1995 FORD CONTOUR Complaints

COOLING FAN INOPERATIVE DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT FROM A BEARING SEIZE. FAN WAS REPLACED AT OWNERS EXPENSE TWICE AND IS STILL INOPERATIVE, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND THE AIR CONDITIONING TO FAIL.*AK

I BOUGHT A CAR ON AUG O8,2003. IT BROKE DOWN AN HOUR LATER ON THE HIGHWAY. I TOOK IT TO TINKS AND THE MECHANIC RUSS TOLD ME THAT THE WERE 20-30 WIRES THAT NEED TO BE REPLACE AND THAT THE CAR WAS NO GOOD. I WANTED MY MONEY BACK AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD FIX THE CAR THE WARRANY IS FOR 30 DAYS.THEY FIXED THE CAR AND I GOT IT BACK ON AUG 14,2003. IT STALLED 4 TIMES AFTER I PICKED IT UP. THEY ALSO GAVE ME 4 KEYS THAT WOULD NOT OPEN THE CAR SO I WAS LOCKED OUT. THEY HAD TO BREAK INTO THE CAR BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T HAVE THE KEY. I HAD TO GO PHILLIPSBURG TO GET AN ID I HAD LOST. I WAS DRIVING IN THE THIRD LANE WHEN THE CAR JERKED AND STARTED SMOKING. THATS WHEN WE NOTICE THE CAR WAS ON FIRE.I GOT OVER TO THE SHOULDER WE GOT OUT. THE CAR WAS ON FIRE I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT MY KIDS,MYSELF, AND THIER FATHER WERE IN DANGER.WE I CALLED THE DEALER AND I TOLD ANTHONY WHAT HAPPEN ,HE HAD NO REMORS HE SAID I HOPE YOU HAD INSURANCE. NOT ASKING IF WE WERE OK. CAN YOU HELP ME PLEASE HOW CAN HE CELL A CAR THAT CATCHES ON FIRE. THAT WAS A SCARY SITUATION AND I NEVER WANTED MY KIDS TO HAVE TO HAVE TO GO THROUGH THAT PUT YOURSELF IN MY SHOES HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF IT WAS YOU. HELP ME PLEASE . *AK

MY FORD 95 SE 4-DOOR CONTOUR, CAME WITH P205/60RX15T BSW TIRES. I REPLACE THE ORIGINAL FRONT TIRES, WHICH WERE (FIRESTONE F-HAWK GTA BW-WTH SAME, AFTER 35 THOUSAND MILES. AFTER AN ADDITIONAL 15 THOUSNAND, I REPLACED THE ORIGINAL REAR TIRES WITH ANOTHER BRAND NAME-ROTATING THE NEWER FIRESTONES TO THE REAR OF THE CAR. AT 56 THOUSAND MILES THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLOWS OUT, AND THE TIRE SHOP SAID THAT BUBBLES ON THE INNER SIDEWALL PREVENTED THE TIRE FROM BEING REPAIRED. TWO DAYS LATER THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLOWS, AND I AM LEFT WITH-OUT A SPARE TIRE, WHICH IS WHEN I REPLACE THE TIRES THAT WERE 30.5 THOUSAND MILES PREVIOUSLY: HOGAN TIRE & AUTO SERVICE CENTERS, WALTHAM MASSUACHUSETTS, AND AUTHORIZED FIRESTONE DEALER. I NOW HAVE MISSMATCHED TIRES, ON MY CAR AS A RESULT OF PRELIMINARY TIRE WEAR AND BREAKDOWN. I WOULD LIKE A FIRESTONE DEALER TO PROVIDE ME WITH FOUR NEW TIRES, WHICH TO RESOLVE THE MY TIRE DIFFICULTIES. CORDIALLY GLENN CHESNUT. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE IS LEAKING GAS FROM THE TAIL PIPE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

CONSUMER STATED DIDN'T RECEIVE A RECALL LETTER, AND MANUFACTURER STATED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS OVER 100,000 MILES, AND WAS NOT COVERED ANY LONGER UNDER THIS RECALL. VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *AK

THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY IS NOT PERFORMING. SIGNIFICANT HAZE ON THE LENSES HAS REDUCED LIGHT OUTPUT TO DANGEROUSLY LOW LEVELS. PARTS ARE INTEGRAL TO THE AUTOMOBILE [NOT CUSTOMER REPLACEABLE].*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE REAR COIL SPRING FAILED. THIS WAS THE SECOND FAILURE OF THE COIL SPRING AND IT APPEARED TO BE RUSTED. *AK *CB *NLM

ENGINE COOLING FAN CAUGHT FIRE IN 1999 - CAR UNDER WARRANTY AND REPAIRED BY DEALERSHIP. 2 MORE ENGINE COOLING PROBLEMS IN 1999 THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEM WAS WHEN THE WATER PUMP FAILED. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN 2002 THE ENGINE BEGAN OVERHEATING AND WE HAD TO REPLACE THE THERMOSTAT, OTHER PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED WERE REPLACEMENT OF OXYGEN SENSOR AND FUEL PUMP DUE TO LEAKAGE. IN JUNE 2003 CAR OVERHEATING, THE COOLING FAN CONNECTION HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED. IN JULY 2003 CAR OVERHEATING, CHECKED BY MECHANIC WHO NOTED THAT THERE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING, RECOMMENDED DEALERSHIP REPAIR DUE TO COST. ON DAY ONE DEALERSHIP ESTIMATED COST OF WATER PUMP REPLACEMENT $380.00. DAY TWO DEALERSHIP CALLS - HEAD GASKET BLOWN AND FAN BELT WORN BILL NOW $1100.00. DAY THREE DEALERSHIP CALLS - ONE OF THE OXYGEN SENSORS AND ANOTHER PART NEEDS REPLACING AN ADDITIONAL $300-400.00. TOTAL BILL $1600.00. *JB

I HAVE A 1995 FORD CONTOUR AND RECENTLY HAD IT IN THE GARAGE TO HAVE SOME TRANSMISSION WORK DONE. WHEN I PICKED THE CAR UP THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR WAS A SAFETY HAZARD AS MOST OF THE UNDER HOOD WIRING HARNESSES WERE FAULTY. THE INSULATION OM THE WIRES WERE CRACKING AND IN SOME CASES BARE WIRES WERE EXPOSED. I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF ANY RECALL'S ON THE CONDITION HAVE I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE WILL STALL, AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK