1998 FORD CONTOUR Complaints

AFTER GOING THROUGH TWO FUEL PUMPS, FIRST PUMP WENT AT 32000 MILES AND THE SECOND AROUND 62000, I HAVE HAD EXTREME PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL PUMP. NOW, MY CAR DOESN'T START ON ITS OWN VERY OFTEN. I HAVE TO WIGGLE THE FUEL PUMP UNDER THE BACKSEAT IN ORDER TO START THE CAR. I HAVE, ON OCCASION, HAD THE ENGINE DIE WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE FREEWAY OR IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. ONCE THE FUEL PUMP WAS WIGGLED, THE CAR STARTED AGAIN AND I WAS ON MY WAY. I TOOK MY CAR TO A WELL TRUSTED MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THAT FORD DOESN'T HAVE ANY PARTS TO FIX THE VERY LOOSE PIPE THAT RUNS INTO THE FUEL PUMP. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND FEEL THAT MY CAR MAY STALL AND CAUSE MYSELF AND OTHERS GREAT DANGER. PLEASE HELP.*AK

I OWN A 1998 FORD CONTOUR. I HAVE BEEN HAVING SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE HEADLAMPS. THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLAMP HOLD MOISTURE INSIDE AND THE DRIVER SIDE IS STARTING TO DO THE SAME THING. NOT ONLY THIS BUT BOTH HEADLAMPS GO OUT OF AIM EVERY SO OFTEN. WHEN THE LIGHTS ARE ON LOW BEAM I CAN'T SEE TEN FEET IN FRONT OF THE CAR AND I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH THE HIGH BEAMS ON SO I CAN SEE WHAT IS IN FRONT OF ME. THIS HAS CAUSED FOUR NEAR MISSES. TWO WITH DEERS, ONE WITH A MAIL BOX, AND ON WITH ANOTHER CAR. I DON'T KNOW IF THE MOISTURE IN THE HEADLIGHTS HAS ANYTHING TO DO THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE HEADLIGHTS THEMSELVES. WHEN I HAD THE HEADLIGHTS AIMED FOR THE THIRD TIME I ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT THE MOISTURE PROBLEM AND THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE BOTH THE HEADLIGHTS.

CAR SPUTTERING AND STALLING. SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON. HAVE HAD IT "RESET" TO TURN THE SERVICE ENGINE LIGHT OFF ONLY FOR IT TO COME BACK ON A FEW DAYS LATER. *AK

FUEL LEAKING FROM TANK BECAUSE THE NECK WARPED. FORD MOTOR CO. SAYS IT WILL NOT COMPENSATE BECAUSE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.*AK

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT AIR BAG PROBLEMS. STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WHERE THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.MANUFACTURER OR DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED.*AK

LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE, PUNCTURING A TIRE THAT WAS ONLY A YEAR OLD, WHILE CAR WAS PARKED. A RECALL HAD BEEN DONE ON VEHICLE JUST OVER A YEAR AGO TO PREVENT THIS. APPARENTLY IT DIDN'T WORK. HAD I BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE I'M SURE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES. ESPECIALLY, HAD I BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE AS 50% OF MY DRIVING IS. I OFTEN HAVE MY GRANDCHILDREN WITH ME AND IT IS QUITE FRIGHTENING TO THINK WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. *JB

ON 5/3/2002 THE VEHICLE WENT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE RECALL 01I013000 REPAIRS DONE ON FRONT COIL SPRINGS. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 6/7/2003 BECAUSE THE FRONT COIL PUNCTURED THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE WHICH CAUSED IT TO FLATTEN. *AK

1998 FORD CONTOUR SE 4CYL VIN [XXX] - 4SPEED TRANSMISSION. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK WHEN THE TRANSMISSION MADE SUDDEN, ERRATIC, JERKY SHIFTS ON ITS OWN CAUSING THE CAR TO PULL FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND LOSING CONTROL AND LEAVING THE ROAD AND FINALLY STOPPING IN A FIELD. I HAD TO TOW HER OUT. THE CAR NOW DOES NOT MOVE FORWARD, BUT DOES HAS REVERSE. FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE NET HAS REVEALED OTHER FORD/MAZDA OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME TRANSMISSION FAILURES. I AM SURPRISED THE NHTSA HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING ABOUT THESE TRANSMISSIONS. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

SHREDS TIMING CHAIN BELTS EVERY 40-100 MILES, 8 REPLACEMENTS IN 3 MONTHS. PULLEYS, TENSIONER AND BELT ALL REPLACED REPEATEDLY BY FORD DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE TRYING TO SAY IT'S NORMAL. *NLM

NO DASH LIGHTS, BACK-UP, OR LICENSE PLATE LIGHT. TOOK TO DEALER AND DASH LIGHTS WERE FIXED $200.PLUS. BUT NO CLOCK LIGHT, LICENSE PLATE LIGHT OR BACK-UP LIGHTS. ALL FUSES WHERE CHECKED AND OK.*AK