1996 FORD Contour

I purchased a used 1996 Ford Contour for my granddaughter and after a few days the check engine light came on. My mechanic diagnosed the problem and fixed it. A few miles down the road it came back on. After further diagnostics it was found that the engine wiring harness was bad. The insulation on the wires was flaking off and in one spot the wire bundle covering had melted. Research on line showed that Ford had a recall on this problem (99M03) and extended the recall for 10 years. In an attempt to repair the problem with a different wiring harness has proved to be a loosing battle I contacted Ford and they said that they no longer build this part and that they had no parts in stock throughout the USA. I tried salvage yards and there are no good parts out there. How can a Used Car lot sell cars without looking into safety recalls on the vehicles. I have no recourse but to junk the car and take a $3000 loss. Ford should also make parts available as long as there are thes cars on the road.

timing went out, then all wires and fuels box had to be replaced

This was a used car purchased by me at 44k. in 2000. By 2002 the check engine light came on & stayed on. There were a number of items replaced including an oxygen sensor. Several months later check engine light would come on intermittently. Coolant light indicator came on in May 2004. Alternator went needed repair in June 2004; Mechanic changed alternator and then the car overheated, engine started knocking and now mechanic says car is “worth five cents.” Mechanic also discovered that a replacement with the catalytic assembly had been done at some point. He felt that the engine had been taken out and worked on. When i bought this car i was never told any of that. I called Ford and they told me that there was a recall on the “electric wiring harness & that Ford would cover the charges for that should the diagnostics indicate that. They also indicated that any recall info is sent to the original owner. Now i do not have a car to drive!!! Is it worth taking this to a Ford dealer for further diagnosis? A new engine is what the independent mechanic said is what it needed. I do not have the money for a new engine. I feel that Ford never informed me of the things that were potential problems with this car. Even the left directional started flashing three times as fast. A nice car that ran well in between repairs!!! Ford dealer did not even fix the CD player after i bought the car in 2000. They said it had been fixed but for 4 yrs my CD’s would not release and the CD player continued to skip and not play but randomly if you were lucky. Thanks

This car has less than 70000 miles on it. We had trouble with the fuel door, front wheel bearings, brakes, door handles, transmission, electric windows, and now as a special treat the engine failed. This car has been the worst investment that my wife and I have ever made. I have have owned several cars and trucks with 200000 plus miles on them and none of them have ever been as problematic as this automobile.

This car has had so many problems multiple times that I quit keeping track of when the problems occured or how much it has costed me, but I know it has been a LOT. This car is junk!

The engine spark plugs have been changed 3times since I bought the car at 148,000 and the wires changed once along with coil pack. The exhaust has been replaced from the converter back. The lower control arms on both sides have been changed. The transmission was changed with only 164,000 kms on it. The lights are on the interior working sometimes and not I didn’t bother to fix.

On December 1st 2005, I was driving my car in Peachtree City, Georgia. My car was in working condition , with my Godmother in the car, another vehicle struck me from behind. It all happened so quickly that there wasn’t time to get the other drivers information, at that point I started down the road and noticed that my car was jerking and the odometer was not working, the lights on the dash lit up and the car would not go up a hill without jerking and stalling. I pulled over to the side of the road and called my auto club. While the police officer wrote the report He and I both noticed some physical damage to the bumper of the car. I immediately contacted State Farm explaining the situation. The car was towed to Gene Evans Ford in Union City Georgia. State Farm rented a car for me for 15 days. I spoke with Jay at the body shop at Ford on December the 5th, at that time he said to me that they where trying to find parts to fix my car. Jay had mentioned to the insurance company that he had no idea why the car had been towed in. I called and Jay said to me that the claims adjuster for State Farm said not to do anything to my car because he felt the problem was not accident related. My brother came over sat in the car with Jay and drove the car to show Jay how badly it was driving and that the lights on the dashboard where on and the odometer was not working at all . Jay at Ford did let me know that the Adjuster is payed to save State Farm money.As I am sure by any means necessary Ford wants to save money also.The car then was transferred to service at that point the diagnosis was that the underwire harness deteriorated, and the lights where on because there was an electrical malfunction among other problems my car was experiencing, consequently it was written up where the accident did not cause the problem. I tried to pay for the diagnostic, Ford would not accept my payment.I payed to have the car towed again to get a second opinion. While doing this I also did some research on the internet and found that my car had a recall on the underwire harness but that the recall had expired after 100,000 miles After seeing how many recalls where done on my car I realized that God himself must have been driving that car.What Genes Evans Ford told me was that it would cost me $2500.00 to fix the underwire harness problem. I obtained a second opinion which confirmed the wire harness, issue and I was assured that most qualified certified technicians did not want to even touch a contour much less try to fix it.My concern is that if Ford knew there was a recalled part in my car, it should have been mentioned to State Farm . Consequently the impact did accelerate the problem that was already there, which I knew nothing about because my car was drivable, having known about it I would not have bought it. Ford built the car., and Gene Evans Ford knew nothing about the recalls! After calling State Farm on several occasions I was not given the adjusters name or anyway to reach him. As a law abiding citizen,veteran, disabled black women all I want is for this issue to be resolved. I want my car fixed! On April 28,2004 when I was not sure if my car had a problem I took it to Gene Evans Ford for a diagnostic reading, the odometer read 95904 and on May 3,2004 when the odometer read 96037, which is considerably less than the statute of limitations with regard to the electrical problem as well as the underwire harness recall,99M03, which is 100,000 miles or ten years. If the Automotive Technician at Ford Service could not elaborate that the re was a recall that may cause problems . How was I to know? I continued to drive my car, believing Gene Evans Ford knew what they where talking about.Basically trusting there opinion on any concerns I may have had. When does it become my responsibility to keep track of all recalls that Ford has o n cars. This situation has cost me endless distress as well as financial setbacks, fixing problems that now I see where related to one recall or another . Consequently I have no desire to fall through the cracks simply because I cannot afford to purchase a new car every two years, I do have detailed records pertaining to everything that is stated is this letter . The purpose of this letter is to inform you that I would like to see a just and equitable resolution to this matter. I have but one car, pay my premiums on time and a clean driving record. I feel that this can happen to anyone and I am most disappointed and dissatisfied , if not disgusted with the way Gene Evans Ford has handled this matter. I want my car fixed! or if need be replaced, with functioning non-defective parts, should my car get fixed I want all recalls on my car researched and fixed since the underwire harness was not the only recall I found on my car,and I want it all in writing! Given the urgency of this issue , I would expect a responsible and conscientious response, no later than January 15, 2006 if not sooner, as previous;y stated this issue continues to wreak havoc on my life . Thanking you in advance for your careful consideration in this matter.Ms Onisa C. EnamoradoSincerely,Enclosures:Letter describing the situation and how it can be resolvedCopy to Better Business Bureau and Copy to Insurance Commissioner & Ford Corporate Office consumer relationsDearborn Michigan

Ok, I recently put an amp and subs into my car. After that I noticed that my brake lights AND license plate lights are out. my long brake light still works…the one located in the back seat, under the back window..it’s like a 9 inch brake light bar…I don’t know..but that works and my brake and license plate lights are out. Any id WHAT could have caused this? I checked the fuses and the bulbs, everything looked good. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE! Email me back, with some insight as to what may have happened..and HOW I can fix this..thanks!

My newest problem that I have with the car now is it stalls at red lights and doesnt start for 45 minute to an hour. I took it to 3 garages already and they can’t find the problem.

My car stalls constantly. When you start it, it stalls. When you slow down or take your foot off the gas the RPM’s crash and it usually stalls, whether you are moving, stopped, or parked. My mechanic has tried many times to find the problems and replaced a completely clogged fuel filter and 4 air sensors and it still stalls! The ide can’t even be adjusted. Since I have had this car it has been a money pit!

I was concerned about the airbags in my daughter\’s car (1996 Ford Contour,mileage:147,000) that did not work in two different accidents that she had….. The first, she ran into our house at a speed that caused the concrete blocks to crumble, then last week she was involved in an accident that totaled the car. All the damage from the accident last week, was on the passengers side of the car, but the impact was severe enough that the right front wheel flew off of the car along with the axle that attaches it to the car, and the side was crushed in causing the passenger door to jam, so that the door would not open. We were fortunate that she was not injured in either of these incidents, but I thought that the impact was severe enough in both of these cases, that the airbags should have worked??

I have had numerous problems with my Ford Contour since owning it. The two major issues with the car is the “check engine” came on a few years back. Upon diagnosis, I was told that the catalytic converter and oxygen sensors were bad.I also recently experienced a condition where my tail lights and instrument panel lights went out. This issue was actually in a recall back in 1999. When I brought the car in for repair, the Ford dealership told me that the repair would cost me $500.00 and was not covered by the recall. I called Ford’s Customer Relationship Center and was told that my car had already been fixed (??) and I would have to pay for any future repairs.Not only is the 1996 Ford Contour a unreliable car, Ford’s service centers and corporate customer relationship centers are less than adequate, they do not honor their recall and service bulletins, a very serious problem.

I have had a lot of trouble with this car. Since 60,000 miles it has had 5 water pumps. In the last year I have spent approx $1500 on this vehicle in service and repairs.

I have been through everything with this car. From electrical going from working one second and not the next to tranny.

I contact Ford regarding the Defect: On certain passenger vehicles, the terminals at the headlight switch and wiring harness connector can experience heat damage as a result of overheating. The damage could result in distortion of the terminal, causing an open circuit in the instrument panel illumination, parking lamp, and tail lamp circuits.Remedy: Dealers will install a headlamp switch wiring connector containing bronze terminals and an inspection, and replacement if necessary, of the headlamp switch. Owner notification was expected to begin during June 1999. I was informed that my vehicle was not a part of this recall. I have no panel light or back lights. Please help.Thank you/

engine light kept coming on, leaking oil, loud noise coming from engine,gas cap line was broke,window on drivers side stop going up or down.

Check engine light stays on, oxygen sensors have been replaced to no avail. Don\’t know what else to do. Ford dealer couldn\’t find the problem.

The consumer was sold a vehicle that did not have a title. *ts *nm

The wire harness motor, transmission and fuel injection are bad ,and was stationary 5 year ago like many many many contours and mistyques in my country , i need a solution please, couse responsability is from ford company in all the world. thank you. i am in mexico.

My car was recalled in 2001. the past 6 mo my electrical system smells like its burning or something melting. almost like its going to catch on fire

Tl* the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. the contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, it would fail to start due to a melted wire in the engine. in addition, the contact stated that the odometer failed to provide the accurate reading. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 100,000.

Car was purchased from a used car dealer on 8/11/15. the car has 58606 miles on it. the transmission had to be replaced due to electrical issues caused by a faulty wiring harness. wiring harness was under the owner notification and not repaired. ford has not offered any type of assistance and mechanic says the car is a fire hazard and harness has to be replaced. contacted ford who said the car was not under any type of recall and they no longer make the part.

Tl* the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. the contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, the taillight and front panel failed. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 68,000.

