1996 FORD CONTOUR Complaints

WHILE TRAVELING AND SLOWING TO STOP OR TURN, VEHICLE STOPS AND/OR STALLS. IT ALSO CUTS OFF WHILE TRYING TO BE STARTED. VEHICLE HAD FUEL IN TANK DURING TIME OF INCIDENT.NO ACCIDENT OR INJURIES HAVE OCCURRED

THE WIRING WAS DAMAGED BY CORROSION WHICH CAUSED THE ABS LIGHT TO MALFUNCTION, THE ALARM SYSTEM TO BE DEFECTIVE, THE HEATING SYSTEM TO WORK IMPROPERLY, AND THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER TO NOT WORK. *SLC

SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING THROUGH A PUDDLE OF WATER OR IN RAIN, POWER STEERING WILL GO OUT. AT THAT TIME ALERNATOR LIGHT COMES ON, HAS BEEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR THIS , SEEMS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW. ALSO, FILLING UP WITH GASOLINE VEHICLE WILL SMELL FOR LONG TIME. *AK

LOUD HUMMING NOISE AND VIBRATION DURING RIGHT TURN. TAKEN TO DEALER AND REPAIRED AT MY COST PRIOR TO COMPLETE FAILURE. *AK

THE ACCELERATOR CABLE BROKE CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL AND LEAVING THE CONSUMER STRANDED, THERE IS A RECALL (97V225), HOWEVER THE DEALER STATES THAT THE VIN IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *SLC

WHENEVER I TURN ON THE HEATER, A/C, DEFROST, OR FAN MY ABS LIGHT TURNS ON AND MY BRAKES ARE SPONGY. I HAVE LOST ALL BRAKES ON TWO OCCASIONS WHEN THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. WHEN MY CAR SITS FOR A WEEKEND, THE BATTERY DIES. INSTALLED A NEW BATTERY, STILL DIES. FORD CANNOT FIND A CAUSE FOR EITHER PROBLEM. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN TO HAVE THE WIRING HARNESS CHANGED FOR THE LIGHTS, THOSE WENT OUT. ALSO, MY A/C FUSE HAD CAUGHT FIRE, WHOLE FUSE BOX AND BLOWER WAS REPLACED. *AK

VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR A NINE WEEK PERIOD WAITING FOR THE RECALL COMPONENT PART TO ARRIVE (99V-103). *MJS

PLASTIC IMPELLER DISINIGRATED INSIDE WATER PUMP> NO INDICATION PREVIOUSLY AT WEEP HOLE> FORD CHARGES $350 TO REPLACE AFTER JUST BEING THERE 2 DAYS EARLIER FOR TIMING BELT REPLACEMENT. *AK

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 99V103000; TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER LAST YEAR. MECHANIC BARELY LOOKED AT SWITCH & DECLARED OKAY. NOW HAVING PROBLEMS AS RECALL INDICATED. TOOK VEHICLE BACK. INFORMED BY MECHANIC SWITCH JUST SUPPOSE TO BE INSPECTED & NOT REPLACED. RECALL NOTICE INDICATED TO REPLACE SWITCH & THEN INSPECT IT LATER. *AK

ON THE MORNING OF 11/10/2000, I JUST COMPLETED ENTERING THE SOUTHBOUND DALLAS TOLLWAY FROM LEGACY DR. IN PLANO, TX. UPON REACHING CRUISING SPEED, MY VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RACE AT FULL THROTTLE. FORTUNATELY, TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. IN ADDITION TO REMOVING MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR, I TRIED TO APPLY THE BRAKES GENTLY TO FIND THERE WAS NO POWER ASSIST. I WAS ABLE TO GET MY FOOT UNDER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO INSURE THAT IT WAS NOT STUCK TO THE FLOOR. WITH BOTH FEET AND GREAT EFFORT I WAS ABLE TO APPLY ENOUGH BRAKING FORCE TO SAFELY MANUEVER THE AUTOMATED TOLL GATE. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RACE UNCONTROLLABLY AND I EXITED AT THE WEST PARKER ROAD EXIT IN PLANO. THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO COME TO A STOP AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT I ENCOUNTERED WAS TO SLIP THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL GEAR. AT THAT POINT THE ENGINE WAS SCREAMING, SO I TURNED THE IGNITION OFF. I RESTARTED THE VEHICLE ON GREEN AND IT STARTED UP AT FULL THROTTLE. UPON PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO 'DRIVE', THE TIRES LOST TRACTION AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO SPEED ALONG IN A "RUNAWAY" FASHION. I HAD TO PASS THROUGH ANOTHER TRAFFIC LIGHT AND INTERSECTION (WITH THE SAME MANUEVER AS PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED) BEFORE I REACHED A SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT (PARKWOOD CENTER, PLANO, TX). AT THIS POINT I TELEPHONED AAA FOR A TOW TO THE DEALERSHIP. WHILE WAITING FOR THE TOW TRUCK, I MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND EACH TIME THE ENGINE RACED AT FULL THROTTLE. THE DEALER EVALUATED THE PROBLEM AS BEING A FAULTY RESONATER ASSEMBLY FOR THE ENGINE AIR INTAKE (ALLEGEDLY A WORN OUT GASKET, WHICH REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF THE WHOLE UNIT). I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT FORD ENGINEERS WOULD PERMIT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PRODUCT WHICH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CREATE SUCH A SERIOUS AND LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION. JUST FOR YOUR INFORMATION, ON ANOTHER MATTER REGARDING THIS VEHICLE, FORD CONTACTED ME DIRECTLY AND REIMBURSED ME $1,000. THIS WAS DURING THE LATTER PART OF 1999.*AK