RoadVitals

1991 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.
40
Latest Jan 15, 2004
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.
9
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 5, 1995

What this page shows

Our database holds 40 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 1991 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 40 · page 1 of 2

Body & structureSeat beltsSteering
Filed Jan 15, 2004

LOTS OF PEELING ON THE PAINT. ALSO THE ALTERNATOR WENT OUT THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP. I\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'VE HAD SO MUCH FIXED ON THIS CAR ALREADY AND SPENT LOTS OF MONEY. PLEASE ADVISE.

NHTSA ID
10069252
Incident
Mar 15, 1993
Mileage
25,000 mi
Fuel system
Filed Apr 28, 2003
Fire reported

I TOOK MY CAR TO HAVE IT SERVICED ON FRIDAY AND THEY SAID I HAD A GAS LEAK WHICH I HADN'T NOTICED. I HAD EVEN SMOKED IN MY CAR ON THE WAY TO THE STATION. WHEN THEY WAS EMPTYING THE GAS TANK SOMETHING SPARKED AND CAUGHT THE CAR ON FIRE WHICH ENDED UP DESTROYING MY CAR AND 3 OTHERS PLUS THE STATION. MY CAR WAS A 1991 MERCURY TOPAZ. HAS THERE BEEN ANY SIMILAR SITUATIONS INVOLVING THE FUEL TANK OR SYSTEM ON THESE CARS? *NLM

NHTSA ID
10016628
Incident
Apr 25, 2003
ElectricalEngine
Filed May 6, 2002

OIL LEAKS OUT OF THE TOP OF THE ENGINE WHEN FIRST DRIVEN, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SMOKE UNTIL OIL IS BURNED OUT. VEHICLE ALSO DIES UNEXPECTEDLY WHEN DRIVING IN HOT WEATHER. THE IGNITION HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE(3) TIMES BY CONSUMER USING REBUILT, NEW AND MANUFACTURED PARTS. *JG

NHTSA ID
8009258
Incident
Aug 6, 2001
Engine
Filed Mar 12, 2001

THE ENGINE STALLS AT GEAR ENGAGEMENT DUE TO COOLANT THERMOSTAT, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. NLM

NHTSA ID
560296
Engine
Filed Feb 22, 2001

VEHICLE WOULD STALL IN TRAFFIC AFTER STOPPING. NORMALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. THERMOSTAT WAS BINDING, CAUSING IT TO STALL. DEALER'S DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE WASN'T READING WHAT PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
881095
Incident
Dec 22, 2000
Electrical
Filed Feb 13, 2001

WHEN RIDING IN TRAFFIC VEHICLE STALLS AFTER A PERIOD OF SITTING AND TRYING TO ACCELERATE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PROBLEM WAS SUPPOSE TO BE FIXED, BUT VEHICLE IS STILL STALLING. *AK

NHTSA ID
880429
Seat belts
Filed Jun 30, 2000

FRONT SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT, BACK INTO PLACE AFTER USE. WOULD GET TRAPPED INTO THE SEAT CUSHION. TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. *AK

NHTSA ID
864624
Electrical
Filed Mar 14, 2000
Fire reported

VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE DUE TO DEFECTIVE IGNITION SWITCH. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON THE VEHICLE'S MAKE/MODEL. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMER WAS NOT NOTIFIED PRIOR TO THE FIRE. DEALER HAS REFUSED TO REIMBURSE FOR OR REPLACE CAR. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
858508
Incident
Jan 15, 2000
Seat belts
Filed Nov 24, 1999

THE LAP SHOULDER BELT DOES NOT FIT PROPERLY FOR CONSUMERS CHILD, THE SHOULDER BELT RUBS THE NECK AREA. *MJS

NHTSA ID
783869
Driver assistance
Filed Sep 29, 1999

WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE UP AND APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR, THE THROTTLE KEEPS GETTING STUCK. *AK

