ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Aug 21, 2002
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
- NHTSA ID
- 8016872
- Incident
- Feb 1, 2001
1990 Mercury Topaz Owner Complaints
Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Complaints on fileComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
48
Latest Aug 21, 2002
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
14
Filed in the last 12 monthsReports filed with NHTSA in the trailing 365 days. Recent volume reflects attention and vehicle age as much as anything else.
0
Reports on file since Jan 24, 1995
What this page shows
Our database holds 48 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1990 Mercury Topaz. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Complaints, most recent first
Showing 1–25 of 48 · page 1 of 2
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 4, 2002
HEADLIGHT COVERS MADE OF PLASTIC BECAME YELLOW, AND MAKES NIGHT DRIVING DIFFICULT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 8006919
Electrical
Filed Mar 16, 2001
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
- NHTSA ID
- 560368
Electrical
Filed Oct 17, 2000
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
- NHTSA ID
- 873179
- Incident
- Jan 1, 1995
Electrical
Filed Jun 5, 2000
Fire reported
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
- NHTSA ID
- 863031
- Incident
- Jun 4, 2000
Engine
Filed Sep 15, 1999
Fire reported
COPIES OF FORM O.M.B. NO. 2127-0008 SENT VIA US MAIL, AND E-MAIL TO: HTTP://WWW.NHTSA.DOT.GOV
- NHTSA ID
- 711408
- Incident
- Jul 31, 1999
Engine
Filed Aug 2, 1999
Fire reported
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
- NHTSA ID
- 844055
- Incident
- Jul 31, 1999
Exterior lighting
Filed Apr 28, 1999
RIGHT HEADLIGHT LENSE COVER CAME OFF WHILE DRIVING. NM
- NHTSA ID
- 545235
- Incident
- Apr 5, 1999
Electrical
Filed Apr 5, 1999
ALTERNATOR LEAD TO THE BATTERY MELTED.
- NHTSA ID
- 544804
Driver assistance
Filed Dec 28, 1998
IDLES TO FAST ,BEYOND HIGH IDLE ,UNCONTROLABLE SPEED WHILE DRIVING
- NHTSA ID
- 701668
- Incident
- Nov 6, 1998
Electrical
Filed Nov 3, 1998
THE ALTENATOR CONNECTING WIRES GET HOT, AND THEY HAVE A TENDENCY TO MELT AND CATCH ON FIRE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK
- NHTSA ID
- 830037
- Incident
- Nov 1, 1998
Engine
Filed Jun 13, 1998
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.
- NHTSA ID
- 536850
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 24, 1998
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
- NHTSA ID
- 822774
- Incident
- Mar 17, 1998
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 24, 1998
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
- NHTSA ID
- 822771
- Incident
- Mar 15, 1997
Electrical
Filed Mar 10, 1998
Fire reported
ALTERNATOR SOCKET FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE FIRE.
- NHTSA ID
- 532285
- Incident
- Feb 9, 1998
Electrical
Filed Oct 23, 1997
ALTERNATOR HAS FAILED ON SIX OCCASIONS RESULTING IN BURNT WIRING AND DAMAGE TO OTHER COMPONENTS.
- NHTSA ID
- 533914
- Incident
- Jan 22, 1996
ElectricalEngine
Filed Oct 16, 1997
ENGINE CONTINUALLY STALLING.
- NHTSA ID
- 523835
Seat belts
Filed May 14, 1997
Crash reported
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
- NHTSA ID
- 812253
Fuel system
Filed Apr 24, 1997
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
- NHTSA ID
- 811668
- Incident
- Apr 23, 1997
Electrical
Filed Mar 18, 1997
AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE ALTERNATOR, CAUSING THE WIRING TO THE ALTERNATOR TO BURN OUT. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 809086
- Incident
- Feb 3, 1997
ElectricalEngineInterior & seats+3 more
Filed Mar 14, 1997
NINE MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE, ENTIRE EXHAUST SYSTEM FELL OFF, REPLACED EXTENSION PIPE, MUFFLER,TAIL PIPE, CLAMP.
- NHTSA ID
- 515627
- Incident
- Jul 23, 1996
Electrical
Filed Jan 24, 1997
THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR BURNED OUT, TOOK TO DEALER TO BE REPLACED. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 808074
Seat belts
Filed Dec 23, 1996
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
- NHTSA ID
- 804111
- Incident
- Sep 28, 1996
Steering
Filed Dec 18, 1996
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
- NHTSA ID
- 806541
- Incident
- Oct 20, 1995
Other / unspecified
Filed Dec 3, 1996
Crash reported
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER'S LUGS/NUTS CAME OFF, CAUSING A CRASH. *AK
- NHTSA ID
- 805823
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Narrow this down by component
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints, published verbatim
Data on this page last refreshed .