1998 FORD CONTOUR Complaints

1)DRIVER'S POWER SEAT ROCKS FROM FRONT TO REAR, REPLACING SEAT TRACK MADE PROBLEM WORSE. 2) VENTS LOCATED TO CLEAR SIDE WINDOW OF FOG DO NOT OPERATE WHEN HEAT SELECTOR KNOB IS SET TO HOT.

HEADLIGHTS IN LOW DIM WHEN ACTIVATED THERE IS A SHADOW IN THE HEADLIGHT WHICH MAY CAUSE VISUAL DIFFICULTY AND MAY RESULT IN A CRASH. FORD SAID IT'S THE DESIGN OF THE HEADLIGHTS. *AK

RECENTLY MY 1998 CONTOUR SVT'S ANTI-LOCK BRAKES HAVE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS LOCKED UP WHEN APPLIED CAUSING THE CAR TO SWERVE. IN SOME CASES THE BRAKES HAVE REMAINED LOCKED AND ONLY RELEASED AFTER BEING TAPPED AND PRESSED SEVERAL TIMES AFTER THE CAR HAS BEEN CAUSED TO COME TO A HALT IN TRAFFIC. AVAILABLE AVENUES OF ADDRESSING THIS SERIOUS BRAKING PROBLEM IN THE VEHICLE WITH FORD MOTOR COMPANY ARE EXHAUSTED. FORD'S STANDARD POLICY REQUIRES THE DEALER'S SERVICE FACILITY TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IN THIS CASE IS INTERMITTENT AND DEALER CANNOT REPLICATE IT. FORD REFUSES TO BE INVOLVED OR TO DISCUSS THE PROBLEM BEYOND THE CLERICAL AREA THAT ANSWERS AT CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER. I PURCHASED THE ABOVE VEHICLE NEW FROM BORGMAN FORD IN GRANDVILLE, MICHIGAN IN 1998. I CURRENTLY RESIDE IN BIRMINGHAM, MICHIGAN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HUNTINGTON FORD IN ROCHESTER HILLS ON TWO OCCASIONS. IN THE FIRST INSTANCE I PAID TO HAVE THE REAR BRAKE PADS REPLACED AND ALSO A FEE TO HAVE THE CAR INSPECTED FOR THE LOCKUP PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE REPLICATED AND NO SOURCE WAS IDENTIFIED. AFTER THE LATEST INCIDENT HUNTINGTON PROVIDED A "LOANER" VEHICLE FOR TWO OR THREE DAYS, BUT WAS AGAIN UNABLE TO REPLICATE OR IDENTIFY THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. INTERNAL FORD PROCEDURES BLOCK EFFORTS TO BRING THE SITUATION TO THE ATTENTION OF A HIGHER LEVEL OF FORD MANAGEMENT. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD THROUGH THEIR CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER, 800-392-3673--A HIGHER LEVEL OF AUTHORITY IS NOT AVAILABLE BY CALLING THIS NUMBER. MY FATHER ALSO CALLED FORD'S HEADQUARTERS, 313-322-3000, AND ASKED FOR CEO JACQUES NASSER. HE WAS CONNECTED TO MR. COLIN RICHARD, EXECUTIVE CONTACT MANAGER, AGAIN NO HIGHER LEVEL OF MANAGEMENT IS REACHABLE. RICHARD REFUSED TO SEND A WRITTEN STATEMENT CONFIRMING FORD'S POLICY AND THEIR REFUSAL TO RESPOND. MY CAR WAS RETURNED TO ME WITH THIS SERIOUS BRAKING PROBLEM UNRESOLVED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE. SINCERELY, DANIEL J. OSTERHART

THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL BEARING DUST COVER RUBBS ON THE WHEEL. IT GIVES THE IMPRESSION THAT A WHEEL BEARING IS BAD.

SPEED SENSOR BROKE CAUSING THE SPEEDOMETER TO NOT WORK, CONFUSING THE CAR'S COMPUTER, THE ENGINE REVED ON HIGH AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BUCKED LIKE IT WAS DOWNSHIFTING. *SLC

I MENTIONED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED MY CAR THAT WHEN I TEST DROVE IT, IT JUST SEEMED TO JERK WHEN IT WOULD SHIFT. KEN SCHUCK ASSURED ME THAT THERE WAS NOT ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. IT DID COME WITH A WPC ASSOC. LIMITED WARRANTY THOUGH IF ANYTHING WOULD HAPPEN IT WOULD BE COVERED. WELL, MY CAR CONTINUED TO AUTOMATICALLY SHIFT HARD AND I WAS ALLOWED TO TAKE IT TO AAMCO IN WMSPT. PA. THIS WAS A MONTH AGO. THEY LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT UP UNTIL 4 WEEKS AGO AND ON MY WAY TO WORK "THE TRANSMISSION WENT." I CONTACTED KEN AND TOLD HIM WHAT HAPPENED AND HE SAID TO CALL THE WARRANTY CO. AND TAKE IT TO A DEALERSHIP. WHICH I DID AND 4 WEEKS TO THIS DAY, THEY STILL HAVE IT AND IT'S STILL NOT REPAIRED! THAT'S AT FARFIELD FORD PA. 570-368-8121. SO, BETWEEN KEN, WPC WARRANTY AND FARFIELD, I'M NOT GETTING MY CAR FIXED. PLEASE HELP ME. I KNOW THERE IS RECALL WORK THAT NEEDS DONE ALSO. PLEASE HELP ME. *AK

BRACKET THAT HOLDS BRAKE LINE INTO THE REAR PART OF THE ENGINE MELTED OFF OR BROKE, CAUSING NO BRAKING ABILITY, WHICH ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH. CURRENTLY WILL TAKE TO THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE UNDER WARRANTY THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. HAD IT REPLACED. WHILE UNDER WARRANTY HAD THE REAR MAIN SEAL REPLACED. JUST THREE WEEKS AFTER THAT REPAIR THE OIL LIGHT CAME ON. I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL AND FOUND THAT IT WAS AT THE PROPER LEVEL.I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO SAID I NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. NOW I HAVE APPEALED TO FORD MOTER CO. TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AT THEIR COST. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE FAILURE BEGAN UNDER WARRANTY BUT ONLY MANIFESTED ITSELF 3 WEEKS AFTER THE WARRANTY PERIOD.

WHEN SHE APPLIED BRAKES PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR. AND THE BRAKE LIGHT STAYS ON CONSTANTLY. CONSUMER WAS GOING OUT OF DRIVEWAY/ BACKING UP AND APPLIED BRAKES, AND VEHICLE KEPT GOING. VEHICLE SLID AND WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. VEHICLE AT THE DEALERSHIP.*AK

VEHICLE WAS RUNNING HOT THE 1ST TIME DEALER KEPT IT FOR 2 WEEKS & CLAIMED IT WAS FIXED. VEHICLE WENT TO THE DEALER AGAIN THIS TIME FOR 47 DAYS WHICH A LOANER VEHICLE WAS GIVEN & IT WAS RETURNED WITH NO EXPLANATION WHAT WAS WRONG. IT'S STILL RUNNING HOT. *AK