1999 FORD CONTOUR Complaints

DASHBOARD HAS WARPED UPWARD AND RIGID AIR PLASTIC GRIL POPPED OUT OF LOCATION. WARPING HAS BECOME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER TIME AND IS BEGINNING TO OBSTRUCT LOWER EDGE OF WINDSHIELD AT CENTER OF DASH. DEALER SAYS THEY ARE AWARE OF PROBLEM BUT SERVICE BULLETIN AUTHORIZING REPAIR UNDER WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. THEY SAY CUSTOMER MUST PAY $1,400 TO REPLACE ENTIRE DAHBOARD TO EFFECT REPAIR. CAR IS 40 MONTHS OLD AND HAS ONLY 28,000 MILES.*AK

THE DASH BOARD ON MY 1999 CONTOUR HAS CURLED BACK AND THE VENT MECHANISM HAS COME OUT. NOW, THE DEFROSTER IS OBSTRUCTED AND DOES NOT DEFROST MY WINDSHIELD PROPERLY. MY WINDSHIELD HAS NOW CRACKED. THE DEALER SAID THIS WAS THE SUBJECT OF A RECALL, BUT THE RECALL IS NOW "EXPIRED".OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR: THE RADIO SPEAKERS HAVE FAILED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WERE REPLACE UNDER MY WARRANTY, BUT NOW THAT I AM OUT OF THE WARRANTY, THE PASSENGER SIDE SPEAKERS ARE SHOT; THE DOME LIGHT DOES NOT TURN ON WHEN I OPEN THE DRIVER'S DOOR BUT IT DOES WHEN THE OTHER DOORS ARE OPENED; MY BLOWER MOTOR STOPPED WORKING AND I HAD TO HAVE IT REPLACED, AND IT NOW SMELLS LIKE IT IS BURNING WHEN I USE IT.*AK

ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON; AIR CONDITIONER WILL ONLY WORK ON HIGH; WILL NOT WORK ON LOW; RELATIVE HAS SAME CAR 2000 MODEL - - HAVING SAME PROBLEM.

FRONT SPRING BROKE WHICH PUNCTURED THE TIRE. DEALER NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS, THE DEFROSTER PANEL IN MY 1999 FORD CONTOUR HAS WARPED AND BECOME LOOSE. THE DEALER HAS FIXED THE COMPLAINT 5 TIMES, BUT THE RECURRENCE LEADS ME TO BELIEVE, THERE IS ESSENTIALLY A FLAW IN THE DESIGN. WHEN THE PANEL WARPS, THE AIR FROM THE DEFROSTER IS NOT DIRECTED PROPERLY AND DOES NOT DEFROST THE WINDSHIELD EFFICIENTLY, THUS LEADING TO A VISIBILITY HAZARD. *JB

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM - BLINKERS WILL NOT WORK, A/C WILL NOT COME ON, LIGHTED SWITCHES ON THE DOORS WILL NOT LIGHT, AND WILL NOT COME OUT OF PARK. HAVE BEEN TOLD POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL HARNESS IS BAD. WAS TOLD BY FORD SERVICE MANAGER THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT FORD WILL NOT MAKE ANY RECALLS ON IT.*JB

WHEN THE CONSUMER TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND CAUSED EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *NLM

1999 FORD CONTOUR W/ 2 LIT. ENGINE AND FACTORY INSTALLED/AUTHORIZED 8" BRAKE SYSTEM. SAFETY HAZARD: POTENTIAL LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO IMPROPERLY DESIGNED AND/OR FACTORY INSTALLED BRAKES. TRYING TO STEER THE CAR THROUGH EVASIVE MANEUVERS WHILE APPLYING BRAKES IS CAUSING THE CAR TO SHUDDER EXCESSIVELY. ON APX APRIL 7 I WAS IN THE LEFT LANE TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON I-71 APX 1 MILE NORTH OF I-270. ACCIDENT APX 1/4 OF A MILE AHEAD FORCED EVERYONE TO SLAM ON BRAKES. CAR BEGAN TO SHUDDER EXCESSIVELY. HAD ANOTHER CAR CLOSE ON MY TAIL AND BEGAN TO POSITION MYSELF TO THE LEFT TO BAIL OUT INTO MEDIAN IF NECESSARY AND ANY STEERING ACTION OTHER THAN PERFECTLY STRAIGHT AHEAD CAUSED THE SHUDDERING TO BECOME EVEN MORE EXTREME. HAVEN'T EXPERIMENTED WITH RADICAL MANEUVERS WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES BUT I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE PRETTY. STARTING IN MARCH, 2003 I HAD NOTICED SLIGHT VIBRATION DRIVING. TOOK CAR IN TO FIRESTONE FOR ROUTINE BALANCE, ALIGNMENT AND ROTATION. AFTER WORK DONE THE CAR SHUDDERED NOTICEABLY WHENEVER BRAKES APPLIED, PARTICULARLY SLOWING DOWN THROUGH 45 MPH TO 30 MPH. RETURNED CAR TO SHOP AND THEY WORKED ON ROTORS AND DRUMS. THERE WAS NO IMPROVEMENT. TOOK CAR TO 2ND FIRESTONE AND HAD SENIOR MECHANIC INSPECT. REPLACED REAR DRUMS WITH NEW BUT PROBLEM PERSISTED, SO HE PUT OLD DRUMS BACK ON AND SUGGESTED TAKING TO FORD DEALER. TOOK CAR TO KRIEGER FORD. THEY REPEATED EXPERIMENT WITH NEW DRUMS WITH SAME RESULT. THEY CALLED FORD HOTLINE AND WERE TOLD THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH 8" BRAKES. THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THIS IS TO INSTALL FACTORY AUTHORIZED 9" BRAKE SYSTEM PER FORD SERVICE BULLETIN 0009007. IN OTHER WORDS FORD KNOWS IT HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE 8" BRAKES AS DESIGNED AND INSTALLED BY FORD BUT WANTS ME TO PAY TO ELIMINATE THIS SAFETY HAZARD. ALSO THIS PROBLEM APPEARS TO HAVE CAUSED ALL OF MY RIMS TO BECOME SOMEWHAT WARPED, WITH ONE EXCESSIVELY WARPED. TOTAL COST IS $523 FOR PARTS, $323 FOR LABOR, $100 FOR NEW RIM. *NLM

I JUST BOUGHT A FORD CONTOUR AND THE DASHBOARD IS COMING UP AND IT COULD DEPLOY THE AIRBAG, SO WHAT IF ANYTHING IS SOMEONE GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS, AS YOU CAN SEE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM, I HAD NO IDEA THAT THERE WAS A PROGRAM FOR THE DASHBOARD. IF IT IS A RECURRING PROBLEM THEN IT SHOULD BE A RECALL ON IT. *NLM

THE VEHICLE HAD POOR GAS MILEAGE. THE DRIVERS WINDOW JAMMED. THE RUBBER PIECE AROUND THE FRAME OF THE RIGHT SIDE REAR PASSENGER'S SEAT CONSTANTLY CAME OFF. THE SHOULDER HARNESS ON DRIVER'S SIDE AND IN THE REAR SEATS TWISTED AND JAMMED. THE DASHBOARD COVER CAME LOOSE. THE RADIO OPERATED POORLY. THE TRUNK LATCH OFTEN REQUIRED MULTIPLE PULLS TO OPEN THE TRUNK. THE AIR BAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY CAME ON. WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A WHINING/GRINDING NOISE. *AK *NLM