1999 FORD CONTOUR Complaints

I PURCHASED A USED 1999 FORD CONTOUR FROM A PRIVATE PARTY ON 6/21/04. WHEN I HAD THE REQUIRED STATE OF VERMONT INSPECTION DONE ON 6/30/04 A BROKEN RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING WAS DISCOVERED. THIS IS A HISTORIC PROBLEM, AND SEVERE SAFETY HAZZARD ON THE FORD CONTOUR SERIES, AS SUDDEN TIRE FAILURE IS COMMMON WITH THIS BREAKAGE. YEARS 1995 THROUGH 1998 HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THIS ISSUE. THE PROBLEM FOR THE 1998 MODEL YEAR WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL 2001, AND A RECALL WAS ISSUED THAT SAME YEAR. THEREFORE, I BELIEVE THAT FORD WAS STILL USING THE DEFECTIVE PARTS WHEN MY CAR WAS BUILT IN 9/98. THIS SEEMS TO BE A PREVALENT PROBLEM AS FORD IS BACKORDERED ON REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR OVER A MONTH. IT IS MY FEELING AT THIS TIME THAT THE 1999 MODEL SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.*AK

THIS IS NOT AN AESTHETIC COMPLAINT AS CLASSIFIED BY FORD MOTOR CORPORATION. DASHBOARD IS PEELING UP FROM BASE OF WINDSHIELD AND OBSTRUCTING DRIVERS VIEW, DEFROST PANEL IS NOW DISLODGED FROM DASHBOARD AND CREATING ADDITIONAL OBSTRUCTION OF DRIVER'S VIEW AND RENDERED NON FUNCTIONAL. THE RECESSION OF THE DASHBOARD IS NOW SEPARATING FROM THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT SECTION OF THE DASH. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW AND HAVE BEEN THE SOLE OWNER SINCE ITS PURCHASE IN JULY 1999 AND HAVE BEEN REFUSED ASSISTANCE. I CONTACTED FIRST THE FORD DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS IN FACT A RECALL ON THIS ITEM AND HAD SINCE EXPIRED AND WAS DIRECTED TO CALL FORD MOTOR CORPORATION DIRECTLY FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL. THE THREE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO OVER THE PAST 24-30 MONTHS EACH CONFIRMED THE RECALL AND NOTED 1) SINCE IT WAS CLASSIFIED AS AN AESTHETIC PROBLEM IT HAD AN EXPIRATION DATE ATTACHED IT AND 2) IT WAS SENT TO THE DEALERSHIPS TO EXPEDITE ON VEHICLES THAT CAME IN FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE VISITS. AGAIN, I WAS NOT NOTIFIED FROM EITHER THE DEALERSHIP AT THE TIME OF MY SERVICE VISITS OR FORD MOTOR CORPORATION WHEN THE RECALL WAS INITIATED. I HAVE REQUESTED SECOND OPINIONS FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES THAT ARE FORD CERTIFIED IN BODY REPAIR AND EACH NOTED THE RAMIFICATIONS OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT THE MANUFACTURER DEFECT CORRECTED IS AND NOT LIMITED TO A SPONTANEOUS DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG AND A RESULT OF A POTENTIALLY FATAL ACCIDENT FOR THE DRIVER, PASSENGERS, AND NOT EXCLUDING OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD THAT COULD INADVERTENTLY BE INVOLVED. IN MY RESEARCH OF THIS SITUATION I HAVE FOUND COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE WITH SIMILAR RESPONSES SINCE 2001.*AK

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FRONT COIL SPRINGS SNAPPED, AND VEHICLE BECAME INOPERATIVE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DASHBOARD BECAME UNGLUED AND POPPED UP, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE CONTACTED. *AK

THE DASHBOARD OF OUR 1999 FORD CONTOUR HAS EXPERIENCED A SEVERE WARPAGE AND IS NOW RESTING UPWARD ABOUT 5 INCHES HIGHER THAN ITS NORMAL POSITION. THE DEFROSTER GRILL POPPED OUT EARLIER AND IN THE WINTER THE DEFROST FUNCTION DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE CURRENT POSITION OF THE WARPED DASHBOARD IS OBSTRUCTING OUR VISIBILITY OF THE ROADWAY AND A SERVICE TECHNICIAN AT THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP ADMITTED THAT IT WAS A HAZARDOUS. THERE WAS A FORD CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM (#01B78) WHICH WAS ISSUED IN AUGUST 2001 AND EFFECTIVE UNTIL AUGUST 31, 2002 ADMITTING TO PROBLEMS WITH DASHBOARD (INSTRUMENT PANEL) WARPAGE ON THE 1999 & 2000 FORD CONTOUR. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE ON AT LEAST 4 OCCASIONS OVER THE PAST YEAR PLUS WITHOUT ANY SATISFACTION AND THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. THE FORD DEALER (HERITAGE FORD IN SOUTH BURLINGTON, VERMONT) INDICATES THAT THIS IS A FACTORY PROBLEM WHICH IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED. THEY WERE TO NOTIFY A FORD REGIONAL SERVICE TECHNICIAN OVER A MONTH AGO BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM ANYONE. THE LOCAL DEALER ESTIMATES THAT IT WOULD COST ME $1400 TO $1800 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. BASED ON WHAT I'VE OUTLINED ABOVE, I FEEL THAT IT SHOULD BE COMPLETED AT FORD'S COST. I FEEL THAT THIS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM, WHICH IS GETTING WORSE WITH THE IMPAIRED VISIBILITY AND COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I CAN'T EVEN SEE THE HOOD FROM MY SITTING POSITION IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT. ALSO, IF I WERE TO TRY AND SELL THE CAR, IT WOULD BE BASICALLY NON SALEABLE BECAUSE OF THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. THERE ARE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FILED WITH YOUR AGENCY REGARDING THIS PROBLEM THAT I RESEARCHED UNDER THE CATEGORIES OF OTHER, VISIBILITY AND VISIBILITY...DEFROSTER AMONG OTHERS. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS ARE REQUIRED BEFORE YOU FORCE FORD TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION? FORD HAS ALREADY ADMITTED A FLAW IN THE DASHBOARD WITH THEIR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM. ANY ASSISTANCE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

VEHICLE HESITATES AND JERKS VIOLENTLY ON ACCELERATION, FEELS LIKE IT WANTS TO STALL.DASHBOARD CURLED UP IN FRONT BY WINDSHIELD, OBSTRUCTING VIEW AND POPPED OUT VENT TRIM. DEALER WOULN'T FIX IT BECAUSE THEY SAID THE RECALL ON IT HAD EXPIRED. HAD TO TRY TO GLUE IT DOWN OURSELF.*AK

I OWN A 1999'CONTOUR THE DASHBOARD HAS CURLED UP AT THE VENT AREA NEAR WINDOW. HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR CO. AND THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT ISSUE. I HAVE CONTACTED PREVIOUS OWNERS AND THEY KNEW NOTHING OF THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM PROVIDED BY FORD. FORD TELLS ME IT WAS A TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE TYPE OF THING . BUT I SEE THAT THEY HAVE ONLY TRIED TO AVOID TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR A FAULTY PRODUCT. I WILL SERIOUSLY CONSIDER NEVER PURCHASING ANOTHER FORD . THIS HAS BEEN MY 4TH FORD THAT I HAVE OWNED AND IT SADDENS ME TO SEE THE POOR RESPONSE FROM FORD ABOUT A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS PROBLEM. *AK

A RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR THE DASHBOARD BUCKLING. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER, AND THEIR RESPONSE WAS SORRY, THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *AK

THE DASH ON MY 1999 FORD CONTOUR GL BEGAN PEELING AWAY MORE THAN TWO YEARS AGO. DESPITE RECEIVING A RECALL LETTER FROM FORD ABOUT THE PROBLEM, I WAS UNABLE TO HAVE IT REPLACED/REPAIRED. ABOUT THE SAME TIME, I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE RADIO CUTTING OUT. I COULD PUSH IN A CASSETTE THEN REMOVE IT TO GET THE RADIO TO COME BACK ON, BUT NOTHING ELSE WOULD WORK. JUST YESTERDAY I DROVE MY CAR WITH NO PROBLEM...UNTIL I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR, I WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. WHEN I TURN THE KEY TO THE FIRST STOP, THE ACCESSORY POSITION, THE RADIO, LIGHTS, ETC., ALL WORK FINE. WHEN I TURN THE KEY FURTHER, TO START THE CAR OR TO THE SECOND STOP TO POWER OTHER DEVICES (AC, POWER WINDOWS, ETC), IT BEHAVES AS IF THE BATTERY IS DEAD. THE BUZZER (DOOR OPEN, KEYS IN IGNITION) IS VERY FAINT, RADIO DOESN'T WORK, WINDSHIELD WIPERS MOVE ONE VERY SLOW PASS (EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE TURNED OFF), CAN'T GET THE CAR OUT OF "PARK". I HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME, BUT CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. WILL CALL THE DEALERSHIP, BUT AM NOT HOPEFUL OF GETTING THE CAR FIXED. *AK

THE CAR IS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR. I HAD MY 4 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER BUCKLED IN THE REAR SEAT. WE WERE DRIVING WHEN SHE REACHED OVER AND THOUGHT SHE WAS PULLING FOR THE WINDOW. SHE GRABBED FOR THE DOOR HANDLE INSTEAD, AND TO MY SURPRISE OPENED IT. THE DOOR FLEW OPEN,,SHE WAS BUCKLED IN AND NOT ONE WAS HURT..JUST UPSET. I CHECK THE CHIKD DOOR LOCKS....AND TO MY SURPRISE THE LABEL IS BACKWARDS. IT POINTS IN THE LOCK DIRECTION, BUT THIS IS THE OPEN DIRECTION. I LOOKED AT A FRIENDS CONTOUR, ALL THE LABELS ARE INCORRECT!!!!!*AK