1998 FORD CONTOUR Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD CONTOUR. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. AFTER A WEEK OF THE AIR BAG ILLUMINATING, HE DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE CRASH IMPACT SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V243000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE) WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VINE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL; THEREFORE, THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,815 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

I CURRENTLY AM THE SECOND OWNER OF A 1998 FORD CONTOUR. RECENTLY THE PARKING, AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS CEASED TO OPERATE. I CHANGED THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH WHICH LASTED FOR A WEEK AND BURNED OUT.. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET REVEALED THERE WAS A SERVICE RECALL DATED 5/10/99 UNDER SERIAL #99V10300 FOR THE HEADLIGHT HARNESS WHICH WAS CAUSING THE ABOVE DESCRIBED PROBLEM. I CONTACTED FORD WHO STATED THEIR WAS NO OPEN RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET REVEALED ADDITIONAL OWNERS WHO HAD THE SAME PROBLEM BUT WERE INFORMED BY FORD THAT THEIR PARTICULAR VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. MY COMPLAINT IS IF SO MANY FORD CONTOUR MODELS ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM WHY ARE ONLY CERTAIN VEHICLES COVERED WHEN MANY ARE HAVING IDENTICAL PROBLEMS THANKYOU *TR

FORD CONTOUR TRANSMISSION BUCKS AND SURGES UPON INITIAL ACCELERATION. DOES NOT SEEM TO STAY IN GEAR BASED UPON THE BUCKING MOTION. FORD TECHNICIAN INSPECTED IT AND STATED THAT THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION HAVE WEAK MOUNTS THAT AFFECT PROPER OPERATION. HE SUGGESTED REPLACEMENT OF THE MOUNTS, ALTHOUGH UPON VISUAL INSPECTION, THE MOUNTS LOOKED NORMAL. *TR

I HAVE A 1998 FORD CONTOUR LX WITH ONLY APPROX. 53,000 MILES ON IT. I AM ON THE 4TH (FOURTH) ALTERNATOR REPLACEMENT: AUGUST 2004, OCTOBER 2005, AUGUST 2006 AND NOW, SEPTEMBER 2008. THERE IS DEFINITELY A PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THIS YEAR AND MODEL OF FORD VEHICLE. *TR

MY HUSBAND AND I PURCHASED A USED 1998 FORD CONTOUR, UPON INSPECTION, WE FOUND THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS SHOT. SO WE DECIDED TO DO A LITTLE RESEARCH ON THIS VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THERE A RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE FOR TRANSMISSIONS PROBLEM. SAYING THAT THE SHIFT MAY NOT PUT INTO THE CORRECT GEAR WHICH CAN OR WILL CAUSE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. IN WHICH ARE HAVING. *TR

1. ALL ENGINE WIRE HARNESS INSULATION IS CRACKING AND FALLING OFF. BARE WIRE AT MOST OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CONNECTORS. UNKNOWN DAMAGE UNDER WIRE WRAPPING. EXISTING FORD RECALL COVER 95-97 YEAR MODELS. SUBJECT VEHICLE IS A 98 MODEL YEAR. 2. STILL WAITING FOR THE FIRST MAJOR MELTDOWN. CONNECTOR WIRES ARE PHYSICALLY PULLED APART TO PREVENT ELECTRICAL SHORTAGE. 3. NO REPAIR WORK HAS BEEN DONE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT PURCHASED BRAKESAFE FRONT DISC PADS FOR THE VEHICLE. APPROXIMATELY 30 MILES LATER, A GRINDING AND RATTLING NOISE WAS HEARD AND AN OUTER LINING ON THE PADDING FELL OFF. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PADS WERE DEFECTIVE. HE PURCHASED NEW PADS, WHICH HE FELT WORKED AS THEY SHOULD HAVE. HE ATTEMPTED TO CALL THE AUTO PARTS STORE FROM WHERE HE PURCHASED THE DEFECTIVE PADS, BUT THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST. HE ALSO CALLED THE CORPORATE OFFICE AND RECEIVED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT FILED COMPLAINTS WITH THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION AND OHIO ATTORNEY GENERAL. THE SERIAL NUMBER AND PART NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,970. UPDATED 06/25/08. *CN THE CONSUMER STATED PASSENGER SIDE CALIPER WAS WARPED AND THE ROTOR WAS DAMAGED. UPDATED 06/25/08

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE THE GEAR SHIFTING SYSTEM REPAIRED, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,300.

ORIGINAL START DATE 1-12-07. TIMING BELT SHREDDED. HAD SHOP FIX THE PROBLEM. 4-2-07 BELT BROKE AGAIN REPLACED AGAIN. 10-18-07 TIMING BELT BROKE AGAIN. SHOP DID NOT WANT TO REPLACE AGAIN SAID IT IS DEALER PROBLEM. DEALER SAYS SHOP PROBLEM. SHOP SAYS IT WILL FIX ON 11-2-07. SHOP FINALLY FIXES ON 11-4-05. CAR NOT RUNNING RIGHT TAKE BACK TO DEALER ON 11-5-07. DEALER SAYS WASN'T FIXED PROPERLY. 11-8-07 PICK UP FROM DEALER AND THEY STATE WE SHOULD HAVE ANY MORE PROBLEMS. IF SO BRING BACK UNDER WARRANTY. 3-13-08 DEALER NOW STATES BELT BROKE AND NOT COVERED AND OTHER MAJOR PROBLEMS. ALMOST 1600 TO FIX. STILL CAN'T GIVE ME SPECIFIC REASON TO WHY BELT KEEPS SHREDDING. NOW WHAT IS ONE TO DO? I HAVE PUT ALOT OF MONEY INTO THIS AND CAN'T GET A REAL ANSWER. ALSO IN THE PAST SHOP PRINTED OUT OTHER REPORTS FROM NHTSA SIGHT ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS SAME CAR IN DIFFERENT STATES. BUT YET DEALER SAYS DON'T KNOW OF ANY OTHER PROBLEM LIKE THIS WITH THIS KIND OF CAR. *TR

FUEL SPIT-BACK WHILE REFUELING. TOOK TO FORD DEALERSHIP AND SINCE THE EXTENDED COVERAGE FOR THE FUEL PIPE FLAPPER VALVE EXPIRED 5 MONTHS AGO THEY WILL NOT REPAIR. FORD WANTS $300 TO REPAIR. MY CAR ONLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 88,800 MILES AND I DO NOT HAVE $300 TO REPAIR. I CALLED FORD IN MICHIGAN AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING AND EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING CAR TO FORD DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. I TOOK CAR TO FORD IN MISSISSIPPI IN 2002 AND NO MENTION OF RECALL WAS MADE. FORD, IN MY OPINION, SEEMS TO BE OF THE MIND "DO NOT FIX IT IF IT IS NOT BROKE". WELL IT IS BROKE NOW AND IF COVERAGE EXPIRED 5 MONTHS AGO THAT IS NOT A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND FORD SHOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIR OF THE FUEL PIPE FLAPPER VALVE AS THEY KNOW IT IS DEFECTIVE. WHEN I GET GAS THE FUEL SPILLS ON THE GROUND CAUSING HARM TO MY FAMILY, PASSENGERS IN THE CAR, THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND MYSELF. *TR