1998 FORD CONTOUR Complaints

ON JANUARY 15, 2000 I HAD MY TIRES ROTATED ON MY 98 FORD CONTOUR AT A TIRE DEALER. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL ON MY CAR WAS CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND WAS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THEY ADVISED THAT I TALK TO THE DEALER FROM WHICH I PURCHASED THIS CAR. ON JANUARY 19,2000 I TOOK MY CAR INTO SUNSET FORD TO HAVE RECALL WORK DONE. AT THAT TIME I INFORMED THEM OF THE CRACKED WHEEL. THEY TOLD ME THAT WHEELS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I HAVE AN INVOICE FROM THE DEALER TO VERIFY THEIR POSITION. I LEFT THIS SAME CAR AT A REPAIR SHOP ON 5-1-00. THEY CALLED ME THE FOLLOWING DAY TO INFORM ME THAT 3 OF THE WHEELS ON THIS CAR ARE CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. I CONTACTED FORD AT THEIR CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS ON 5-3-00. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAVE NO RECALL NOTICES OUT ON THIS CAR FOR DEFECTIVE WHEELS, AND THEREFORE I AM OBLIGATED TO REPLACE THESE WHEELS AT MY OWN EXPENSE. I HAVE A WARRANTY ON THIS CAR WHICH GOES THROUGH 75,000 MILES AND YET THE DEALER AND FORD CORPORATE REFUSE TO REPLACE THESE WHEELS. I WILL HAVE TO DO SO HOPING TO RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT FROM FORD. THE REPAIR SHOP HAD MY INSURANCE COMPANY LOOK AT THESE WHEELS, AND THE ADJUSTER CONCLUDED THAT THE CONDITION OF THESE WHEELS MAKE THIS VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. PLEASE HELP. THANKS, ROB MOLL. *AK

CONSUMER HAS RECIEVED YET ANOTHER RECALL AND IS FED UP BECAUSE HE HAD HAD TOO MANY THINGS GO WRONG WITH THIS VEHICLE. NLM

THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL ON WATER PUMP. A WEEK LATER, CONSUMER HEARD A KNOCKING NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND MECHANIC TOLD HIM THAT THE BOLTS WERE LOOSE ON THE WATER PUMP. ALSO, WHEN CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES THERE WAS A HUMMING NOISE. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING THE HEAT WENT OFF. THERE WAS RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THEN, VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE SPEED. CONSUMER WAS LOOKING OUT OF REARVIEW MIRROR AND NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE MANIFOLD. CONSUMER APPLIED EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND VEERED OVER TO THE SHOULDER LANE, AND SHE WAS STRUCK BY A TRUCK ON THE REAR. CAR WAS TOWED. CONSUMER SUFFERED INTERNAL INJURIES.*AK

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS SITTING AT A FRIEND HOUSE, AND VEHICLE STARTED TO BURN FROM THE DASHBOARD. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *AK

RECALL # 99V243000 INTERIOR SYSTEMS: PASSIVE RESTRAINT: AIR BAG: AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUES TO FLASH EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

FRONT END WILL NOT STAY ALIGNED IT HAS BEEN REALIGNED 3 TIMES 3/28/00 LAST TIME, AND THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE HAS BEEN REPLACED 5 TIMES, IT IS ALREADY SHOWING WEAR, AND ITS ONLY BEEN 1200 SINCE IT WAS REALIGNED. WE HAVE NOT HAD THE CAR 1 FULL YEAR. *AK

WHEN TRYING TO SHIFT GEAR FROM FIRST TO SECOND, CONSUMER IS UNABLE TO SHIFT. HAS TO FOCUS ON THE PAWL, MAKE SURE OF THE RIGHT GEAR, THEN FOCUS ON THE ROAD. TRANSMISSION HANGS UP GOING INTO SECOND GEAR. *AK *ML

WAS AT A SERVICE STATION. THOUGHT THAT THEY HAVEN'T TURNED ON THE PUMP, AND REALIZED THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT ACCEPTING ANY MORE GAS. FUEL GAUGE WAS READING LIKE IT WAS A FULL TANK. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER. TOOK IT TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO SAID THAT THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL GAUGE *AK

WHILE MAKING A STOP VEHICLE WOULD IDLE HIGH. AS A RESULT OF THIS, VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK.ET.