Corrosion under the car (police inceptor ). car was purchase from a local dealer in bamberg, sc that sell many crown victorias. he indicated my car came from up north, pennsylvania. *tr

I purchased a used 1996 ford contour for my granddaughter and after a few days the check engine light came on. my mechanic diagnosed the problem and fixed it. a few miles down the road it came back on. after further diagnostics it was found that the engine wiring harness was bad. the insulation on the wires was flaking off and in one spot the wire bundle covering had melted. research on line showed that ford had a recall on this problem (99m03) and extended the recall for 10 years. in an attempt to repair the problem with a different wiring harness has proved to be a loosing battle i contacted ford and they said that they no longer build this part and that they had no parts in stock throughout the usa. i tried salvage yards and there are no good parts out there. how can a used car lot sell cars without looking into safety recalls on the vehicles. i have no recourse but to junk the car and take a $3000 loss. is there any help out there? *tr

My car had been having many issues .fixing what we thought were the problem we found that the electrical connected to the cooling fan was melted as well as many problems in wire harnesses in front of engine.. it is very apparent the wiring is defective and caused melting n burn wires throughout the wiring system. i have had 4 mechanics look at it and was told by all that this make n model is very well known for this electrical issue. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. while parked, the contact smelled smoke and noticed flames near the rear of the radio and the center column that divided the front and rear driver side doors. the contact was able to extinguish the flames herself. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostics. there was a recall under nhtsa campaign id number: 01v230000 (electrical system) that could possibly have been related to the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised that the vin was not included in the recall. the contact stated the failure affected the exterior lighting and interior lighting of the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 62,922.

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. while operating the vehicle in reverse, the contact noticed that the vehicle lost power without warning. the vehicle was taken to a private mechanic who performed a diagnostic test which concluded that the wiring harness was corroded and cracked. the mechanic confirmed that the vehicle needed to be repaired. the vehicle was included in recall number: 01v230000 (electrical system); however, since the recall had expired the dealer was not willing to offer any assistance. they advised the contact to locate a wiring harness at a junk yard for installation. the contact did not inform the manufacturer nor was the vehicle repaired due to the cost. the failure mileage was approximately 130,000. updated 5/2/11 *cn updated 1/11/11 *cn

Tl* the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. the contact stated that the vehicle would independently accelerate when driving with the cruise control activated at various speeds. the contact stated that the failure started intermittently but progressively became worse over time. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure and current mileage was 91,000.

I printed out all of the recalls on 1996, ford contour but when i went to the ford place they said the recalls are not on my particular car. so is that so? that cars are made in batches and only certain batches are recalled. i have a 1996 ford contour, 4 cylinder motor. that does have all of the problems on the recall list for my car. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. the contact stated that the plug on the headlight switch overheated and melted the wire in the plug. he had to disconnect the battery every time he got out of the vehicle because it caused a failure within the parking lights. the plug and headlight switch needed to be replaced. he found recall 99v103000 online and was told by both the manufacturer and the dealer that his vehicle was not included. the vehicle had not been repaired to-date. the current mileage was approximately 183,000. the failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

Blower motor failure. the blower controls the defroster and heater. the failure results in fog, frost etc so visibility is greatly limited. if one can see well an accident is possible. *tr

I have a ford contour (1996 sport w/2.5 v6..nearly all of the wiring under the hood either has broken or no insulation on it. some times the temperature light comes on...today the electric cooling fan smoked then blew a fuse. i've never seen wiring like this. i expect better from ford than this..this car just turned over to 72000 miles....this car is a total fire hazard.....i've owned ford cars and trucks all my life but if nothing can be done about this car it will be the last ford i buy..this wiring should be against the law. i wonder if the safety team knows about this. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. while driving 55 mph, the contact smelled a burning odor and noticed smoke emanating from the instrument panel. after close inspection, he noticed that the blower switch and all associated wiring were melted. the dealer would not assume responsibility because the vin was excluded from nhtsa campaign id number 01v230000 (electrical system). the manufacturer would not assist and the vehicle has not been repaired. the failure and current mileages were 109,688. 4/01/09 *nj ford stated the vehicle was diagnosed before it left the factory and they refused to reimburse the consumer. updated 04/07/09. *jb

Was filling up my fuel tank and just as the pump clicked off gasoline started pouring out from the top of the tank and it still does it everytime i fill it up i am very concerned because it is a severe fire hazard please help me out. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. the contact stated that the wiring harness was malfunctioning, which causes the check engine indicator to illuminate on the instrument panel, engine failure, and electrical fires under the hood. he has been repairing the failure himself, but the wiring harness continues to malfunction. the dealer stated that there were no recalls related to the failure and the repair would cost $1,500. the manufacturer stated that they would not repair the vehicle. the failure mileage was 103,000.

Several times during the past 3 months the gas pedal/accelerator seemed to "stick" or race and i could not get the car to idle to back down until i put it in gear. july 3, while driving in busy traffic, the accelerator/gas pedal went to the floor and fortunately i was able to steer the car around a corner to the side of the road. the police were able to push the car into a car repair place where the mechanic suggested i call ford about a recall. the speed control cable had just snapped right off! i called from the repair place and ford said there was no recall on my vin vehicle. i had the car towed to my home as i was leaving town the next day. i have returned now and after searching your site have found what seems to be the recall for the very problem i have with my 1996 ford contour. i called a ford dealership and was told my vin did not have the recall problem. what is my next step, please? lucy hocking [email protected] 414-541-2326 414-520-8323 make : ford model : contour year : 1996 manufacturer : ford motor company mfr's report date : dec 03, 1997 nhtsa campaign id number : 97v225000 component: vehicle speed control:cables potential number of units affected : 38000 summary: vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with the traction control option. the throttle cables were damaged during vehicle assembly leading to fraying or separation of the throttle cable. consequence: this condition could prevent the engine from returning to idle. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. while attempting to shift the gears on the floor shift, the contact experienced incorrect gear selection. he took the vehicle to the dealer and a technician stated that they did not repair vehicles after ten years. the manufacturer stated that his vin was not included nhtsa campaign id number 98v233000 (power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift); therefore, the contact would be responsible for the repair costs. the failure and current mileages were 86,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. as he started his vehicle, the tail lights or the dashboard did not light up. his mechanic gave him a copy of nhtsa campaign# 01v230000. the dealer and the manufacturer stated that his vehicle was not a part of the recall. the related nhtsa action# is ea01001. the failure mileage was 186,000.

Rear passenger door unable to open, coupled with the fact the windows only open half way as a child safety feature. *tr

I just got the car from used car dealer on 02/07/08 drove fine went home and in the morning i went out got kids in car and went to back up and had no reverse..the shop i took it to said the transmission is out. the car only has 81000 miles on it....and there has been alot of complaints made about this transmission in 1996 ford contours... i think some thing needs to be done ... *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. the heater fan motor for the defroster failed. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was informed that the fan switch failed and would cost $58 to repair. the dealer kept changing the diagnosis until the contact spent $271; however, the vehicle was still not repaired. nhtsa campaign id number 01i009000 (visibility:defroster/defogger system: windshield: controls/wiring) was referenced. the dealer stated that the vehicle passed the ten year free period. the current mileage was 131,000 and failure mileage was 130,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. after being parked for four hours, the vehicle caught fire without warning. the fire originated on the front driver side. the vehicle was not towed or inspected by a dealer. the fire extinguished on its own. the current and failure mileages were 101,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. one month ago, the contact discovered that there is a recall for her vehicle. she stated that the engine lights continue to illuminate while driving 40 mph, and a wiring repair was performed in the transmission. she also stated that the wiring harness was damaged by the heater blower. the vehicle was purchased in 2001 and the contact has been experiencing engine failure ever since. the engine size is not available. the current mileage is 110,000 and failure mileage was 90,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. the contact stated that the vehicle has encountered blown fuses and a destroyed alternator. the electrical system also destroyed the battery. the dealer stated that the wiring harness deteriorated, and informed the contact of recall # 01v230000. *ak

Car has 168000 miles . my daughter just purchased it. 11/06 after checking over i found insulation on wires is rotted and falling off. i noticed some repairs have been attempted but still looks unsafe to operate because of possibility of fire .she now has a car she cant use and cant afford to repair. *nm

Tl* - the contact took his 1997 ford contour to the dealership on 12/20/06 because the vehicle had lost complete power. the dealer stated that the vehicle needed to get the wiring harness replaced. the dealership called the manufacturer to see if the vehicle would be covered under the recall nhtsa campaign id number : 01v230000 and they stated that it wouldn't be covered under recall due to the vehicle being more than 10 years old. the contact can provide copies of repair invoices if needed. *jb updated 2/16/2007 - *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle was not included in nhtsa recall #99v247000, regarding fuel; hoses/lines/pipes/fittings due to the vin. having similar problems the manufacturer parts were replaced by an independent service dealer, but the problem recurred. fuel was dripping onto the tail pipe. the service dealer and manufacturer were notified. updated 10/04/06. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle stalled without warning, but restarted immediately. the dealership replaced the catalytic converter. the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle stalled 50000 miles later, but would not restart. the vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop, who determined the catalytic converter needed to be replaced.

Consumer request help to fix a 1996 contour. *ts the consumer took the vehicle to be inspected and it failed. the consumer was told by the dept of motor vehicle that the vehicle had been subject to an emission recall as reported by the epa the dealer informed the consumer that the vehicle was no longer under warranty. the original owner received a recall notice in 1997 but the consumer never received a recall notice. *nm

I was informed both rear springs had cracked and it was a potential saftey hazzard. tires plus said it is possiable for the spring ends to puncture the tires. *jb

I paid to have the car towed again to get a second opinion. while doing this i also did some research on the internet and found that my car had a recall on the under wire harness but that the recall had expired after 100,000 miles after seeing how many recalls where done on my car i realized that what genes evans ford told me was that it would cost me $2500.00 to fix the under wire harness problem. i obtained a second opinion which confirmed the wire harness, issue and ford built the car., and gene evans ford knew nothing about the recalls! i want my car fixed! on april 28,2004 when i was not sure if my car had a problem i took it to gene evans ford for a diagnostic reading, the odometer read 95904 and on may 3,2004 when the odometer read 96037, which is considerably less than the statute of limitations with regard to the electrical problem as well as the under wire harness recall,99m03, which is 100,000 miles or ten years. if the automotive technician at ford service could not elaborate that there was a recall that may cause problems . how was i to know? i continued to drive my car, trusting ford's opinion on any concerns i may have had. this situation has cost me endless distress as well as financial setbacks, fixing problems that now i see where related to one recall or another . i have but one car, pay my premiums on time and a clean driving record. i feel that this can happen to anyone and i am most dissatisfied , with the way gene evans ford has handled this matter. i want my car fixed! or if need be replaced, with functioning non-defective parts, should my car get fixed i want all recalls on my car researched and fixed since the underwire harness was not the only recall i found on my car,and i want it all in writing! thanking you in advance for your careful consideration in this matter. my car is now completely dead. with no attempt at gene evans ford or dearborn michigan addressing my concerns.*jb

At first vehicle would indicate wrong gear and then it binded up the gear shift so eventually had to remove some plastic from gear shift just to shift the gear then the automatic gear shift indication will not indicate what gear the car is in at all. possibly causing wrong gear selection could cause collision in parking lot.*jb

The consumer was sold a vehicle that did not have a title. *ts *nm

I bought a 1996 ford contour from and individual in july of this year. it ran well, for a few days, and then the od light kept coming on, and it felt like it was shifting into low. i kept mashing the button on the shift arm and the light would go out and then come back on this would go on for several days, then it would be ok for several days, just to start up all over again. then i had the old changed in november and the would not stay cranked for me to get home. the wires under the hood are all flaking of there plastic covering. i assume this is why it will not stayed cranked. i can not drive it in this condition. *nm

This problem started way back at the date below and i could not get ford to fix this problem so i have been attempting to keep the car running by electrical taping the exposing wires. i wonder why amercian made vehicles are loosing to foreign companies... self explanatory i think. no pride in the american worker. just do the job and make living. complaint is ford contour gl engine wiring harnesses severely deteriorating. i work with electrical wiring on aircraft daily and have never seen wiring like this. i've worked in areas where aircraft wiring go through severe temperature changes, high humidity, and sea spray to name a few. no aircraft that i've worked on has had wiring like this. transportation such as aircraft don't or should say cannot have wiring like this why can cars? obvious safety hazard for car owners around the country, car fails from wiring in the middle of rush hour traffic and what happens to the owner and possible other innocent drivers around them? this incident i believe requires immediate action. as i stated i am currently using electrical tape to attempt to keep the wires from touching and causing a fire or damage to other engine components. currently chasing air conditioning, engine fan, and fuel injector problems with this wiring. a vehicles wiring should never become this brittle. this goes to prove why ford is closing plants and nissan and toyota are on top of the automotive sales. think about it ford, trying to get by with cheap stuff and see where you are now, verge of bankruptcy. *jb

Dt: 1996 ford contour. the contact states the wiring harness failed. the vehicle was inspected, and this was how they found the problem. recall 01v230000 was issued, but this vehicle was not included. there has been nothing done to correct this problem. the contact stated it will cost $1700 to fix it. this problem was discovered approximately a year ago. there has not been a fire yet, but this could be the consequence of the recall.*ak updated 11/16/2005. *nm

I smell gasoline, and when i fill my car with gasoline it leaks. i have had it looked at by a mechanic and it has been determined that it is the fuel fill pipe vent hose. i have spoken with ford and they tell me that my vehicle is not covered under the recall. *jb

Consumer has had numerous problems with the 1996 ford contour.*mr there has been so many recalls on consumer's vehicle that she wasn't aware of because the manufacturer never sent notices. since then consumer has been paying for entire full price and is asking for reimbursement. however, the biggest problem with the vehicle is the gas fumes which is leaking therefore leaving poisonous carbon monoxide fumes coming in through the heater vents. these harsh chemicals are damaging to the lungs, brain, respiratory system and its making consumer very tired among other symptoms. *tt

The problem started on the incident date, wire problem cause the entire fan/ac/heater panel so no longer work, the wire got so hot hot it melted our under-dash fuse box, we went for 9 months and a baby with no a/c in hot and no heat in the cold, husband(josh murphy) went to junk yard after being turned away by dealership and got replacement parts off an identical car. that was in june of 2005. on that date we saw that all of the wires under the hood were severely cracked and damaged after eltrcial taping a few of the exposed wired there became a short that now cuases a computer problem and a loss of power then trying to accelerate anf pull into traffic, or just anytime it wants to. the over-drive light comes on and transmission starts to get really jerky and the odometer and everything else in the panal starts to malfunction, most of the time we dont even know how fast we are going or how many miles we have gone. we have a 18 month old and a new baby due in just weeks and i am scared that one time when i go to pull out the car just isnt going to go at all and we might get hit by someone, o and sometimes it just turns itself off in traffic too. the deaalership tell me that all of those wires were replaced in 2000 but they should have made it longer that 4 years without degenerating again. the local dealership also tells me that i would have to just pay for the work and being a new family we cannot afford something like that, especially since it was a recall item at one time. please there has to be something done about this, i know we are not the only 96 ford contour owners with this exact problem either.

Prndl indicator is broken, similar complaint to nhtsa # 98v233000, found ford recall # 98s26, dealer and manufacturer will not cover vehicle under this recall campaign.

Left and right front abs stators have cracks which are clearly visible. this causes the abs system to activate on a low speed stop. at about 40 mph the abs light comes on and the system doesn't work.the brakes work in regular mode.this was discovered on 6/21/05 but had been happening . mechanic changed an abs sensor wire with a cut in it . had to look further to find cracked stators.mechanic said that the ford dealership he called admitted there was a problem with some models,cracked stators on windstars,offered no solution. i called my ford dealer and was not helped .a part like this bears no weight and should not be failing.the cracks make the computer think there is a reason to activate and then at 40mph to shut down.the rear stators were not checked for cracks yet. thank you

Major harness & electrical wiring which is under recall that the ford dealership will not honor.

Dt: consumer states that she has had problems with the electrical system. she has had the vehicle in to the mechanic several times and the mechanic called a local ford dealer and inquired on recalls on the vehicle. at that time they were told there were two recalls, 01i009000 and 01v230000. consumer called the customer service department at ford and was told the recall had expired and she would have to pay for the recall work. *jb

I hope you can help me. i have a complaint i'd like to register with you about the safety of a car made by ford motor company. the vin (vehicle identification number) is [xxx]. i am the owner of a 1996 ford contour lx and recently i became aware (on my own accord) that ford motor company has the following two safety recalls on my vehicle 1. recall 99s14 - head light switch and wire assembly 2. recall 98s26 - automatic transaxle shift indicator (prndl) bezel. upon acquiring this information i contacted ford motor company's local dealer kingston industrial garage in order to ascertain whether my vehicle qualifies for these recalls. i was subsequently advised by them that while my vehicle qualified for recall 99s14-head lamp switch and wire assembly, however it does qualify for recall 98s26 - automatic transaxle shift indicator (prndl) bezel. this is occurring despite the fact that my vehicle meets one of the requirements as stated in a letter issued to dealers and customers by ford motor company's mr. a. r. kaduk-manager of vehicle service and programs dated october, 1998 which reads "certain 1995-1998 model year contour vehicles equipped with automatic transmission built from september 1, 1994 through january 8, 1998 at the kansas city assembly plant, usa" and it is this statement that makes my vehicle eligible for this recall, and how can they justify honoring one safety recall and not another. as a consequence of their refusal to honor this safety recall i am presently forced to drive an extremely unsafe vehicle due to the fact that i am unable to determine the selection of gears as a result of the defective automatic shift indicator (prndl) bezel which if not addressed with dispatch will sooner or later result in severe damage to myself and others. thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. i look forward to hearing from you soon. *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Shift indicator does not move when car is shifted, driver has to count the clicks to be able to tell if they're in what drive they're in. saw it in a recall, took it to the dealer and was told that my model isn't covered in the recall. after getting off the highway, car made load moaning noises, engine reved, rpms jumped around and car stalled in the middle of traffic. started up right after. did not take to get looked at. if the temperature outside is under 40 degrees, the car will moan loudly, the engine will rev, the steering will go out, and then the car stalls, happens mostly when breaking. sometimes instead of stalling, the car will lurch forward. almost caused atleast 3 accidents. took to a repair shop, they couldn't find anything wrong. when first purchased the car, the engine light would come on all the time. took it for repair, they said it was a sensor. had to get the sensor replaced 6 times before the problem stopped, at conumers expense.

I heard a loud noise coming from the front of the car everytime i drove over any surface that was not flat. without taking the car apart a mechanic told me it was possibly the struts that needed to be replaced. it turns out that the right front coil spring was broken and i was told that ford would have to repair the problem and this was not normal. i took my car to the ford repair shop and they replaced both front coil springs for $632.00. i was later told that their was a program to replace defective coil springs for free but it ended months before my coil springs had broken

Consumer complained about a mass air flow sensor problem. owner took the vehicle to the dealer to have the work done. also, owner was informed that the wire harness under the hood was defective. *ak

I own a 1996 ford contour [xxx] that the instrument panel lights and tail lights went out on. there was a recall on this item (recall 99s14) back in 1999. upon bringing the car into an brookdale ford (brooklyn center, mn), they told me that they would fix the problem free of charge because it did not apply to my vehicle. i then called ford motor company customer relationship center. they told me that the problem was already fixed on my car (even though i never brought the car in for this service). they refused to help. even if the recall was fixed on my car, the fact that the same two parts of my car (instrument panel and tail lights) failed, tells me that the recall repair was not done correctly.*ak *js information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6)

Car stalls when parallel parking, especially in reverse, or when parking slopes. car stalled when starting up from red light in center city philadelphia intersections. headlamps out of alignment (don't shine down onto road, beams not centered). air bag light on control panels blinks sporadically, frequently; anxiety that air bag will deploy while driving. dealer comment on stalling: "probably something stupid" and wasn't able to fix problem, mentioned something about a vacuum tube. dealer charged $95 to tell me that the memory in the vehicle didn't give any codes for the stalling or air bag problems, then added that the memory is wiped clean every time the car is turned off. question: if they know that about the car in the first place, why charge the customer for a pointless diagnostic? headlights still out of alignment after having been "adjusted" by dealer in january 2005. *nm

While driving 25 mph driver attempted to apply the brakes and vehicle continued to accelerate. as a result the vehicle was towed home, and then to the repair shop. *ak

Ford motor company did not send me a recall notification letter on my 1996 ford contour. i need to send my car back to ford motor asap, and ford needs to send me a brand new car. due to also since the first day i bought my car in 1999 every part in my car is a defect fraud non ford, also newman ford in salem, nh refused and discriminated my disability and laughed at me and denied my services. *jb

I bought a 1996 ford contour se in june of 2003.i have since replaced the water pump 4 times.i bought the car from a man who blew the engine becuase the water pump went and he let the car over heat.i have replaced it in oct.2003,february 2004,june 2004,and dec.2004.it is really started to become a burden.*ak

After the vehicle came to a complete stop the engine continued to rev at high rmps. this was due to the defect described in the accelerator cable recall 00v425000, but the vin was not included in the recall.*ak n *jb

While driving 20 mph check engine light appeared on the dashboard and remained on. vehicle vibrated uncontrollably. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the brake vacuum hose needed to be replaced and replaced it. however, the problem recurred. *ak

While driving, the transmission would down shift on its own. the transmission would hesitate then shift. the driver was able to drive it to the dealer for inspection. the mechanic was unable to duplicate the problem. please fill in additional information. *jb the consumer stated that the transmission indicator deteriorated and fans out therefore can not indicate what gear the transmission is in. *tc

I have only had the vehicle since february 14th this year. i can not fill my gas tank all the way full. it has been leaking gas every time i do. i have tried several times at different stores when i gas up my car to see if it was because i had been parked on an incline. it does not matter if i am on level ground it still leaves a puddle under my car. it is worse if i park on anything but level ground . please let me know if there is anyway to fix the problem.*ak

Rusting windshield framing. *bf consumer worried about the window blowing out. *tc

Electrical system was defective. consumer took vehicle to dealer on several occasions. however, the electrical system was such that the lights went out and flickered. vehicle locked in to park. consumer applied a 20 amp fuse to get it out of gear. the dealer was unable to solve the problem. *ak

I have a loud clicking noise from rear of car only when four people in car.when inspecting wheels and tires found wheel to be cracked from hub center to rim edge between lug nut holes.inspecting other wheels found 2 more with same crack in length and location.*ak

Vehicle was parked and it caught on fire. the neighbor noticed that blinker was on, and suddenly there was a loud bang, assumed to be the battery.*ak

I bought it on 07/01/04. on 07/02/04 my on was driving it, and couple of times, whem he stopped on stop signed, the car wouldn't start. eventually, in the evening, there was white thick smoke coming from under the hood and car was stopped. i called the dealership and they towed it to the mechanic shop. it happened that there was no oil and coolant and endine has gone bad. the dealer refused to pay completely for the repair, and we split it 20/80% where i'm to pay 80%. it's been 2 weeks and car is still in shop. i didn't buy it to sit in shop. is there a way to correct the situation somehow?*ak

Question regarding how a similar make, model and year vehicle with the identical problem is not included in a recall.*mr the consumer was referring to recall #98v233000. *jb

Automatic shift lever may not indicate correct gear (p, d, r) lever hangs up when switching between p, d, r. problem has been occurring for appx three years.*ak

Power train:automatic transmission:gear position indication (prndl) details: automatic shift lever may not indicate correct gear (p, d, r) lever hangs up when switching between p, d, r. problem has been occurring for appx three years.*ak

Vehicles shuts off frequently. vehicle won't pass emissions test. it won't start, and has to be towed to the dealer. *ak

This car has less than 70000 miles on it. we had trouble with the fuel door, front wheel bearings, brakes, door handles, transmission, electric windows, and now as a special treat the engine failed. this car has been the worst investment that my wife and i have ever made. i have have owned several cars and trucks with 200000 plus miles on them and none of them have ever been as problematic as this automobile.

My newest problem that i have with the car now is it stalls at red lights and doesnt start for 45 minute to an hour. i took it to 3 garages already and they can't find the problem.

Front seat back collapsed rearward during low speed rear-impact collision. driver ejected into back seat. broken neck. quadriplegia.

I don't know if any one there can help me, but i just want some one just hear my complaint. i purchase a 96 ford contour in 1999 with very low mileage. a year after i brought that car i begin having problems with that car. it have had 2 transmission. it have had a lot of electrical problems and now yesterday the motor is gone. over the years i have talk to the ford company but it was always it was not any thing they could do for my car. they should have stood by they cars but they. i first paid to much for the car. the dealership i brought the car from went out of business. i went back to them when the car first start giving me trouble and the next time i went to them they had closed down. the ford company just did not do me right at all. what hurt the most i had paid my last car payment yesterday and now the motor is gone. i feel if they would have listen to me from the beginning maybe it wouldn't had to come to this. i talk to ford on several occasions. i had a lt of electrical trouble and fumes use to enter the car. i just been threw a living nightmare with this. i don't care if i get any money or not i just want for some one to hear my complaint caus no telling how many other peoples may have experience the same problems. ford people just did me so wrong. but i have learn a good lesson . never buy a ford again. even when the call had a recall i don't think they did not fix it right. i know once you buy a car and you have to take care of your car. i have a another 96 honda. i have never , ever had any problems at all. it just no way why a car have to have had so many transmissions and other problems like that ford have gave me. i am so hurt with this whole situation don't no one know at this time how i feel. i am just very, very hurt. thank you very mush for listening to me. have a good day!*ak

Car stalls out when idle.car stalls out when starting or driving slowly. car has had many sensors replaced including the oxygen sensor and it continues to stall out. ford has not satisfactorilly repaired car after several costly visits.*ak

Head gasket and engine failure on my 1996 ford contour at 64,000 miles. the car was well taken care of and it happened while i was in a passing zone and the car failed to accelerate. from what i can see over the internet, this is an on-going problem with ford.*ak

The vehicle's automatic transmission failed (1996 ford contour). *ph *nm

Engine failure while accelerating in a passing zone.

This is a complaint on a 1996 ford contour. within 15-20 after my daughter drove to work on the interstate, the car burst into flames. she had already gotten inside her job. it occurred about 8:25.*ak

Pop up cup holders are very flimsy. the cup holders may cause beverage to tip over while driving. this results in driver's attention momentarily taken away from the road, which could result in an accident. consumer feels the cup holders should be more stationary.*ak

Intermittently transmission went in and out of overdrive by itself. when this failure occurred and the system failed to correct itself vehicle was taken to a dealership. dealer determined that an electrical malfunction affected the speed control sensor, and the sensor needed to be replaced. the electrical failure was caused by wiring harness plastic installation disintegrating and falling off. manufacturer issued an extended warranty on this part, but consumer's vehicle was over the warranty mileage.*ak

The driver-side locks on a 1996 ford contour. the locks won't work in cold weather and the driver cannot exit the vehicle when the locks are froze up. there are no manual overrides in place. ford headquarters refuses to replace the locks/or make the vehicle safe.*ak

Problems with 1996 ford contour front brakes, transmission, fuse box, heater blower motor, electrical and steering and suspension. *mr for the second time, the vehicle had problems with the brakes making a loud rubbing sound, the stabilizer bar was replaced and needs to be replaced again. the transmission was leaking, water was inside of the headlight seals, which made the lights very dim, the selector mode switch on the heater motor blower did not work properly, which made the heat not work at a 100%. the upper ball joints, rack and pinion and wheel bearing were all defective. *jb *nm

The brake pedal was depressed, but the vehicle didn't stop until it impacted a building. prior to the incident, the vehicle was at idle in the park gear for 5 minutes. the passenger sustained injuries. *ak the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle was continually being taken to the service dealer for the problem. when the incident occurred, there was no warning. the service dealer suggested that the throttle sensor ,somehow, became stuck and the engine overrode the brakes. *scc *jb

Headlights are inopertive, causing impaired vision. dealer states headlight switch has melted, causing all lights to fail.*ak

The connecting arms on the tray shield are cracked and can be easily pulled out of the side of the seat. the seat is only a year old, and the consumer feels that this should not be happening. the manufacturer will be notified. *ak

While driving the abs light illuminated on the dash intermittently. when this occurred the anti lock brakes engaged prematurely. the abs would then disengage and the brakes would lock up. *ak *ts *nlm

Consumer could smell gas in the vehicle while driving. took to the mechanic and stated the fuel injectors were leaking. please provide any further information. *ph

The consumer stated that while driving the cooling fan seized. this caused the electrical components to melt and result in a fire. *ak the consumer saw the recall on the internet but later found out the vehicle was not included in the recall due to the vin. the consumer fells the scope of the recall should be expanded. *ph *nlm

Headlight lenses are so cloudy that it is extremely difficult to see on low beams.has been evident since i purchased the car in '1999.*ak

When headlights are on the interior lights will not come on. cause is unknown. *ak

Consumer took vehicle to the dealer, and had the mechanic look underneath the hood. vehicle was melting inside due to this problem. she had no air condition or heat. *ak

Roof rusted under paint. *mr ph

While driving a noise is heard. there is a problem with the clock spring. crown ford dealership in nashville tennessee stated no problem could be found. *ak

The parking brake wouldn't release. we towed the car to midas. the inspection identified normal brake wear, but also serious front end deficiencies. the manager told us both front coil springs were broken and had been broken for some time, causing one strut to bend. he said had the second strut bent or broke, the car body would have dropped down onto the tires. he said the car was unsafe to drive. *nlm

Had received several recalls on vehicle springs, recall 01v230000, and heater blower sensor, recall 01i009000. took vehicle to dealership's mechanic several times to have repairs done, even left vehicle with mechanic. received call to pick up vehicle, and also informed none of the recalls were ever repaired. mechanic refused to complete the recall repairs. bramview ford; queen st; brampton ontario canada; 9054511041. *ak

After the recall for the heat blower 010i 009 000 was completed. the defect re-occurred eight times. *nlm

Nhtsa#99-v-103-000: vehicle description: passenger vehicles. the terminals at the headlight switch and wiring harness connector can experience heat damage as a result of overheating. this recall failed.*ak

The wiring harness of my 1996 ford contour caught fire. i had prior problems with the vehicle in the past such as tail light going out constantly and also headlights, as well as problems with the o2 sensor. i have put more that$2000 dollars alone on this car just getting it repaired. *jb

The consumers vehicle experienced symptoms of nhtsa recall # 01-v-230-000 which was related to the rough surface of the heater blower resistor's stainless steel blades. the consumers vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin. *nlm

The consumers vehicle experienced symptoms of recall 01-v-230-0000. recall deescription: passenger vehicles. the rough surface of the heater blower resistor's stainless steel blades can damage the copper surface of the wiring harness connector. *nlm

The rear safety belts did not function properly, the left rear belt buckle did not lock into the latch plate when connected and the right rear belt only pulled far enough from housing to cover a small child. *jb

Had the drivers side power window repaired today, as well as passenger front side window repaired in july 2002. both window regulators had to be replaced at a cost of approximately $700 for both. the mechanics informed me this is a very common problem with this vehicle, which would seem to show a major manufacturer defect. please pursue a recall repair on this vehicle so customers can be properly compensated.*jb

While normally driving at 35 mile's per hour, the car suddenly stalled. 10 minutes later started normally. just in case i took the car to mechanic because 20 minutes later i started to noticed an odor, like burned plastic. this morning the mechanic called me and asked me to stop by the shop, he showed me the fuse box and the electrical cables (harness) that are connected to the box, 75% or more are without insulation (cracked or the insulation is gone). according to him i was just lucky, ford do not offer a complete electrical harness as a part, and the only solution is to search for one in a junk yard, besides is a costly electrical job replacing the wires. i am going to contact ford because as a consumer i think that there is a defect with the mentioned vehicle.*jb

Wet/leaking trunk. also leaking from trunk to back seat. can't locate where the leak is coming from. *jb

The engine head gasket failed causing the engine to stop working. *nlm

The paint above the windshield started to crack. * mr the consumer felt the window may separate from the structure and the roof may rust. scc *jb

Both driver and passenger side airbags deployed for no apparent reason

The calipers on the front disk brake system tend to want to roll inward off of the rotors on both sides of the vehicle. this has happened twice to date. vehicle: 1996 ford contour

Transmission has failed repeatedly even after complete rebuild. have also had tread separation in tires on 5 separate occasions

The headlight switch malfunctioned and caused the tail lights and instrument panel light to go out without warning. the vehicle was recall once for this problem and repaired but the problem has reocurred. manufacturer stated since the recall was repaired once, they will not repair it again free of charge. *ph *nlm

While driving the vehicle at 50 mph engine stall. dealer has been notified. please provide further information as per conversation. mr

Consumer notice, the dash board defroster duct air vent is cracked and inoperable. dealer has been notified. please provide further information. ts

Headlight switch terminals and wiring harness terminals experienced heat damage. the instrument panel, tail lights and parking lights failed. robin ford dealer, 100 n. mcdade blvd, glenolden, pa indicated that there is a recall for this problem on the 96 ford contour but my vin does not apply to the recall. my vin is [xxx]. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Wiring to cooling system melted. also, each time consumer takes vehicle to dealer she is told that nothing is wrong with vehicle. *ak

Engine check light has come on. vehicle has not been examined by dealer.*ak

When making sharp turns in either direction, horn will sound on its own. consumer has disconnected fuse.*ak jlg

Temperature gauge constantly shows vehicle is overheating, when in fact it is not.*ak

All power windows are off track, consumer unable to put windows down. *ak this vehicle has been experiencing problems since purchase. *jg

Took vehicle to dealer to have air conditioner serviced, and the product that was used caused a large problem in air conditioning unit. a leak has developed. *ak *yh

Wires from the cooling fan are melting together and causing engine to overheat. dealer notified.*ak

While attempting to make a right turn steering wheel was hard to turn. brake pedal was hard. consumer restarted vehicle, and vehicle went back to normal. consumer feels it is dangerous to lose power. please provide any further information.*ak

Both rear seat belts failed to extend outward with one of the seat belt retractors trapping a child at one point. second failure was that seat belt buckles/latches have fallen apart. rear seat belts were not usable at all except middle lap belt. please describe details.*ak

A failure in wiring harness resulted in wires overheating, damaging wiring harness. ford customer relations are neglecting service based on a letter from them with a mileage restriction of 100,000 miles. please describe details.*ak

Vehicle constantly vibrated, when coming to a stop it vibrated so hard as if it was going throw consumer out of the car. mechanic indicated this was the way vehicle was operating. *ak

Vehicle was taken in for recall # 99 v 103 000 for the head lights. headlights and wiring harness were replaced. a month later , headlights and tail lights and all dash lights went out. please provide any further information.*ak

Shift lever damage, no longer able to tell what gear is shifted to, there is a recall but this vehicle is not affected due to vin. *ak

Engine problems causing vehicle to stop while in process.*ak

Consumer states while driving there is a gas smell coming inside the vehicle. consumer feels its related to the recall for the fuel vent hose. dealer has been contacted. nlm

The consumer states that the vehicle is stalling intermittently. the dealer has been notified. nlm

Upon shutting door on driver's side of vehicle it opened back up. door would not latch or lock. had to hold door to drive. dealer contacted. *ak *tt

Engine check light and battery light illuminates.took vehicle to dealer, and had electrical problem; repaired but problem still exists.*ak

While driving headlights/ tail lights, and dash lights completely stopped working, there was no warning. took vehicle to dealer. also, vehicle has had three alternators within three months. problem has not been remedied as of yet. please provide any further information. *ak

Doors are hard to close, dealership is aware of problem, dealership sent consumer manufacturers recall 99s25. but, this recall was for something else, left and right front door latches get stuck, right rear door will not open inside and outside, left rear door is fine.*ak

Consumer states received recall 99v103000 notification. dealership repaired other recalls, but informed consumer parts were not available to repair headlight switch recall, and he should return in 7 days. when consumer returned to dealership he was informed that vehicle had already been serviced for this recall, and any work would be performed at consumer's expense. please provide any additional information / documentation.*ak

Broken rear coil springs. *ak

Lug nuts were loose, causing wheel to fall off while driving, resulting in loss of control/accident, also no deployment of driver's airb ag upon impact. driver sustained injuries. *ak

Upon slightly wet surface or possible oil driver applied brakes slightly, he lost control, hitting curb w/cause unknown, resultin gin an accident/injury. *ak

Experienced intermittent failure of ignition switch, upon turning key, engine won't start, instead windshield wipers movedwithout engaging wiper switch.*ak

Man-trans: vehicle parked on hill, unoccupied, emergency brake not applied; popped out of gear; rolled forward down a hill; ran into two parked vehicles. tt

While driving, the engine shuts down, causing car to lose power. please describe. *ak

Upon frontal collision, driver made contact w/steering wheel before air bag deployed. please describe details. tt

Coating inside catalytic converter will come off, causing failure of catalytic converter, oxygen sensor also causes severe stalling. *ak

While driving, vehicle's engine shuts off. please describe. *ak

Purchase car new was driving and lower ball joint came loose . tt

While vehicle is idling and moving, engine vibrates, then cuts off in traffic; nearly caused accident; possibly, defective catalytic converter. *ak

Engine piston and valve fractured under normal drivin, causing vehicle to seize without any prior warning. *ak

On three separate occasions, driver's windshield cracked, for no apparent reason. *ak

Seat belts rear have completely fallen a part. there were no attachment t0 click on. dealership was aware of problem. *ak

Abs failed to stop vehicle after brakes were applied. vehicle started slowing up after abs light came on. brake pedal went to the floor. eventually was able to stop vehicle. been to mechanic 4 times, master cylinder proprtional valve was replaced to correct problem, which still was present. *ak consumer stated this has been an reocurring problem.*slc

When fillling gas tank up gasoline come out underneath vehicle. dealership is aware of problem.*ak

When driving vehicle stalled out and overheated without prior warning, causing engine to burn up. consumer has contacted the dealer. *ak consumer states her problem was exactly what recall 00v367 was for. *slc

Work was previously performed on consumer's vehicle for recall 99v247000. consumer is now having the problem of fuel leaking when he fills fuel tank. dealership informed him that recall work has been performed already, and it was now consumer's responsibility. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak

Consumer was traveling on a bridge and a suddently stopped for another vehicle that jumped in front of him. dual airbag didn't go off, and hit vehicle from behind. dealership was aware of problem.*ak

Vehicle had no power causing consumer to purchase a new battery. vehicle wouldn't work with new battery because consumer noticed wires were not attached. dealer stated " ford has a program which is 10 year or 100,000 miles, but can only be fixed if a problem occurs." consumers is responsible for the cost of repairs.*ak

While traveling at approximatley 60 mph engine started running and rpms went to 8000. consumer put transmission in neutral and turned vehicle off. upon start up after the engine had been shut off, the engine began revving again. dealership has not examined vehicle yet. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak

Air conditioner blower will only work on low, if turning it up high, it does not work.*ak

Brakes were making a loud squeaking noise coming from left front brake drum. took to mechanic, and they replaced both left and right front brake system. consumer has not contacted dealer. please provide any further information.*ak

Shift lever does not show the proper gear that the car is in. dealership has informed consumer that recall 98v233000 does not affect this vehicle. please provide any additional information / attachments.*ak

Vehicle not included in recall number 00v367000. overheating of engine cooling fan due to excessive current. please give any further details.*ak

Recall 98 v 233 000/shift level damage: shift level is not correctly indicating actual gear, consumer contacted dealer, and informed consumer that vehicle was not covered under recall due to vin. *ak *yd

Brakes have little resistance when pressure is applied to brake pedal, feels "mushy. also, abs light on instrument panel came on. dealership examined vehicle and reset abs light. as the consumer was driving away from dealership, abs light came back on. dealership then determined they have to perform rewiring work to correct the problem. please provide any additional information / attachments.*ak

Shift lever indicator is worn. can no longer see what gear is being used. there is recall 98v233000, but this vehicle is not affected. *ak

When driving consumer smelled something burning. dealer said engine cooling fan needed to be replaced. there is a recall 00v367000, but this vehicle is not affected due to vin. *ak

Vehicle was serviced for recall 00v367000/ manufacturer's recall 00s44 concerning engine cooling fan. after vehicle was picked up, same day, consumer found air conditioner and heater were not working. only defroster worked. dealer opened hood and stated nothing was done to affect air conditioning unit/heater. advised consumer to call back next week to speak to service manager. *ak

Transmission went out, and pressing on gas vehicle felt like it was in neutral. contacted dealer. *ak

While driving engine overheated. then, took vehicle to dealer. dealer found out that problem was with water pump that malfuntioned, and caused overheating.*ak the empellor fell apart causing the engine to over heat. *yh

When slamming on his brakes to avoid hitting vehicle that had stopped in front, and air bags didn't deploy. consumer and friend were injured.*ak

Would be driving when all lights in vehicle would go out, and then vehicle would stall. alternator failed to charge battery. took to dealership, had battery replaced for 4th time in 3 years.*ak

Passenger's seat belt has become jammed within retracting mechanism, and would not release, causing seat belt to become inoperable. please give any further details.*ak

Was traveling on highway 70mph without prior warning all lights came on the dashboard and there was a clicking noise . vehicle had to be towed to dealership. *ak *jb

Springs in front broke, and then vehicle started to veer left to right. also, struts were damaged. dealership was aware of it. *ak

Consumer was informed by a mechanic that stabalizer bar was broken when she took vehicle into dealer to have have a realignment. this was a common problem with these vehicles. consumer was charged a total of $463.26 to have this defect repaired. *ak *jb

While traveling at 70 mph,odometer gauge dropped to 10 mph. engine light and odometer light came on. consumer states that vehicle was towed to mechanic. mechanic stated it was the speed sensor. *ak *slc

Consumer filled tank with gas and after paying and coming back ou noticed gas was spilling all over the ground. it continued to leak for 3 hours. dealer found a crack in fuel tank. consumer had to get replace whole assembly at his cost.*ak

Was driving 20mph when front end broke loose. struts had broken. vehcle hit ground, andthen was thrown across 2 lanes of traffic. it finally hit a parked vehicle. no injuries. *ak

Intermittent problems with abs, when applying brakes at 5 mph abs kicks in, there is a pulsing noise at that time. dealer numerous times, cannot remedy problem. *ak

Ignition fails to completely shut vehicle off when turned to off position, and the key is removed. consumer stated that it also takes excessive effort to insert or remove key from ignition. dealership has examined vehicle, and was going to replace ignition. *ak

While driving about 25 mph transmission felt like it was shifting into neutral. vehicle had to be towed. then, took vehicle to dealer, and found out that piston assambly was in transmission broke. *ak

Recall 99v103000. remedy did not correct problem. while vehicle was being driven instrument panel and tail lights completely went out. please give any further details. *ak

Consumer had just parked car and turn it off and heard a popping noise. then, 10 to 15 minutes later, consumer saw smoke and fire coming from engine. called fire department. *ak

1. sterring is vibrating primarily when the a/c is on, 2.in hot weather, vehicle will stall while idling or at a stop.*ak

Loss of electrical power while driving. 3 dealers have inspected, but could not duplicate defect or cause. *ak

Vehicle has a crack in transmission housing.*ak consumer states while mechanic was performing routine maintenance he observed a crack in the bottome of the transmission housing, since no transmission work has ever been performed under consumer's ownership roughly since 41,000 miles in the mechanic's opinion that either the transmission housing was cracked when installed or another transmission was put in resulting in a cracked housing, he also observed what might be bad front coil springs, they are making a rubbing nosie on an uneven surface or in a sharp turn to the right,consumer has contacted manufacturer they have called her consumer back but they have turned the complaint into a feedback report consumer has also had rotors turned and serviced twice.*jb

Front passenger door lock had stopped working. door could not be locked or unlocked from inside. currently, same problem had started on rear passenger door. *ak

Was driving vehicle at approximately 40mph when it suddenly stalled out without any warning. *ak

Consumer is able to pull key out of ignition in any gear. *ak

Engine ran out of coolant fluids. dealership was aware of problrm.*ak

While driving, engine overheated, dealer stated that vehicle is not covered under manufacturer's recall due to vin, consumer feels this vehicle should be included. *slc

Received recall notice 99v103000; took vehicle to dealer last year. mechanic barely looked at switch & declared okay. now having problems as recall indicated. took vehicle back. informed by mechanic switch just suppose to be inspected & not replaced. recall notice indicated to replace switch & then inspect it later. *ak

Without warning engine check light came on causing vehicle to start to knock and make alot of noise. prior to this incident, vehicle was taken to dealer to be checked for excessive use of oil.*ak

Whenever starting vehicle or even driving electrical system would start acting up. windshield wipers would go on by themselves, have not been turned on. lights, interior & exterior, would go out. ignition will not start vehicle sometimes.also, would hear a clicking noise. did not have a battery problems. heater blower failed to work. no recalls on vehicle for electrical problems. *ak

While driving tail lights/odometer lights, and parking lights went out. consumer took vehicleto dealer, and they replaced a switch. consumer did not know which switch, on nov 1, 2000 same problem occurred. took vehicle to another dealer, and they replaced headlight switch, and a f5rz14a411 *ba, head lamp switch.*ak

While vehicle is being driven overdrive activates, and vehicle completely shuts down in heavy traffic, cause unknown. please give any further details.*ak

Fuel vapor leakage occurs causing heavy fuel smell from under vehicle. this was caused by fuel pump which had no rubber cap. *ak the cause for gas vapor leak was found to be defective fuel tank seal at the fuel pump unit, and was fixed. the consumer states it was a manufacturing defect. *yh

Since purchase of vehicle when driving through a puddle of water or in rain, power steering will go out. at that time alernator light comes on, has been to dealer numerous times for this , seems to be a design flaw. also, filling up with gasoline vehicle will smell for long time. *ak

Headlight cover turned yellow in color, causing poor visiblility. *ak

While driving about 20 mph next to a close curve saw a deer in front of vehicle on road. tried to avoid hitting it by stepping on brakes. they locked up, and vehicle rolled over. none of front air bags deployed. *ak

Consumer was driving and engine overheated without prior warning. vehicle was blowing out blue smoke and making clunknig noises.*ak

Engine keeps overheating and causing smoke under hood when driving. consumer has taken vehicle into ford on three different occasions, and ford claimed that they repaired problem. *ak

While driving vehicle makes a whinning sound, and loses power. dealr has been contacted.*ak

Consumer was traveling on highwayand vehicle started smoking blue smoke. then, vehicle caught on fire dashboard was badly burned. no injuries. *ak

Front support system bolt has stripped off. consumer had to have left front subframe replaced. *ak the stripped bolt in the front sub frame was replaced with a new bolt and the problem was solved. *yh

While traveling and slowing to stop or turn, vehicle stops and/or stalls. it also cuts off while trying to be started. vehicle had fuel in tank during time of incident.no accident or injuries have occurred

When depressing brakes with normal force vehicle continued to travel, causing a crash. *ak

Accelerator cable broke while driving. dealer has been notified. *ak the vehicle has steering problem too, but the dealer would not fix it unless the owner pays for the repair. *yh

Loss of power while traveling. problem have occurred on several occasions, and been in / out of dealer's shop on several occasions, and still unable to find cause or duplicate the problem. please provide any further details.*ak

While using air conditioner it stopped blowing air , after being repaired air was not coming from the vents. *ak

Light on the dash and tailight will go out intermittently due to headlight switch. nhtsa recall 99v103000/ manufacturer's recall 99s14 repairs were performed in november 1999 ,but defect has reoccurred. dealer or manufacturer have refused to fix it again.*ak

Screw for driver side sunvisor fell off while vehicle was in motion, causing blocked vision totally. *ak the driver side visor fell off twice. the second fall shorted electrical wires causing radio, clock and other components to fail. *yh

Consumer contacted dealer in reference to recall 00v075000/ rear brake valve. dealer stated parts were not available. dealer refused to correct recall problem. please provide any further details. *ak

Smoke was coming from hazard switch, and consumer could hear noise at same time. there was no signal of warning on this problem. *ak

Speedometer malfunctioned, not allowing the vehicle to go into third gear. vehicle has been repaired. *ak

Reporting on two difference occasions when air bag deployed on passenger's side, causing front windshield to shatter. would like to know what can or will be done on this matter, dealer and manufacturer were notified. please feel free to provide any further details. *ak

While driving extreme vibration occurred within the steering column. also, engine idled very fast, and the vehicle jerked., dealer stated that this was a normal condition. please give any further details. *ak

Vehicle got hot when it came to complete stop. if consumer shifted gear into reverse and applied gas pedal, vehicle would turn off. vehicle turned on and off intermittently. vehicle doesn't turn off if the vehicle is cold.*ak

Headlights were fogged up which affected visibility. consumer tried to wipe off the lenses. but they were stained with some type of milky substance. dealer stated that consumer had to replace headlights at her own expense. *ak *ml

While driving tail lights and instrument panel lights went out. dealer was notified about the problem. the problem was corrected at owner's expense. problem due to water condensation in the fuse box. *ak *ml

When traveling at any speed transmission drops out of gear ,causing loss of forward motion and loss of acceleration. consumer has contacted dealer. please provide any further details. *ak

Consumer contacted dealer in reference to recall 99v103000/ manufacturer's recall 99s14 concerning headlights. dealer corrected the problem prior to the recall. consumer received a refund. currently, consumer is having the same problem as stated in the recall, dealer refuses to correct the problem. please provide any further details. *ak

Consumer contacted dealer in reference to recall 99v103/manufacturer's recalls 99m07, 99m03 and 99s14 concerning headlight failure. dealer refused to correct recall problem dealer has been contacted on a number of occasions. *ak

Recalls 99v103000/99s14/99m03/99m04, and 99m07: all of these recalls have not been remedied. dealer dobbs ford, 2515 mt moriah, memphis, tn 38115 901-367-4976, had no parts available. please provide further information. *ak

Consumer took car in for 4th recall repairs. this one was for the engine wires. dealer fixed problem. consumer picked up car, and on that same evening engine check light came on. took in vehicle for service, and speedometer stopped working. couldn't tell how fast car was going. also overdrive light started to blink on/off.

Consumer heard a thumping sound. took automobile to midas auto shop and was told that two bolts have sheared off the transaxle .*ak

Consumer was at the traffic light going through the intersection. the traffic in front of him had slowed down, but the car behind didn't comply. car hit consumer's vehicle from behind, and smashed it in. sea tbelt failed to restrain, and driver sustained back and neck injuries. *ak

Consumer bought vehicle in september. she went outside that morning to start it up her vehicle and she noticed a knocking noise comming from underneath the hood. the dealer replaced starter and water pump but problem still exist.

The consumer stated that dealership had car over twenty two days, and vehicle still has electrical problems. *ak

Accelerator sticks and driver has to push hard, then it overaccelerates, and this may cause an accident if there is someone in front. there's too much force.*ak

Transmission does not recognize any gears. vehicle was towed to dealer & dealer hasn't had a chance to find the cause of the problem. vechicle is also idleing very high. *ak

Battery not able to hold the current. also, headlights and interior lights are not working. *ak

Consumer has defective parts , such as. headlight switch is ticking noise inside of the vehicle, and all dashboard lights are out. *ak

Consumer was driving 45mph and driver's airbag went off in his face. *ak

Dual fan on air conditioner was constantly on. consumer stated he received a manufacturer's recall letter for the driver side window. but, then other side window was not working. *ak

While driving at 15 to 20 mph accelerator pedal got stuck and the consumer lost control and hit an apartment building and then a bank. *ak

The struts replaced due to noise & the rear bearing's were replaced due to failure. problem still exist.

While driving and braking engine revved and suddenly accelerated and the brakes would not slow down the vehicle. had to use the emergency brake, and run up an a curb in order to stop the vehicle. manufacturer contacted. please provide further information. *ak

Recall # 99v103000 lighting: switch:button:ring:head lights; owner received recall notice in july, 1999. owner has brought vehicle to dealership twice for recall. once in july, and again on december 4th. dealer does not have parts to correct recall. told consumer to come back in 6 weeks. *ak

While driving at highway speeds the frost plug released, causing anti- freeze to spill and vehicle to stall out and die. there was not indication that the engine was overheating. dealer and manufacturer have been notified. *ak

At highway speeds transmission casing cracked, causing the vehicle to decelerate rapidly. dealer and manufacturer have been notified. *ak

There is a short within the electrical wires which melted, causing truck light wires to hang down, and door light to work intermittently. *ak

Consumer recieved recall letter 99v247000 concerning the fuel pump. contacted the dealer. no parts were available to correct the problem. please give any further details. *ak

The fuse keeps blowing out. this causes the air conditioner not work. took to dealer. vehicle failed to start & needed a jump. informed battery was needed. *ak

Consumer took this vehicle in to be repaired under the recall 99s14 for an ignition switch, the vehicle was repaired, but now theirs is a problem with front end vibrating very hard. the dealer has been contacted. *ak

Passenger's side power window fell off track, causing window to fail to operate, leaving window open for bad weather conditions. dealer / manufactyrer notified and refused to repair unless cost goes to consumer. *ak

Vehicle was hit from the rear, and driver's side seatbelt came loose from the panel, forcing the driver into the steering wheel. dealer has not seen vehicle. *ak

Recall 99v-103 000 /headlight swtch/wiringharness: recall received. vehicle headlight would intermittently go off/on. took vehicle to dealer for recall repairs and problem still remained. could this be a repair failure? can nhtsa provide additional information on thie matter. *ak

The gear shift indicator is broken, and does not indicate what gear the vehicle is in. the problem was reported to the dealership. dealer stated that vehicle was not included in recall # 98v233000 due to vin, and could not be serviced free of charge. *ak

Heater hose had a leak due to bracket above rubbing into it. took to dealer & was informed by mechanic it was a design flaw. had part repaired. *ak

While traveling vehicle stalled without any indications. as a result, wheels locked up. please provide further information. *ak

When driving at any speed and stopping at a stop, their is alot of vibrating within the steering and the dashboard rattles. *ak

Fuel tank cannot be filled up fully. whenever their is an attempt to fill the tank, gas splurges every where. dealer has been contacted. *ak

After filling fuel tank with gas the tank leaks from the bottom which could result in a fire cause unknown. please give any further details. *ak

While driving the overdrive off light continues to come on. and when this happens, car loses speed. *ak

When driving at any speed and applying the brakes there is a grinding noise coming from the brakes. *ak

While driving vehicle would not go into reverse. tried to go forward, hit accelerator lightly and didn't move, second time, took off and went into garage. passenger's mirror came off. dealer contacted, and was aware of the problem. but, couldn't remedy the problem. problem still exists. provide further information. *ak

Driving 60mph. heard popping noises. vehicle uncontrollable. went off road & down 30ft embankment & flipped over twice. mechanic checked & noticed left front lower ball joint had fallen out. this caused a loss of control. 4 people were injured & everyone was wearing seat belts. *ak

Engine head gaskets has blown out. dealer has been notified. *ak

All the bolts sheared off on bracket supporting transaxle, causing it to fall down and wedge against the exhaust pipe. heard a noise prior to discovering problem. vehicle driven to mechanic for repairs. owner has bolts. *ak

All the all the lights are working intermittently. also, when using the a/c unit consumer has to put the a/c on high in order to use the system. *ak

When the headlights are turned on, the interior dash lights do not come on, making it impossible to see the instrument panel at night. dealer has not seen vehicle. *ak

Floor shift lever broke. indicator showing drive/reverse, etc., failed to work properly. very hard to shift into park. took to dealer to check cause & was informed no recalls on vehicle. driver cannot tell if vehicle is in drive or reverse. *ak

Rec'd recall 99v103000 & contacted dealer. took vehicle in for headlight connector & it was replaced. when starting vehicle, it was very sluggish. problem was not present before connector replaced. owner not satisfied with repairs. *ak

When driving at 70 mph the vehicle is shifting very hard. it downshifts from overdrive to second gear, and all the components on the dashboard start going out. vehicle has been into repair shop six times and the dealer can't determine the cause of the problem. also, when applying the brakes, the child in the child seat goes forward, and the harness strap left a red spot on the child. *ak

The vehicle will intermittently jump from first to second gear. also, a lound popping noise occurs, cause unknown. please give any further details. *ak

Vehicle stalls and dies ant various speeds without warning. also, engine check light stays on. vehicle is able to be started immediately after it dies. dealer has inspected vehicle , and was not able to duplicate problem. manufacturer has been notified. *ak

Smoke came out of the dashboard . *ak

While driving at 70 mph without prior warning odometer dropped, and the vehicle went into overdrive and wouldn't come out of overdrive. *ak

While driving with air conditioner on high, smoke started coming from the vents. when turning off the a/c, there was melting behind the switch for the blower. *ak

Idler arm and front control arm failed. *ak

While driving the car began to malfunction and then cut off , when vehicle cut off, driver lost control because the wheels locked up. *ak

When turning the air conditioner on, smoke came from the fan switch. there could have been a fire if driver hadn't been so quick to turn off the switch. dealer will be notifed about the problem. please provide any further information. *ak

Vehicle shuts off in gear at 25 mph. overheated upon acceleration. dealer contacted, and stated the alarm was the cause. problems still exists. *ak *yc

There is a defective switc/ panel & wire assembely parts components of the wiring panel. this causes problem with air conditioner, blower, etc. will be taking vehicle to dealer to have electric component checked out. *ak

Notified by dealer of recall #99v103000. took to dealer for repairs. supposedly took 10 minutes of repair. the panel lights still not on. afterwards, received notice #99v103000 from dealer. went to different dealer who refused repairs due to other dealership having already done repairs. *ak *ml

Theromstat is causing the car to overheat. *ak

Recall # 99v103000 ford/headlight swtich/wiring harness; owner received recall notice in july 1999. owner has contact dealer numerous times. dealer does not have parts to correct recall. *ak

When turning the a/c on, dashboard gets hot. a/c is coming out of the defroster on top of dashboard, and not out the vents. *ak

Engine check light stays on while the vehicle is in motion. dealer has been notified.*ak

Received manufacturer's recall 99s-14; ford/head light switch/wiring harness. took vehicle in for repairs,three days later vehicle would not start; contacted dealer and informed of problem. dealer informed consumer not to bring vehicle in because consumer refused to pay $48.00 for fuses for clock and radio. seeking help from nhtsa in this matter. *ak

Was traveling 60mph & driver lost control of vehicle. had swerved first left & went off road & then swerved to the right into 30ft ditch. vehicle towed to mechanic & was informed the left ball joint had broken which caused loss of vehicle control. the vehicle was totaled. driver/passengers suffered injuries. *ak

Recall # 99v103000 ford/headlight switch/wiring harness; even though recall work was performed on august 24, 1999, the same problems still exists with the vehicle as stated in the recall. dealer is refusing to correct. *ak

Received a manufacturer's recall notice #99s-14 ford/headlight switch /wiring harness; took vehicle to dealer shop for repairs; later on noticed instrument panel lights failed to operate. notified dealer, and informed consumerthat it would c additional $48.00 to get the lights back on. can nhtsa provide further detail on this matter. *ak

Tail lights along with the interior lights do not work. dealer has been contacted. *ak

On-going / intermittent problem with vehicle shutting off due to loss of electrical powe; whenever vehicle ran over a water puddle it caused loss of power, which shut down everything. this condition could cause an accident. dealer notifed and refused to repair unless cost goes to consumer. seeking help or provoide additional information from nhtsa in this matter. *ak

Engine check light is on and there is a burning smell within the vehicle. also, all the lights on the dashboard aren't working, and the water pump had to be replaced. *al

Consumer was driving approximately 55mph, noticed smells of burning rubber, and experienced power failure at the same time, city garage #10 said the wiring harness for the alternator was bad, causing a short repaired the wiring and replaced the alternator with a rebuilt one, a serpentine belt was also replaced. *ak

While driving the heater and air conditioner fan switch overheated and caught fire. the owner was able to put out fire. the vehicle has been repaired by dealership. the connector and fan switch was replaced by the dealership.

When driving at any speed and applying the brakes, brakes are working intermittently, and brake pedal goes straight to the floorboard. *ak

Paper gasket is causing oil leaks which could cause the engine to blow. manufacturer has redesigned the paper gasket to a metal gasket. *ak

Pe98063, the headlights and tail lights malfuctioned, which caused the lights to go on and off. this may cause visual difficulty, and may result in an accident. dealer replaced headlights, but problem is reoccurring. eadelr did determine an "electrical problem". please provide further information. *ak

Consumer experienced a series of electrical problems which resulted in a fire. all lights inside and outside went out except the headlamps. also, fuses blew out too often and smoke came from the turn signal. mechanic replaced the turn signal and noticed that all other wires in the steering column were damaged. dealership insisted that if there was no extnded warranty they would not repair. *ak

While driving down the road and attempting to stop, vehicle would not stop, but accelerated. ran off the road. driver managed to pull the emergency brakes up, and she jumped out of the vehicle. vehicle kept digging into the dirt.the rear was in the air . *ak

Tail lamps and the instrument lights malfunctioned. there is a recall on the same failure. however, this vehicle was not included in the recall due to vin although it includes the same recall description, involving the headlight switch. . recall 93v103000 *ak

Smoke is coming out of the vehicle, and oil is leaking. also, knocking sound is being heard. oil is in the coolant, and coming out from the tail pipe. the engine needs to be replaced. vehicle is being towed to a dealer. *ak

Recall 98s26. floor lever is not correctly indicating in which gear the vehicle is in. plastic piece around lever has cracked. dealer contacted and states vehicle does not comply to recall. problem still exists. provide further information. *ak

While driving at 55 mph, the heater core blew out, and the consumer lost all power/leaked anti-freeze. *ak

Consumer can't get into rear door due handle being broken from the outside. vehicle has been into the shop three times for repairs, and consumer is still having this problems. *ak

Driver's and passenger's air bags deployed in a very minor collision, causing the occupant to sustain injuries. please give any further details. *ak

Whenever headlight switch is turned on all other lights remain off. this condition has occurred on two other occasions that consumer paid for repairs. manufacturer informed consumer that vehicle was not under any recall, any repairs made would be at consumer's expense. *ak

The air conditioner fan switch was very hot and started to melt the plastic harness and smoke was coming from the switch, which could have resulted a fire if the occupant didn't pull the fuse on the switch. please provide further information. *ak

While driving instrument panel flickered on and off, and vehicle stalled unexpectedly which could have caused a crash. the occupant was not able to restart the vehicle. dealer has not yet looked at vehicle. please provide further information. *ak

When turning could hear a bumping sound in steering. took vehicle to dealer. nothing was found. noise was louder. could not control vehicle during rain. the brakes failed to slow & stop vehicle. had cracked front end. the front suspension sway bar also broke. *ak

Consumer experienced a power surge that shorted out the switch to the heater fan. dealer has been contacted. *ak

While driving at any speed and when applying the brakes, they are not hard but medium. when driving over any speed bump there is a very loud noise coming from the back of the vehicle by the fuel tank. *ak

An electrical short under the dash caused headlights to become inoperable, also resulting in damages to the electrical wiring harness. cause unknown. *ak

Consumer smelled burning oil while driving, pulled over and noticed oil dripping from the engine onto the catalytic converter system which is causing the system to smoke. *ak

Had headlights on & noticed smoke coming from dashboard. the headlight switch caught fire. electrical system had shorted out. took to dealer & called manufacturer informed owner's fault for electrical short & fire. will not repair defect. *ak

Vehicle experienced a sudden surge when vehicle was at a stop light. consumer put transmission in neutral to stop the vehicle from pulling off on its own. dealer has been contacted. *yc

Consumer was driving vehicle on the highway when the instrument and tail lights went out. learned that the switch was burnt out and needed to replace the electrical harness & switch. *ak

Automatic transmission got stuck in park position. please provide further information. *ak

The gear shift indicator does not inidicate what gear the vehicle is in. the dealer/manufacturer i are aware of problem problem has not been corrected. *ak

Consumer experiencing loss of instrument and tail lights at the same time. dealer notified and repaired malfunction at the cost to consumer, replaced headlamp switch and connector. *ak

The plastic insulation on the electrical wiring burned off, causing a short circuit in the heating system, heat remains on high. *ak.et.

Consumer experiencing problem with power steering belt slipping. whenever vehicle is driven in the wet condition road the water would come underneath onto the power steering belt, causing the belt to slip, and steering to fail. dealer notified, and refused to correct the problem because claimed vehicle was not under warranty. however, consumer indicated that vehicle wa sunder an extended warranty sold by the dealer. however, warranty doesn't cover any item that the manufacturer is responsible for. *ak

The steering belt on vehicle is too low to the ground. when it's raining it gets wet & causes the driver to lose control of vehicle when making turns. took to dealer & informed cannot do anyting. it was designed like that. *ak

Vehicle was leaking fuel onto the ground whenever consumer filled the tank up with fuel. took vehicle to dealer shop, and dealer informed consumer that fuel filler neck had a crack and needs replacement. consumer would like to know is this normal for this part to be defective. vehicle have only 46,000 miles of wear. *ak

When using rear seat belts, belts pull half way out, will not retract back. belts are twisted or wrapped around mechanism inside door panel. taking vehicle to dealership. *ak

While driving gear would slip from drive into neutral with no warning. the engine would rev then pop back into (automatic) gear. would start shifting into drive or reverse until foot is pressing accelerator. then shifts into neutral. its happens intermittently. will be taking vehicle to dealer. *ak

When traveling at any speed the vehicle cuts off without prior warning, causing loss of all power. in addition, the steering wheel shakes when traveling over 60 mph, resulting in poor steering control. consumer has contacted the dealer, dealer unable to determine the cause. please provide any further details. *ak

Headlights and dashlights did not work when switch was turned on. dealer contacted, and stated the headlight switch was burnt out, wires and the connector were all burnt out also, vehcile should not be driven due to a fire hazard.