NHTSA ID
849235
Incident
Jan 1, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Jul 15, 1999

FRONT PASSENGER'S RESTRAINT WOULD NOT RETRACT. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK *ML

NHTSA ID
842409
Incident
Jul 12, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Jun 30, 1999

SEAT BELT LATCH WOULD GET STUCK IN THE BUCKLE, ONCE RELEASED, THE BELTS MAY OR MAYNOT RECONNECT. AFTER AWHILE THE BELTS DO NOT CONNECT AT ALL/ BECOME INOPERATIVE. *AK

NHTSA ID
841496
Incident
May 15, 1999
Suspension
Filed Feb 8, 1999

WHENEVER DRIVING FRONT OF THE VEHICLE IS PULLING TO THE LEFT.CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE IN THE SHOP TWICE, AND DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID
834588
Incident
Oct 12, 1998
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 14, 1998

ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO RACE AND BRAKES TO FAIL. *AK

NHTSA ID
825386
Electrical
Filed May 11, 1998
Fire reported

HAD JUST STARTED VEHICLE & LEFT IT PARKED & RUNNING. LEFT FOR A MOMENT. AFTER RETURNING, NOTICED FLAMES AROUND THE EDGES OF THE HOOD. CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT. THEY PUT FLAMES OUT & INFORMED OWNER IT WAS ELECTRICAL WIRING & HARNESS. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

NHTSA ID
823204
Incident
Mar 18, 1998
EngineInterior & seats
Filed Oct 7, 1997

INTERMITTENT STALLING, ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID
523602
Incident
Jan 1, 1995
BrakesEngineInterior & seats+2 more
Filed Jan 21, 1997

BRAKE SHOE ADJUSTER FELL OFF AT 50 MPH CAUSING DAMAGE TO DRUM.

NHTSA ID
513890
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 15, 1996

FAILURE OF THE GAS PEDAL, IN COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS THE GAS PEDAL STICKS TO THE FLOOR. *AK

NHTSA ID
805114
Incident
May 12, 1996
Engine
Filed Oct 29, 1996

INTERMITTENT STALLING.

NHTSA ID
510724
Incident
Jun 23, 1994
Electrical
Filed Sep 24, 1996
Fire reported

ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CATCH FIRE IN THE STEERING COLUMN.*AK

NHTSA ID
802828
Incident
Sep 1, 1996
Brakes
Filed Aug 29, 1996

BRAKE PEDAL GRADUALLY KEPT GOING CLOSER TO FLOOR BOARD WHEN APPLYING BRAKES, REAR BRAKE ADJUSTERS ARE NOT FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED, SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY ADJUST FOR WEAR, NO ACCIDENTS..*AK *JB

NHTSA ID
801609
Incident
Jul 25, 1996
Brakes
Filed Jul 18, 1996

WHILE DRIVING, EXPERIENCED REAR BRAKE ADJUSTER FAILURE WHEN SUDDENLY AT 35MPH LEFT REAR BRAKES LOCKED, NO WARNING. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID
987076
Brakes
Filed Jun 24, 1996

FAILURE OF THE REAR BRAKE ADJUSTER, THE REAR BRAKE ADJUSTERS FELL OUT OF POSITION, RESULTING IN REAR BRAKE FAILURE, PE96-005. *AK

NHTSA ID
985083
Incident
Feb 12, 1996
Brakes
Filed May 6, 1996

REAR BRAKE ADJUSTER CAME APART, PART GOT IN THE BRAKE LINER AND DRUM, CAUSING BRAKE FAILURE, REPLACED BRAKE. *AK

NHTSA ID
984131
Incident
Jan 4, 1992
Electrical
Filed Apr 18, 1996
Fire reported

CAR WAS PARKED, TURNED OFF AND IT CAUSED A FIRE. PLEASE DESCRIBE .

NHTSA ID
982972
Incident
Apr 5, 1996

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.

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Data on this page last refreshed .