCERNED THAT THE WHEEL WILL DISLODGE AND THE VEHICLE MAY TAIL SPIN IF ARM BREAKS. *NLM *SCC

THE PASSENGER SEAT DID NOT SLIDE BACK DURING A SALES PRESENTATION. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE SEAT WOULD BE REPAIRED BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS PICKED UP. A DEPOSIT WAS PUT DOWN FOR THE VEHICLE WHICH WAS ALSO THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE CONSUMER FELT IT WAS AN ILLEGAL ACTION. (ONLY A RECEIPT WAS SIGNED, NO CONTRACT) THE CONSUMER REQUESTED A REFUND. *SCC *JB

MAF SENSOR FAILED. *YD

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

2.3L ENGINE INTERMITTENTLY WOULD STALLS OUT WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY GIVEN SPEED. VEHICLE HAD BEEN WORKED ON BY DEALER ON ONE OCCASION, AND ON TWO OCCASIONS BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP. BUT, PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER.*AK

PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT RETRACTOR PERFORMED POORLY. CONSUMER'S WIFE WAS CAUGHT INSIDE OF SEATBELT, AND WAS NEARLY STRANGLE/ CHOKED TO DEATH. SEATBELT WAS TIGHTLY PLACED ON HER. SEATBELT WOULDN'T RETRACT AT ALL. HIS WIFE HAD OPEN HEART SURGERY. AND HUSBAND WAS CONCERNED AT THIS POINT. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE LAP SEAT BELT BECAME STUCK AND WOULD NOT RELEASE, CAUSING CONSUMER TO BE TRAPPED IN VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

PASSENGER'S SEAT BELT IS INOPERABLE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

SHOULDER BELT IS IN OPEN POSITION/STUCK ON TRACK. CONSUMER CAN ONLY USE LAP BELT, AND FEELS THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT. *AK

NORTH PARK CONTACTED FORD REPRESENTATIVE AND THE FORD REPRESENTATIVE WOULD ONLY PAY FOR A PORTION OF THE BILL. WE WERE TOLD THAT THE FACTORY SEALANT DID NOT SEAL PROPERLY AND THUS IT CAUSED THE RAIN WATER TO ENTER THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AND DAMAGE THE CARPET. THE FORD REPRESENTATIVE TOLD NORTH PARK THAT THEY WOULD ONLY PAY FOR A PORTION. NORTH PARK WAS EXCELLENT IN TRYING TO GET THE FACTORY TO PAY. SO WE ENDED UP PAYING $199.61 TO GET THE CAR FIXED. WE FEEL SINCE THIS APPEARS TO BE A FACTORY DEFECT, WE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED THE $199.61.*AK

GAS PEDAL STICKS UP, TROUBLE MAKING GAS PEDAL TO GIVE THE CAR GAS

WHEN DRIVING AT 60 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH, AND VEHICLE CUT OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, CAUSING LOSS ALL POWER. CONSUMER HAS NOT YET CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

A HARMONIC BALANCER SHOULD NEVER FAIL ON A "STOCK" CAR, I WAS TOLD THAT THIS PART HAS A VERY COMMON FAILURE RATE.I USED TO DRAG RACE AND BUILD ENGINES AND ONLY UNDER RACING CONDITIONS DO STOCK HARMONIC BALANCERS FAIL,NEVER ON A STREET STOCK CONDITION CAR.I THINK THAT THIS IS A SAFTEY HAZZARD BECAUSE IF IT DOES FLY APART IT MAY COME THRU THE HOOD OF THE CAR OR MAYBE THRU THE FIREWALL, IT MAY EVEN DAMAGE THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE AND CAUSE A SUDDEN BLOWOUT.I STILL HAVE THE ONE I REPLACED ON MY CAR IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO EXAMINE IT. THANK YOU!!!

VEHICLE WOULD ROLL BACKWARDS AFTER TURNING IGNITION OFF. WOULD HAPPEN ON THE FLAT SURFACE OF THE ROAD. HAVE NOT BEEN TO DEALERSHIP. *AK

THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS INTERMITTENTLY. *MJS

DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S MOTOR SEAT BELTS WERE STUCK IN THE RAIL, WHICH WON'T PROPERLY RESTRAIN THE OCCUPANTS IN EVENT OF A CRASH. OCCUPANTS COULD HAVE SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK *ML

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK