1998 FORD CONTOUR Complaints

CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE. VEHICLE LOST POWER, AND BEGAN TO SMOKE. CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE WIRING OF THE TEMPERATURE GAUGES WAS DONE INCORRECTLY. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO.*AK THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE WAS DAMAGED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AS A RESULT OF THE OVERHEATING. *NM

RECALL 01V255000, WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE CONSUMER HEARD A RUMBLING SOUND COMING FROM BENEATH THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE FRONT SUSPENSION SPRINGS BROKE. CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

HAD VEHICLE TAKEN IN FOR NORMAL PMI (PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION) SERVICING AND DURING INSPECTION-- THE REAR PCRV (PRESSURE CONSCIOUS REDUCING VALVES WERE FOUND TO BE CORRODED AND LEAKING. THIS VEHICLE IS OPERATED IN WI (SALT IS USED ON ROADWAYS UP HERE). THERE IS A RECALL OUT FOR THIS ITEM, BUT IT COVERS NON-ABS VEHICLES ONLY....... MY VEHICLE HAS THE ABS SYSTEM. IT LOOKS LIKE THE RECALL WASN'T EXPANDED FAR ENOUGH..... PROBLEMS ARE STILL OUT THERE!!!!! THE TECHNICIAN THAT DID THE REPAIR ON THE CAR SAID THAT HE HAD DONE THAT SPECIFIC RECALL ON OTHER VEHICLES MULTIPLE TIMES, AND STATED THAT THE REPLACED PCRVS ON MY CAR WERE THE *OLD STYLE* VALVES..... THAT IS WHY HE WAS CONCERNED AND RECOMMENDED I REPLACE THE PCRVS ASAP--- WHICH WAS DONE THAT DAY. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT/INJURY/FATALITY INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT OBVIOUSLY. BUT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN. THE RELATED RECALL INFORMATION THAT I'M REFERRING TO IS AS FOLLOWS: NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID: 00V075000. *JB

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT, THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE HEADLIGHTS WERE DIM. THE CONSUMER WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

RECALL NO.#99S23, AIRBAG SENSOR MODULE: RECALL NO.#01F22, HEATER BLOWER RESISTER: WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON AT ALL TIMES. ALSO INTERMITTENTLY THE HEATER WILL NOT WORK PROPERLY WHEN THE SYSTEM IS ENGAGED. THE HEATER WILL ALSO BLOW OUT A FOUL ODOR SIMILAR TO SULFUR. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR VEHICLE BUT, THE CONSUMER'S IS NOT A PART OF THE RECALL. *NM

THE FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT IT COULD BE MID AUGUST, 2004 BEFORE THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE, IN THE MEANTIME, THE CONSUMER COULD NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE. *AK *SC *JB

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGH AND ANOTHER VEHICLE REAR-ENDED IT, CAUSING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. *AK

1998 FORD CONTOUR 4 DOOR SEDAN BOUGHT 10/15/99; SINCE THEN MANY INCIDENTS OF CAR CUTTING OFF SUDDENLY - SOMETIMES ONLY ONCE IN MONTHS, SOMETIMES SEVERAL TIMES IN ONE DAY; MANY CLOSE CALLS; NEARLY REAR-ENDED, ETC. FRIGHTENING TO BE POWERLESS IN TRAFFIC. MANY REPAIRS TRIED, COMPUTER ANALYSIS, ELECTRICAL CHECK UPS ONLY HELP IS TO REPLACE IDLE AIR CONTROL - COMPUTER CHIP WITH WHICH CAN GO NEARLY A YEAR WITHOUT RANDOM SHUT OFF. MANY CONTOUR OWNERS HAVE SAME PROBLEM, WHICH IS POTENTIALLY FATAL. HAVE HAD 4 SHUT DOWNS IN TRAFFIC IN LAST 2 WEEKS AND HAVE ANOTHER IAC - BUT FORD NEEDS TO FIND PERMANENT SOLUTION TO DEADLY ERROR. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH DRIVER SIDE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. CONSUMER HAD TO PULL OVER THE ROAD. FIRESTONE, FR 440, SIZE P185/70R14 , DOT:HYRV4FA3100. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY THE TURN SIGNAL MALFUNCTIONED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE BULB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *AK