1999 FORD CONTOUR Complaints

REAR FRAME, SUSPENSION RUSTED COMPLETELY INTO AN WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND THREW ME INTO DITCH. THIS IS COMPLETELY NOT ACCEPTABLE. I HAVE 1960'S CARS %100 BETTER THAN THIS . I KNOW THIS IS A 1999 BUT THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. CAN ANYTHING BE DONE.

THE BRAKE LINES UNDER THE CAR HAVE RUSTED TO THE POINT OF BREAKING APART. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 100K MILES AND WAS NOT SUBJECT TO ANY EXTREME CONDITIONS. THE BRAKE FLUID LEAKS OUT OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE ALMOST AS QUICKLY AS IT IS POURED IN AND HAS LEFT THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE WITHOUT EXPENSIVE REPAIRS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO WOBBLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

THE FUEL TANK STRAP IS COMPLETELY CORRODED AWAY, AND THE FUEL TANK IS READY TO FALL OFF. THE PROTECTIVE COATING IS DEFECTIVE AND HAS COMPLETELY FALLEN OFF, CAUSING THE FUEL STRAP TO BE EATEN AWAY BY RUST AND CORROSION. THE FUEL TANK IS GOING TO FALL OFF EVENTUALLY. THE FUEL FILLER NECK AND EMISSION FITTINGS AT THE TANK, ARE CORRODING BADLY TOO. *TR

THE FUEL PUMP FAILED FREQUENTLY WHILE DRIVING, USUALLY UPHILL. CAR WOULD STALL AND SOMETIMES RESTART, CREATING A HAZARD WHEN ON THE FREEWAY. EVENTUALLY THE FUEL PUMP FAILED COMPLETELY. MY MECHANIC REPLACED IT, HAVING TO RETROFIT THE GAS TANK IN ORDER FOR THE PUMP TO BE INSTALLED, REMOVING CERTAIN FITTINGS. THE FILLER GROMMET WAS DEFECTIVE, AND AFTER THE FUEL PUMP WAS FIXED AND REFUELING WAS TAKING PLACE, GASOLINE POURED OUT OF THE TANK AND THE CAR HAD TO BE RETURNED TO THE MECHANIC. THE REPLACEMENT FUEL PUMP FAILED ABOUT 10 MONTHS LATER, IN SEPT. 2011. AT THAT TIME, THE CAR HAD BEEN WORKING FINE THE NIGHT BEFORE AND WOULDN'T START IN THE MORNING. FORD WILL ONLY GUARANTEE THE ORIGINAL REPLACEMENT, SO IF THE REPLACEMENT HAD FAILED AFTER MORE THAN TWO MONTHS, FORD WOULDN'T HAVE REPLACED THE PART. THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW MOTOR HAS BROKEN THREE TIMES. I HAVE ALSO HAD TROUBLE WITH THE AIR INTAKE SYSTEM, WHICH CAUSES A WHINE WHENEVER THE CAR IS STARTED COLD. THIS IS IRRITATING, BUT DOESN'T SEEM TO CAUSE ANY DIFFICULTY WITH THE OPERATION OF THE CAR. THE DASHBOARD WAS RECALLED, A CHEAP PLASTIC PIECE PLACED OVER THE VENTS, WHICH RUINED THE LOOK OF THE DASHBOARD. I PERSUADED THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE DASHBOARD AS ORIGINALLY PROMISED IN THE RECALL NOTICE. THE REPLACEMENT HAS NOW ALSO DEVELOPED A PROBLEM WITH THE VENT BEING SEPARATED FROM THE DASH. THERE ARE ALSO VAGUE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, INCLUDING SURGING AND DIMMING OF LIGHTS. CAN'T USE THE RADIO FOR FEAR OF STALLING THE CAR, OR USE THE HEATING SYSTEM ALONG WITH THE REAR DEFROST SIMULTANEOUSLY. *TR

THE DASHBOARD WINDSHIELD AIR/DEFROSTING VENT COVER BELOW THE WINDSHIELD POPPED OFF AND THE DASHBOARD PADDING HAS PEALED UP BLOCKING WINDSHIELD/FORWARD VISIBILITY. THIS HAS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FAIL THE VIRGINIA SAFETY INSPECTION. ALL REMEDIES WE HAVE TRIED HAVE ONLY SEEM TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY RELIEF. I HAVE PICTURES. I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL OTHER CONTOUR OWNERS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS AND I HAVE SEEN CONTOURS IN PARKING LOTS WITH SIMILAR CONDITIONS. ADDITIONALLY, I WAS TOLD THIS WAS IDENTIFIED IN A PAST SAFETY RECALL. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD RESULTING FROM DEFECTIVE MATERIALS AND POOR DESIGN. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 15 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND EXHIBITED A LOUD, ABNORMAL NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR SUB-FRAME WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 107,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THE ENTIRE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD CURLED UPWARD. THE DAMAGED DASHBOARD CAUSED PROBLEMS WITH THE DEFROST AND AIR CONDITIONER, BECAUSE THE WINDSHIELD WOULD NOT DEFROST. THE CONTACT PLANS TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT WAS HARD TO SEE OUT OF THE WINDOW WHENEVER IT RAINED OR THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CHILLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR. WHILE THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK STRAPS WERE RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. UPDATED 06/16/11*LJ UPDATED 07/11/11

1999 FORD CONTOUR, FUEL CONSTANTLY CUTTING OFF AND NOT RESTARTING. SHOWS GAS BUT ACTS LIKE NO GAS IN CAR. SAID TO BE FUEL PUMP PROBLEM. NO ONE CAN FIND ISSUE. I HAVE BABIES AND HAD BEEN STUCK ON FREEWAY FOR OVER TWO HOURS WHEN SOMEONE HAD TO COME AND GET US AND TOW VEHICLE HOME. STILL NOT WORKING. *TR