1998 FORD CONTOUR Complaints

CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO FORD DEALERS 5 TIMES, THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THE CAR FOGS UP UNDER NORMAL FALL, WINTER, SPRING DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE DEFROSTER AIR CONDITIONER WILL CLEAR THE FRONT WINDSHIELD, BUT NOT SIDE WINDOWS AND THE BACK WINDOW CLEARED BY USING THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER,THIS CREATES A SAFETY HAZARD AND REDUCING DRIVER VISIBILITY.*ET

MASTER CYLINDER FAILED AT 38000 AND 53000 MILES AND IS SUPPOSED TO LAST AT LEAST 80000 MILES. *AK

CONSUMER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE BY THE MANUFACTURER, WEB SITE ALERTED THE CONSUMER TO OBTAIN REPAIRS. *MJS

VEHICLE CAN NOT RECEIVE RECALL REPAIR (98V-233), PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE, VEHICLE ACCELERATES WHEN THE CONSUMER RELEASES FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL AT THIS TIME, POSSIBLE MALFUNCTION OF RECALL COMPONENT BEING EXPERIENCED AT THIS TIME. *MJS

THE SPEEDOMETER, ODOMETER, TRIP ODOMETER AND GAS GAUGE STOP WORKING ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. GENERALLY THEY RESUME WORKING ON THEIR OWN, AT WHICH TIME THE LOW FUEL WARNING LIGHT COMES ON FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN GOES OUT. I RETURNED THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE ON 10 APRIL 00. THEY COULD NOT VERIFY THE INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND DID NOTHING. I HIT THE TOP OF THE DASH SMARTLY, WHICH FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT SIX WEEKS, BUT NOW IT HAS RETURNED. LACK OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SPEED AND FUEL IS MOST ANNOYING AND DANGEROUS AS WELL.*AK

CONSUMER CALLED ON FEB 2, 2000 TO SEE IF PARTS WERE IN, AND THEY WERE NOT IN. *AK

60 AMP MEGA FUSE BLEW, THIS CAUSED ANTI LOCK FAILURE, LIGHT AND VENTILATION/HEATER/DEFROSTER FAILURE. NLM

THE DASHBOARD VENTS THAT SHOULD CLEAR FOG AND FROST FROM THE SIDE WINDOWS DOES NOT FUNCTION WHEN THE HEAT SELECTOR IS SET TO HOT. THUS, IT IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE TO CLEAR FOG AND FROST FROM THE SIDE WINDOWS IN COOL WEATHER. THE SIDE MIRRORS ARE THEN USELESS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW THAT AFFECTS ALL FORD CONTOURS, AND PROBABLY MERCURY MYSTIQUES.

COIL SPRING ON THE RIGHT FRONT OF CAR BROKE. REPLACEMENT OF THE FOLLOWING WAS NECESSARY: SHOCK ABSORBER, CB SPRING, D BOOT, BEARING ASSEMNBLY, AA SEAT, MOUNTING ASSY, HALFSHAFT ASSEMBLY, CV JOINT ASSEMBLY, BRAKE SHOES, DISC BRAKE ROTOR, TIRES.*AK

CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE PLACE WHERE THE AIRBAG IS LOCATED HAS A SPLIT IN IT. DEALER CAN'T SEEM TO FIX IT SO THAT IT WILL NOT DEPLOY OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. *AK