1998 FORD CONTOUR Complaints

REGARDING NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 99V243000, CONCERNING FORD MOTOR COMPANY RECALL 99S23 ON 1998 FORD CONTOUR. THE NHTSA WEB PAGE LISTS THE REMEDY AS: DEALER WILL INSTALL AIR BAG SENSORS WITH REVISED WIRING INSULATION. IN ADDITION, VEHICLES WHICH HAVE THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT LIT, WILL HAVE A NEW AIR BAG DIAGNOSTIC MONITOR INSTALLED. MY 1998 FORD CONTOUR HAS HAD THE WIRING REPLACED WHEN I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR IT'S ANNUAL INSPECTION, AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS FLASHING CODE 51. ONCE THE WIRING WAS REPLACED, THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED LIT, AND THE CAR FAILED THE SAFETY INSPECTION. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND THE FORD DEALERSHIP (FREEDOM FORD, 1020 W. MERCURY BLVD. HAMPTON VA), REFUSE TO REPLACE THE DIAGNOSTIC MONITOR UNLESS I PAY FOR IT. I WOULD LIKE THE NHSTA TO REMOVE THE WORDING FROM THEIR WEB PAGE REGARDING THIS REPLACEMENT, OR INFORM ME THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REMEDY. THANK YOU.

WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH FRONT COIL SPRING PUNCTURED THE FRONT DRIVER'S TIRE. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER, AND HAD THE TIRE CHANGED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE FRONT WHEELS ON THE 1998 FORD CONTOUR WERE SEVERELY CRACKED. THE REAR OF THE WHEEL, THE CRACK CONTINUED TOWARD THE RIM, THEN CURLED TO THE RIGHT. *BF THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PAY TO REPLACE THE WHEELS . THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD PAY FOR REPLACING THE WHEELS. *NM

TOOK THE CAR IN FOR AN ALIGNMENT AND DISCOVERED THE FRONT COIL SPRING WAS BROKEN. DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE SPECIAL EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS PARTICULAR PART AND PAID FOR THE REPAIRS MYSELF. FORD ADMITS THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT WON'T REIMBURSE ME BECAUSE WORK WAS DONE BY A NON-FORD AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOP AFTER THE LETTER NOTIFYING ME OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS SENT OUT. EVEN THOUGH THE LETTER WAS SENT OUT TWO YEARS BEFORE THE PART ACTUALLY FAILED. EVEN IF FORD DOESN'T WANT TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE LABOR DONE BY THE NON-FORD SHOP, THEY SHOULD AT LEAST REIMBURSE ME FOR THE COIL SPRINGS BECAUSE THEY HAD TO BE ORDERED DIRECTLY FROM FORD!! *AK

THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE RUBBER ODOR HE SMELLED INSIDE THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE CAME FROM THE BELTS IN THE ENGINE. *NM *JB

FRONT COIL SPRING ON MY 1998 SVT CONTOUR BROKE. APPARENTLY FORD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE COIL SPRINGS ON THE BASE CONTOUR BUT NOT ON THE SVT CONTOUR WHICH IS APPARENTLY ABLE TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.*AK

1.ABS BRAKE FUSE AND BLOWER MOTOR FUSE ARE ONE AND THE SAME, DARN COLD IN MINNESOTA, AND HARD TO GET TOO TO REPLACE. MUST PULL OUT BATTERY FIRST. TO REPLACE THE HYDRAULIC PUMP FOR ABS BRAKES TO FIX PROBLEM...$3000.00, MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH FOR TRADE IN OR RESALE VALUE. I FOUND THIS OUT AFTER HITTING A DEER ON NOV. 26 2004. AND DOES NOT INCLUDE COSMETIC DAMAGE. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY EITHER. 2.FRONT AND BACK WINDOW MOLDING IS SHRINKING AND FORCING WINDOWS OUT, VERY DRAFTY. 3.SHIFT MODULE FAILED, TOOK TO FORD DEALER TO REPLACE, WHEN REPLACED THE DASH BOARD STARTED SMOKING. THE NEIGHBOR MODULE BURNT UP, AND ALL THE DASH BOARD WIRING. TOTAL COST TO REPAIR $1200.00, BUT THE DEALERSHIP TOOK OFF $200.00 OF THE LABOR COSTS. 4. I CALLED FORD ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS TO COMPLAIN. THEY WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. I HAVE DEALERS THAT WILL NOT TAKE IT ON A TRADE IN, BECAUSE IT'S A CONTOUR.*AK

I PURCHASED THE CAR ON OCTOBER 1, 2004. I WAS DRIVING THE CAR FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES ON THE FREEWAY I SLOWED DOWN DUE TO TRAFFIC. WHEN I STARTED TO TAKE OFF I FELT A JERK WHEN THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN I TURN OFF MY CAR AND RESTART IT, IT DOES NOT JERK WHEN IT SHIFTS, UNLESS I CONTINUE TO DRIVE ABOUT 10 MILES, THEN IT DOES IT AGAIN.*AK

I OWN A 1998 FORD CONTOUR SE, RECENTLY ON 10-13-04 I WAS DRIVING AND THE BACK OF MY SEAT GAVE OUT, CAUSING ME TO LOOSE TEMPORARY CONTROL BUT AVOID AN ACCIDENT. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE SEAT, I FOUND THE ENTIRE RIGHT SIDE OF THE SEAT WAS DISCONNECTED. THE METAL HAD SHEARED IN HALF, I COULDN''T UNDERSTAND HOW THAT HAD HAPPENED. THE BOLT WAS STILL INTACT, THE METAL HAD JUST SHEARED INTO TOP AND BOTTOM CAUSING THE SEAT TO FALL IMMEDIATELY BACKWARDS. I SENT EMAILS TO FORD MOTOR CORPORATION AND THE DEALER I PURCHASED IT FROM BRAND NEW, SEEING IF SOMETHING COULD BE DONE TO HELP. SO FAR I HAVE NOT HEARD ANY RESPONSE AND MY CAR IS A SAFETY HAZARD ON WHEELS, WITH NO USABLE SEAT BELT AND NO SUPPORT TO DRIVE. I AM A RECENT COLLEGE GRAD AND CAN'T AFFORD TO NOT WORK, SO I MUST STILL DRIVE IT EVERYDAY. *AK

THE BLOWER AND ABS SYSTEM WERE DEFECTIVE. THE ABS LIGHT WAS ON. THE FUSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AFTER INSPECTION WIRING HARNESS WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE. THERE WAS A RECALL FOR VEHICLES THROUGH 1997. *AK