1998 FORD CONTOUR Complaints

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WINDOW CRANK SHAFT (MANUAL WINDOW) SNAPPED OFF CLEAN INSIDE REGULATOR LEAVING WINDOW UTTERLY INOPERABLE. THIS HAPPENED DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF WINDOW DURING NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS AND WARM WEATHER. DEALER CLAIMED "IT HAPPENS A LOT". VERY DANGEROUS IF VEHICLE WAS IN A FIRE, ACCIDENT, SUBMERGED IN WATER ETC. *JB

THERE'S A RECALL ON 1995-1997 FORD CONTOUR ( #99M03 AT WWW.CONTOUR.ORG/FAQ/RECALL/99M0). THE RECALL IS FOR A COMPLETE ENGINE HARNESS FAILURE , DUE TO CRACKING AND BRITTLE WIRES. MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED 06/97, AND I HAVE A COMPLETE WIRE HARNESS FAILURE. THEY WANT OVER $3000.00 TO REPAIR A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL. I SPOKE TO FORD AND THEY DO NOT HAVE AN ANSWER AS TO WHY THEY ARE ONLY COVERING SOME VEHICLE. THEY SHOULD COVER ALL CONTOUR'S WITH THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A MATTER THEY SHOULD NOT BE ALOUD TO GET AWAY WITH. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED A SENSOR. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WITHOUT WARNING, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. IT WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, WHO DETERMINED THE ENGINE HARNESS, COOLING FAN HARNESS, AND POWER DISTRIBUTION BOX WIRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, ALL POWER FAILED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO STALL, ALONG WITH STEERING AND BRAKE FAILURES. THE SERVICE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WITHOUT SUCCESS. THE POWER FAILURE HAD HAPPENED 6 TIMES SINCE 2001. AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE DEALER EXPRESSED THE WIRING HARNESS WAS BEYOND REPAIR AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 50 MPH, THE WIRING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BECAME BRITTLE AND THE INSULATION CRACKED AND FELL OFF DUE TO OVERHEATING. THE CONNECTION TO THE ENGINE ALSO DISINTEGRATED DUE TO OVERHEATING AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE SERVICE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THE VIN DID NOT MATCH THE RECALL FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (01V230000), FORD RECALL # 01S22. UPDATED 1/17/2007 - *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 5 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT RECLINED ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC.

THE HEADLIGHT IN THE CONSUMER'S 1998 FORD CONTOUR DO NOT ILLUMINATE THE ROAD ENOUGH WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT. *KB VISIBILITY IS ESPECIALLY BAD WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT IN THE RAIN BECAUSE THE LIGHTS FOG UP. THE CONSUMER HAS ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE HEADLIGHTS. *NM

MY FAMILY AND I WERE MAKING A RIGHT TURN FROM THE PARKING LOT OF A MOVIE THEATER TO A MODERATELY BUSY STREET. AFTER I COMPLETED THE TURN, I HEARD A LOUD "BANG", AND MY CAR SUDDENLY SWERVED TO THE RIGHT, AND I COULDN'T STOP. I COULD NOT GO FORWARD, OR BACK AROUND. THINKING THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A BLOWN TIRED, I GOT OUT; IT WAS NOT. WHEN I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC, HE SAID THAT ONE OF THE STEERING RODS ON THE FRONT, RIGHT PASSENGER WHEEL HAD BROKEN. HE REPLACED BOTH THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT STEERING RODS. *JB

AS OF TODAY MY CAR HAS 100250 MILES. THE PROBLEM IS THAT I TOOK MY CAR TO THE MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE CHECKUP AND HE FOUND THAT THE FRONT AND BACK COIL SPRING ARE DEFECTIVE AND MUST BE REPLACED ASAP. I WENT TO THE WEB SITE (NHTSA) AND I FOUND THAT THESE CARS DON'T HAVE A SAFETY RECALL HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY REPLACEMENT FOR THE DEFECTIVE PART AT NOT COST TO THE OWNER. I NEED FORD TO CONTACT ME VIA E-MAIL OR BY MAIL TO WHERE I CAN TAKE MY CAR (A SERVICE CENTER AUTHORIZED NEAR TO MY HOUSE) TO REPAIR MY CAR AT NOT CHARGE. I USE MY CAR PRIMARILY AS A FAMILY CAR AND I NEED MY CAR IN GOOD CONDITION FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. *JB