1995 FORD CONTOUR Complaints

WHILE DRIVING IN HOT WEATHER NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THEN SAW COOLING FAN ON FIRE. *AK *ML

AT TIME OF ACCELERATION TRANSMISSION WILL SWITCH GEARS AND WILL JUMP. FORD DOES NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK *ML

DRIVERS SIDE AIRBAG IS LOOSE AND CONSUMER CAN STICK HAND BEHIND AIRBAG. CONSUMER IS SCARED AIRBAG MAY DEPLOY AND INJURE SOMEONE. TWO WEEKS LATER WHILE DRIVING AT 50 ANOTHER DRIVER HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE FROM THE FRONT AND AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY.*AK

PE00023, WIRING HARNESS WHICH CONNECTS TO THE FAN SHORT CIRCUIT AND CAUSED A FIRE. THERE IS AN IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN 99M03 WHICH STATES THAT THEY WILL FIX THE WIRING HARNESS. BUT, FORD IS TRYING TO COVER UP THE DEFECT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKEN IN 3 PIECES ON DRIVER'S SIDE. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVER UNDER A RECALL. *AK

THE ENGINE RPM'S DO NOT DROP FAST ENOUGH TO ENABLE A SMOOTH GEAR CHANGE. I COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WHEN THE CAR WAS NEW BUT THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. NOW IT HAS 125000 ON IT AND STILL DOES THE SAME THING. THE ENGINE RPM'S DO NOT DROP FAST ENOUGH TO ENABLE A SMOOTH GEAR CHANGE. IF YOU TRY TO CHANGE GEARS BEFORE THE ENGINE HAS SLOWED DOWN THE GEARS WILL GRIND. YOU HAVE TO HOLD THE CLUTCH IN FOR 3 - 4 SECONDS BEFORE YOU ARE ABLE TO MAKE A SMOOTH GEAR CHANGE. IF YOU ARE TRYING TO ACCELERATE UP TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND HAVE TO WAIT SO LONG IN BETWEEN SHIFTS IT IS HARD TO ACCELERATE SMOOTHLY AND QUICKLY WHICH CAN GET A PERSON REAR ENDED AROUND HERE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ENTER THE INTERSTATE. ALSO THE HEAT THAT COMES FROM UNDER THE HOOD IS VERY HOT, AND HAS CAUSED THE PAINT ON THE HOOD TO START CRACKING. THE ENGINE HAS NEVER OVERHEATED, AND HAS NEVER BEEN ABOVE THE HALFWAY POINT IN THE NORMAL ENGINE OPERATING RANGE (ACCORDING TO THE GUAGE). BUT THE HEAT HAS CAUSED THE PAINT ON THE HOOD TO CRACK. I ALSO RECIEVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD TO HAVE THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE HOOD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT REPLACED BUT WHEN I CALLED PHIL LONG FORD IN COLORADO SPRINGS I WAS TOLD THAT OUT VEHICLE HAD TO MANY MILES ON IT AND THERFORE DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE NEW WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE HOOD IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. ON THE RECALL NOTICE IT STATES THAT THE FAULTY WIRING HARNESS CAN CAUSE A FIRE, AND IS DUE TO THE HIGH HEAT PRESENT UNDER THE HOOD. FORD HAS STILL REFUSED TO REPLACE IT DUE TO THE HIGH MILEAGE.*AK

PLASTIC IMPELLER ON WATER PUMP BROKE, CAUSING FAILURE TO PUMP COOLANT, CAUSED ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. MY MECHANIC SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANOTHER AUTOMAKER USE A PLATIC IMPELLER WHICH IS INHERENTLY UNSAFE BECAUSE, AS COMPARED TO STEEL IMPELLERS, IT IS BOUND TO BREAK UNDER THE PRESSURE OF YEARS OF USE, AND COULD CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE AND IMPERIL THE DRIVER AND ANY PASSENGERS.

I HEARD A THUMPING NOISE THAT I THOUGHT WAS A TIRE OR BRAKE CALIPER.DROVE CAR FOR A WEEK.WENT TO DEALER AND WHEN I PULLED IN FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE CAR. POWER STEERING LINE WAS REPLACED ($600), CAR RELEASED TO ME. DROVE HOME. HEARD METALLIC SOUND AND RETURNED CAR THE NEXT DAY. DEALER SAID PROBLEM WAS SHEARED BOLTS ON THE REAR MOUNT. THEY SPECULATED THAT CORROSION STARTED BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION HOUSING IS ALUMINUM AND THE BOLT ARE STEEL.THIS WILL COST ME ANOTHER $600 TO REPAIR. ABOUT A MOTH AGO THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACE. DON'T KNOW IF ANY CONNECTION TO THE LATER PROBLEMS.

ENGINE COOLING FAN MALFUNCTIONED CAUSING SMOKE TO COME FROM THE ENGINE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE BY REPLACING THE FAN ASSEMBLY AND MOTOR. *ML

RECALL 95V223000/ FUEL PIPE: FILLER:NECK. UPON RECEIPT OF THE RECALL, DEALER INSPECTED VEHICLE AND CONCLUDED THAT IT WAS NOT AFFECTED. SINCE THAT INSPECTION, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. FORD WOULD NOT HONOR THE RECALL ( AUGUST 96) BECAUSE AT THE TIME OF INSPECTION VEHICLE DID NOT SHOW A PROBLEM. *AK