1994 Mercury Topaz Owner Complaints

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

NHTSA ID

10078539

Incident

Jun 18, 2004

Mileage

83,800 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10058264

Incident

Feb 1, 2004

Mileage

80,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10014805

Incident

Mar 22, 2003

Mileage

47,928 mi

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

NHTSA ID

8019318

Incident

Sep 1, 2002

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

NHTSA ID

566904

Incident

May 28, 2002

MAF SENSOR FAILED. *YD

NHTSA ID

564031

Incident

Apr 26, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

750687

Incident

Sep 1, 2000

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

NHTSA ID

892644

Incident

Jul 10, 2001

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

NHTSA ID

890429

Incident

Jun 14, 2001

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

NHTSA ID

887694

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

NHTSA ID

881886

Incident

Jun 1, 1995

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

NHTSA ID

881270

Incident

Nov 2, 2000

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

NHTSA ID

736022

Incident

Oct 26, 2000

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

NHTSA ID

734671

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

NHTSA ID

872761

Incident

Oct 6, 2000

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!!!

NHTSA ID

728720

Incident

Jan 25, 1999

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

NHTSA ID

868190

THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STICKS INTERMITTENTLY. *MJS

NHTSA ID

552852

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

NHTSA ID

864326

Incident

Jun 26, 2000

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

724640

Incident

Jun 27, 2000

ONGOING PROBLEM WITH DRIVER'S SEAT REMAINING IN A DECLINING POSITION. UNABLE TO STAY UPRIGHT DUE TO A PART NEEDED TO BE CORRECTED. DEALER/MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND WERE AWARE THAT PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE, AND WAS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ID

862138

Incident

Jan 15, 1998

CAR WILL ROLL MAYBE 6 INCHES OR A FOOT WHEN VEHICLE IS TURNED OFF, NO MATTER HOW LONG VEHICLE HAS BEEN TURNED OFF. VEHICLE JUMPS IN AND OUT OF GEAR, AND ROLLS WHEN IN PARK. *AK.ET.

NHTSA ID

859398

THE GAS TANK WAS LEAKING FUEL ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE LEAK WAS CAUSED BY THE RUSTING OUT OF THE TANK. THE CAR HAS NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF RUST. THE CAR HAS BEEN KEPT IN A GARAGE AND HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN ON SALTED ROADS. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND CAN VERIFY THAT THE CAR HAS NEVER HAD ANY REAR END DAMAGE. ACCORDING TO OUR MECHANIC THE LEAK COULD HAVE LEAD TO AN EXPLOSION. FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS BEEN RELUCTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS ANY PROBLEM WITH THE RUSTING OF A GAS TANK.

NHTSA ID

714191

Incident

Oct 26, 1999

WHILE TRAVELING VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT ANY INDICATION . VEHICLE WILL NOT RESTART AFTER STALLING . PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

845814

Incident

Jun 1, 1998

ENGINE BALANCER IS GONE BAD, CAUSING A VERY LOUD NOISE WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT DUE TO THE UNBALANCED BRACKET. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO REPLACE PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

845118