1999 FORD CONTOUR Complaints

ON JULY 8, VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING. TOOK TO DEALER THEY SAID IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM. CONSUMER NOTICED PROBLEM AGAIN ON JULY 11 WHEN BACKING OUT OF DRVEWAY AND COMING UP TO A STOP SIGN. CONSUMER LET OFF BRAKE, AND CAR WAS BOUNCING AND VIBRATING. ENTIRE TIRE WAS FLIPPING AROUND. TOWED TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID TIE ROD WAS BROKEN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD CONSUMER COULD HEAR NOISE FROM THE TIRES, AND FRONT TIRES WERE SPLITING ACCROSS THE MIDDLE OF THE TREAD AND SOME OF THE STEEL BELTS ARE STICKING OUT. THE TIRES IN QUESTION ARE FIRESTONE FIREHAWKS GTA'S MADE IN MEXICO P205/60R15 90T M+S AND DOT # V6UN1PH298 *AK

REPEATED STALLING, MISSING & LOSS OF POWER APPEARS MOSTLY WHEN IT'S VERY HOT OUT & CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN A LOT. ROUGH IDLE EVEN UNDER NO LOAD IN NEUTRAL. NO INDICATORS LIGHT EXCEPT DURING STALL WHICH HAPPENS EVEN WITH CLUTCH DEPRESSED. MISSING IS MOST NOTICEABLE DURING ACCELERATION OR STEADY HIGHWAY SPEEDS, EVEN WITH CRUISE ON. CAR SOMETIMES SHAKES AT HIGH SPEED (70MPH). MULTIPLE ALIGNMENTS NEVER SHOW SAME RESULTS. DEALER CAN NEVER DUPLICATE, SAYS I AM DUMPING CLUTCH TO STALL & LOSS OF POWER IS DUE TO A/C. THEY ALSO CLAIM EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR IS DUE TO MY DRIVING HABITS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

WHEN CONSUMER STEERED TO THE LEFT VEHICLE PULLED MORE THAN INTENDED. DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE & FOUND NOTHING WRONG.*AK THE STEERING PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY BAD FRONT END ALIGNMENT. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. BROKEN MOTOR MOUNT WAS FOUND. THE HEATER FAILED TOO. *YH

THIS CAR HAS BEEN DEFECTIVE SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT 10-2-99 WITH O5 MILES ON IT. I'VE HAD IT IN THE DEALERS SHOP AND THEY AGREE THERE IS A PROBLEM THEY CANNOT SOLVE,BUT NOE THEY WON'T EVEN WORK ON IT ANYMORE AND HAV MADE THE STATEMENT" WE HAVE PUT TOO MUCH MONEY IN IT ALREADY" I'VE SPOKEN TO MANAGERS AND CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY TWICE BY PHONE THE RESPONSE WAS TO GIVE THE DEALER TWO BUSSINESS DAYS TO LET ME KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO.MY LOANER CAR AND APPOINTMENT FOR THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO REVIEW MY CAR IS 7-27-00. THIS CAR IS A LEMON I FEEL SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD, IM AFRAID IT COULD ENDANGER SOMEONE NOT KNOWING WHAT IS EVEN WRONG WITH IT ,WHAT SYSTEM OR ANYTHING. CAN YOU HAVE ANY INPUT IN THIS SITUATION, I HAVE A DISABLED CHILD IN A WHEELCHAIR AND DEPEND SOLELY ON THIS CAR FOR HIS HEALTH AND SPECIALIST APPTS. THIS CAR IS A NESSESSSITY NOT A LUXURY. THANKYOU SINCERELY, VIRGINIA SMITH. NO SAFETY DEFECT DISCUSSED IN SUMMARY. *AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION IN WHICH BOTH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. ESTIMATED SPEED WAS NOT DETERMINED AT THAT TIME. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED.*AK

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR GLASS EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NOT HIT BY ANY OBJECT. AIR CONDITIONING ON. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE 80F. LAST DRIVEN 3 HOURS BEFORE. LETTER SENT TO FORD (COPY AVAILABLE ON REQUEST) STATING MY BELIEF THAT GLASS WAS DEFECTIVE. FORD RESPONDED THAT THEY WEREN'T RESPONSIBLE FOR EXPLODING GLASS, THAT IT WAS BETWEEN ME & MY INSURANCE CO. THIS WAS AN ALMOST NEW CAR WHICH WAS NOT EXPOSED TO REPEATED CYCLES OF HOT WEATHER NOR WAS IT HIT BY ANYTHING. I BELIEVE A POTENTIAL PRODUCT DEFECT EXISTS.

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY TIME VEHICLE CUTS OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, CAUSING LOSS OF ALL POWER. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED WHEN CONSUMER APPROACHED A SPEED OF 60 TO 70 MPH.ALSO, VEHICLE IDLED HIGH WHEN REMOVING FOOT FROM BRAKE. *AK

HORN HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. HORN HAS BEEN REPLACED BY DEALER, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK