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1992 Mercury Topaz

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1992 Topaz.

The 1992 Mercury Topaz is a compact sedan that requires 4.5 quarts of 5W-30 API-rated engine oil for maintenance, and it was produced during a period when the model accumulated 84 total owner complaints, with Engine & Engine Cooling representing the most frequently cited problem area alongside two separate recalls; positioned in the middle of the model's 1990-1998 complaint history range, the 1992 Topaz falls between the peak of 100 complaints recorded in 1994 and the minimal 1 complaint logged in 1998, suggesting a moderately troubled production year within a model that showed significant reliability variability across its lifespan.

Model year1994 1993 1992 1991 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.5 qtOEM · verified

Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Thermostat

RT1054 alt RT1062

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length	177.2 in
Overall width	68.1 in
Overall height	52.8 in
Wheelbase	100 in
Curb weight	2608 lb
Weight distribution (front / rear)	62/38

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.5 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake Fluid	DOT 3
Engine Coolant	ETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil	5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity	4.5 qt

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

At 7,500 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 7,500 mi	Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 mi	Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 30,000 mi	Accessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Breather Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1992 Mercury Topaz sits in the middle of a deteriorating federal-record arc for this generation. Complaints rose from 54 in 1991 to 84 in 1992 and continued upward to 100 in 1994 before collapsing to 13 in 1995; recalls stayed flat at two, investigations dropped from three in 1990–1991 to one from 1992 onward, and TSBs climbed from 38 in 1991 to 49 in 1992 and 59 in 1993. In 1992, the most reported problem areas were Engine & Engine Cooling (19), Seat Belts (18), Electrical System (11), and Power Train (6), accompanied by seven fire complaints and three crash complaints, though the data does not specify root causes. Because 1992 shows higher complaints and more TSBs than 1990–1991 and sits just before the 1994 peak, it is not the most reassuring year of the run. The concrete takeaway: it is a marginal choice at best; if you buy, prioritize a detailed inspection of engine cooling, electrical, and seat-belt systems, or seek a lower-complaint 1990–1991 example instead.

Open recalls

NHTSA campaigns

Service bulletins

Manufacturer communications

ODI investigations

Office of Defects Investigation

Owner complaints

3 involved a crash · 7 a fire

NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars

Side★★★★★

Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

’90 ’91’92’93 ’94 ’95 ’98

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 84 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine & Engine Cooling19

Seat Belts18

Electrical System11

Power Train6

Service Brakes, Hydraulic6

Visibility6

Fuel System, Gasoline4

Seats3

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

97V019000Engine And Engine Cooling:Cooling System:FanReported 25/02/1997

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… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL AN ELECTRICAL JUMPER HARNESS CONTAINING AN AUTOMATIC RESETTING CIRCUIT BREAKER TO PROTECT THE FAN MOTOR LOW SPEED CIRCUITRY FROM OVERHEATING.

96V071000Electrical System:IgnitionReported 25/04/1996

THE IGNITION SWITCH COULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERNAL SHORT CIRCUIT. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 49 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

Bulletin	Date	Component	Summary
01181	2001-09-17	Power Train	BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK.*JB
01156	2001-08-06	Visibility	SOME VEHICLES MAY EXHIBIT HEATER CORE LEAKS. *SLC
01157	2001-08-06	Unknown Or Other	INFORMATION REGARDING TRANSMISSION FLUID USAGE CHARTS. *SLC
01124	2001-06-25	Engine And Engine Cooling	ON SOME VEHICLES, ENGINE OIL MAY CONTINUE TO LEAK FROM THE ENGINE OIL PAN GASKET AREA…
0015	2000-01-10	Power Train	INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420

Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1

P0300

Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected

P0171

System too lean — Bank 1

P0455

Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak

P0128

Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature

P0442

Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN

Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Topaz. OEM

Build data

Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.

Recalls

Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Vehicles taking 4.5 qt Thermostat RT1054

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Vehicle recalls & TSBs OBD-II trouble codes Maintenance schedules Fluid capacities & specs

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1992 Topaz take?

4.5 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1992 Topaz have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.