1989 Mercury Topaz
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Mercury › Topaz › 1989
These records cover every 1989 Mercury Topaz. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
1 recall names the 1989 Mercury Topaz. Newest first.
The ignition switch could experience an internal short circuit.
Risk and remedy
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.
Owner complaints
46 complaints2 involved a crash5 involved a fire2 injuries
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Electrical system › Ignition
I saw on schucks.com that my car was part of a recall for an internal ignition short circuit and my car has had the same symptoms such as smoke coming out of the engine and my car IS fine it only has 65,000+ miles on it and it turns off 2-3 secs after turning it on the only way to keep it on IS if I give it gas. *tr
- Engine and engine cooling · Equipment › Electrical · Unknown or other
Car keeps stalling when in an idle position (like at a stop light).takes about 10 tries to get it to start,and keep running.will idle high then idle low then idle high again then die...
- Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulator
Alternator had three sets of wires replaced. Feel free to provide any further information.*ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Vehicle stalls daily only at a stop stand still postion. consumer has been to several dealers, they could not find a remedy.*ak consumer states this failure has almost caused several accidents. *slc
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
Engine overheated and caught fire. *mjs
- Electrical system › Ignition
No summary listed for abov evehicle. *ak
- Seat belts
Drivers motorbelt will not return to shoulder once ignition switch has turned. *slc
- Steering › Hydraulic power assist system
The vehicle reported here was reacalled in 1997 and was taken in for repairs and when I got it back the steering was messed up. The dealer of reapirs was notified but did not contact me back! I have long since had tons of problems with this car! It continuously kept stalling out and lost power going uphill on a highway!*ak
- Power train › Automatic transmission · Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
Vehicle will not accelerate past five mph with application of gas pedal. Dealer stated vehcle needed new transmission. Please provide further information. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
When driving down the road there was an accident up ahead, vehicle overheated and shut off. ak
- Electrical system › Alternator/generator/regulator · Electrical system › Wiring
While driving vehicle & noticed an odor inside vehicle. The battery light flashed on. At home checked under hood. Noticed smoke coming from wire harness near the alternator. The plastic wire harness had melted down. Was able to drive vehicle to repair shop. The mechanic replaced the wire harness & the alternator due to being shorted out. *ak
- Power train › Automatic transmission
The vehicle will not accelerate past 5MPH with application of gas pedal. Dlr says needs new transmission. Mjs
- Air bags › Frontal
While driving at 35 mph, vehicle loss control causing consumer to run into a wall which resulted in no deployment of airbag system. please provide further information. *yc
- Exterior lighting › Headlights
Both headlight lenses have become opaque, becoming worse over the years, resulting in insufficient illumination at night, causing driver to try not to drive on highways after dark.
- Seat belts
Driver's side motorized seat belt fails with belt in the full forward position. this leaves the driver without any restraint being available. this means the driver can easily sustain far greater injuries in the case of an accident. *ak
- Vehicle speed control
Only in two occurrences vehicle surges unexpectedly which almost caused an accident. dealer cannot determine the problem. *ak
- Fuel system, gasoline › Fuel injection system
While driving the vehicle will stall without any warning but the vehicle will start up again. took to the dealer numerous times, dealer cannot determine problem. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Consumer kept hearing loud noises when shifting. Went to 4 different mechanics, could not find problem until the fourth mechanic said the noise was coming because there were 2 broken motor mounts. *ak
- Electrical system › Wiring › Front underhood
15-20 minutes after parking the vehicle, the vehicle caught on fire under the hood. Under investigations at this time. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
While driving vehicle stalls when accelerating. Dealer has been notified. *ak
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
While driving in hot weather, the vehicle overheats, causing the engine to shut down, resulting in vehicle stalling. *ak
- Power train › Automatic transmission
Transmission failed.
- Engine and engine cooling › Engine › Gasoline
The vehicle stalls all the time on the driver, and the dealership has no idea why it stalls. *Ak
- Electrical system › Ignition › Switch
Defective ignition switch, causing vehicle to stall when stopped at a light/accelerating from a stop.
- Vehicle speed control › Accelerator pedal
When at a stop light and started to go by pressing the accelerator, car stalled. *ak
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Rear brk adjuster failure
1984 - 1991 ford tempo/mercury topaz
- Rear brake system failure
There is no summary currently available
- Failed passive restraint
We have received numerous reports which allege a malfunction or failure of the passive restraint system.additional reports allege that the passive restraint system failed to restrain/adequately protect the occupant during an accident
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 6090087Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems.
- 6089681Subject on a wire harness terminal repair kit available for repairing electrical wiring harnesses.
- 3031200Unknown
- 623988Information regarding transmission fluid usage charts. *Slc
- 623944Some vehicles may exhibit heater core leaks. *Slc
- 612203Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *Mjs
- 608431Information on the new flush and fill tool available through rotunda.
- 606420Ford motor company now recommends sae 5W-30 viscosity grade for servicing any ford gasoline-powered vehicle regardless of model year.
- 604059Ford motor company has released a new electrical grease ( F8AZ - 19g208-aa ) to reduce the possibility of moisture corrosion at the terminals.
- 601343A new silicone gasket and sealant.
- 601312Information on a buzzing or rattle noise from the exhaust system.
- 601290Information on tire company telephone numbers for customer assistance.
- 601269Announcing the ford oem air conditioning retrofit kit availability.
- 601012The use of petroleum-based grease as a lubricant in servicing disc brakes IS no longer acceptable.
- 601010Recommended guidelines for towing behind recreational vehicles.
- 600586Front and rear bumpers made of xenoy plastic have had the conductive primer removed from service parts.
- 53660Vehicles exhibiting a "squeaking" or "chirping" from the blower motor at low blower motor speeds.
- 51990Blower motor- "chirping" or "squeaking" from blower motor at low speeds.
- 51945Fluid- transmission fluid usage charts.
- 51735Rear engine mount concerns.
- 50997Transaxle - torque converter replacement guidelines and torque converter/transaxle cooling system cleaning procedures - service tip.
- 50940Windshield and interior glass - fog/film.
- 50908Torque converter - leak test procedure - service tip.
- 50905Wiring - electrical diode identification and service replacements.
- 46478The use of petroleum-based grease as a lubricant in servicing disc brakes IS no longer acceptable because it may be incompatible with the rubber material used in the disc brake system. If petroleum-based grease IS used to lubricate any part of the disc brake system, it could cause rubber parts to swell if lubricant contacts the rubber material.
- 46460Certain 1989 model tempo & topaz cars equipped w/ 2.3L hsc engines built from 5/31/89 at kansas city & 6/22/89 at oakville through the end of the 1989 model year and all 1990 through 1994 tempo & topaz cars equipped with 2.3L hsc engines that are currently registered in the following states: ak, mt, nd, mn, wi, mi (upper peninsula), ny, me, vt, nh. The positive crankcase ventilation (pcv) system may freeze causing the crankcase to pressurize which could force oil out of the crankcase through the dipstick tube or past some other gasket or seal of the engine.
- 41025A revised service windshield wiper motor IS now available.
- 40073Blower motor chirp or squeak from blower motor at low speeds.
- 39900Roughness concern during brake application.
- 39717Wiper motor replacement - upgraded service kits.
- 39128Delayed and/or intermittent no upshift of 1-2 gear.
- 37800New revised clutch seals to correct a no reverse in extreme cold weather conditions.
- 37772The tv plunger valve position may be incorrect causing vehicles to have an intermittent no 1-2 upshift problem or cold/hard accelerator pedal effort.
- 37760Vehicles may exhibit the lack of reverse in extreme cold conditions.
Every Mercury Topaz model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.