When driving through puddles there is a loss of power steering. dealer says it needs a splash shield kit. *ak

Driving on wet surfaces with the air conditioning system on, the vehicle shuts off. the driver receives no indication that vehicle will shut off. the manufacturer has been notified. *ak

The vehicle's defective braking system causes extended stopping distance which almost cause an accident. dealer cannot determine problem. *ak

Throttle cable sticks, can prevent from returning to idle. owner states that there is a recall on the vehicles that have traction control . this vehicle does not have traction control, and is experiencing the same problem. owner will be notifying ford. (97v-205). *ak

While driving vehicle about 10 mph when rainning, consumer drove over a pot of water. he lost control of steering wheel and the steering locked up to one side, making it hard to drive. *ak

While parking vehicle, the engine suddenly revved up for no reason & then shot forward. applying brakes, did not stop vehicle. it went over small embankment. air bags did not deploy. *ak

Consumer had taken vehicle to dealer for a regular oil change. but when he got home, he started smelling something like a burning oil. checked under vehicle where he saw the front shock asorber rusted for no reason because he left vehicle in on indoor garage. *ak

When driving and upon hitting a puddle of water the steering column locks up, resulting in the consumer losing control of the vehicle. consumer has contacted the dealer, dealer, knows of the problem. *ak

Brakes: brakes make a loud scraping sound. front rotors have been changed twice.when driving and applying the brakes, there's a loud scraping noise and the vehicle is very hard to stop. has been in shop so many times the dealer indicates that there is nothing else they can do for it. *ak

While driving,the driver's and passenger's side air bags deployed without reason. cause unknown. please provide further details. *ak

Consumer states that while travling about 25 mph, and had a very light impact in which vehicle skidded about 3 feet into the back of another vehicle. the vehicle in front didn't have any rear brake lights. the airbag deployed on very light impact, causing it to smash the windshield on the passenger's side. it also split the instrument panel/damaged glove compartment/bent the steering wheel, resulting in extreme injuries to the neck and chest. also punctured the airbag in 2 places. consumer has contacted the dealer. *ak

The air bag came out due to the accident, but did not inflate, caused the driver to hit the windshield of the car and sustaining injuries. *ak

On three different occasions applied the brakes and brakes failed, the third time brakes failed and vehicle hit another car, took to dealer on each time, dealer said the drumd were dirty. *ak

Consumer was driving and car stalls, dealer can't find the problem. please describe . *ak

While driving 65 mph, engine went from normal to red hot in temperature. vehicle was towed to dealership and found plastic water pump fan had broken into pieces. *tt

Upon parking, moments later driver was alerted that vehicle had caught fire in engine compartment, fire dept suspected explosion in oil crankcase.*ak

While parking vehicle, backing up, vehicle suddenly accelerated, jumped curve and slammed into metal newspaper box. *ak

Vehicle was hit on the passenger's front side and the shoulder belt did not restrain the driver. also, the deployment of the driver's side air bag knocked driver out of seat and head hit the passenger side window. *ak

Air flow sensors failed.*et

The front head lamps to my contour have clouded over (on the inside) and do not allow the lamps to put out much light. this is a pretty bad safety hazard in the evening. it has been getting worse over the past year or two - to where i need to replace them. the dealer noted that this was a common problem caused by a head lamp seal failure, but it was not a warranty or recall issue. cost is $250 for parts plus labor. if this is a known safety issue for ford service staff, why is it ignored by ford? your database shows other complaints of this issue. dt

Problem appears to be electrical, change alternator-and this is not problem. dt

Brakes & rotors. dt

No summary. dt

Transmission slips in and out of gears, especially when in high gears.

Transmission/torque converter, and engine valve failure.

Headlight switch circuit is severely overheating, causing the switch harness to burn and the switch to fail. also, while driving at night the tail lights/dash lights failed.

Mr

Multi-function turn signal switch in the steering column failed and caused brake lights to fail. the part # is: sw-5042.*ak

This car is a lemon - it is not safe. *ak

The original water pump on this engine has a plastic impeller which is prone to failure. i have talked to several owners of this same car who experienced this identical problem. i believe the water pump design is defective.*ak

Check engine light stays on, replaced o2 sensor with light returning on. *ak

This car is only 6 years old. has had catalytic converter failure in 2000. extended warranty expired at 87,750 miles, 1,250 miles ago. contacted ford motor co. and was told they would not stand behind this defect. i was hoping you could help.

Torque converter failed in january, 2001, causing damage to the automatic transmission which required replacement at a cost of $2,600. five months later, the torque converter again required replacement. replaced with ford parts. now in april, 2002, the transmission again caused problems with stalling in traffic, overdirve light flashing, very rough shifting. diagnostics indicate the torque converter came apart and damaged the automatic transmission again. replacement cost will be $2,400.*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

All four studs on right front tire, sheared off. resulting in loss of control of vehicle and tire traveling loose through traffic. tire completely destroyed front fender and rotor assembly was broken when car came crashing down onto it. studs showed no signs that they hadn't been tightened to specs. (rounded out stud holes on rims or rounded out threads.) complete simualtanous stud failure on all four studs. *ak

I received a card that said: danger, the ford that you are driving is involved in a product safety campaign #99525 and needs immediate attention. what is the safety campaign about? we bought this vehicle used and the original car dealer is in another state. what is wrong with the car?*ak

This vehicle was purchase new and had only 47,000 mile when the intake manifold gasket failed. these components are not moving parts and should last the life of the engine unless installed incorrectly or poorly designed. *ak

Engine check light coming on. took to kinsel ford in june 2001...told catalytic converter going out. engine light went off...started coming on again and car had alot of exhaust and running rough. took to silsbee ford and was told that the engine was out due to the engine cooling fan not coming on like it was suppose to so it also fried the wires. ford is willing to pay for parts but refuses to pay for labor due to the fact that they say it was out of the 100,000 warrenty for the repair. i explained that the problem was going on when i brought it in in june and they didn't correct it then, according to the check out sheet they didn't even check it for that and i specifically asked for that recall to be checked. i had even been in in march of 2000 for the check engine light coming on. i was told by ford that my car had no recall for the engine and engine cooling fan. just extremely upset that you can have a recall, take your car in and it not be checked for it and when it goes out due to the recall that the company penalizes the consumer.*ak

Also the timing belt is broken and there's nothing on owner's guide that tells you to change timing belt after 60,000 miles. engine light on after one month of buying this car i call the dealer made appointments few times but the problem never went away, few times i had to pay for them to check on the way home the light is back on , i call them back and ask what's the problem , what's the purpose of me taking a day off to bring the car to be fix and the problem still exist., their remark was there's 23 sensor and they could'nt tell which one it was. now i'm stuck paying 1 1/2 yrs on a car that i don't have , still have to came up with money to get a new engine in which i don't have , bumping ride to and from work, cancel all my appts. and begging people for rides so i can pick up kids from school and food shopping, i can't take the kids to do anything because i have no car that's not fare. thank-you for all your help ,thank-you again.*ak

I can't even remember how many time i have had to come to this site about this car. without any warning the transmission went out and now still owing money on this car i am looking at $2000.00 for a new transmission.*ak

The window regulators on the ford contour are defective. the materials used are bend, crack, and break causing the windows to either fall into the door, or to become stuck when being rolled up or down. i have replaced the driver side door regulator 16 months ago thinking this was a one time occurrence but now find the passenger side one has the same problem. the dealer has admitted this is a fairly common problem with this vehicle. i have the original parts for the driver side door in my position and on inspection it is clear to see that the manufacturing of the material is faulty, under extreme stress which could lead to the collapse of the assembly. this of course would be a major concern if the window would collapse into the door frame while the vehicle was in motion.

Stalls out if you take your foot off the gas, surges between 1-4 rmps, engine light is on, all started after i had the heater blower switch replaced.*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Stalling in traffic with high outside temperature, overdrive off light flashes, very rough shifting, diagnostics indicate torque converter clutch slipping, transmission being replaced.

When the light switch is turned to park lights, none of the park lights work--front or back, left or right. additionally, the dash lights do not work. when the light switch is turned to head lights, only the headlights and bright lights work--there are not tail lights or dash lights. all other lights work, such as the brake lights and turn signals. this occured during the thanksgiving holiday at night while driving through kansas city. we could not see our speedometer, and cars approaching from the rear could not see us until they approached and their lights shown on our car--very dangerous.*ak

Water pump failure @ 78000 miles - report early failure. *ak

Ford fixed blower switch and resister under warranty years ago. do i need to be concerned about the recall? i think it's all fixed. *ak

Rear calipers locked uo, causing overheating of brake rotors, odor and potential to boil hydralic fluid leading to brake failure. *ak

Problems with the engine light coming on and the servicing dept at the ford dealer and other auto servicing center could not figure out why to this day it is on. at one time the entire interior lights and rear brakes lights went out. it currently shut its self off ( stalls) and get hot. the engine sounds revved up and shortly after the ac unit went out.everything has been checked out/ the alternator was replaced the crankshaft was replaced some wiring had to be replaced all the fluids are where they should be and it still stalls and overheats for no reason. both front windows electrical motors have gone out.

The car has less than 5,000 miles . the cigarette lighter/accessory outlet developed a short with fuse blowout . the interior lever to the left of the driver's seat does not function to open the outside lid covering the gas cap . the car is in almost new condition with less than 5,000 miles since 1996 . car is also in for mandatory recall servicing due to notice from ford .have there been other complaints about shorting in the cigarette lighter/accessory outlet system ? have there been other complaints about the interior gas cap lid lever not functioning ? i am being charged for the repair of these items . i wonder whether there was a basic design deficiency that led to such malfunctioning after less than 5,000 miles .*ak

Ever since buying our 1996 2.5l contour in aug. of 1999 we have had nothing but problems out of it. our first problem we experienced was a loud howling coming from the engine compartment, later to discover the factory installed mass air flow intake hose kit had been revised thus leaving us to have to purchase the new at a total price of $97.00 dollars to fix the problem. shortly after getting this one problem fixed another arose. this time both the check engine light and cooling system lights are on continuosly despite having proper fluid levels. along with the other problems every time the car is started in the morning or any time the engine is cold it idles roughly for about 20 seconds and then quits and no one can explain this weird phenomena but is sure seems to happen to the majority of these cars. needless to say with ford's lack of attention to these matters not just mine but all of them this will be my last auto bearing the ford name.*ak

My 1996 contour has literally broken down. i have 99,000 miles and have completely replaced the transmission, the front suspension system, and the car still is not dependable, and the same problems re-occur. i hpay more in repairs than i do for my monthly payment.

Asked dealership to perform recall 00v-367000 and they said ford has no such recall.*ak

Tie rod broke just pulling out of a parking space. lucky it was'nt on the freeway.*ak

Transmission shifted into reverse while shifter was still in drive. overdrive light was blinking. *ak

When driving vehicle in wet conditions, water is backsplashed by front right tire into the engine compartment, specifically where the main drive belts are. this causes the power steering pulley to slip and sieze, thereby causing a lock up on the steering mechanism. this has occurred numerous times and creates a hazardous situation because you loose control of vehicle momentarily. we lost control of vehicle recently in the expressway, while traveling on wet pavement and puddles. steering siezed and car went out of control. fortunately we brought the car under control before causing major accident.

Throttle body hose assembly : loud howling sound, engine surging. engine: stalls when first started when engine is cold. *ak

In october 1999 i had my heater fan fixed because of a recall. within 12 months it broke again and the company fixed again on 8/30/00. in december it broke again which is less than 6 months. i called brunswick ford and they said i would have to pay to have it fixed because ford motor wouldn't cover only once to fix the item. i called ford motor and complained because it keeps breaking and they said that it was fixed and didn't care that it had broken 2 times and less time between each. they said that the vehicle was older and so many miles that that probably was why it kept breaking. i was very frustrated and felt there was no where to turn. once the recall is fixed is there a time limit or mileage limit that should pertain?

This engine situation was intractable because the ford bulletin advises that head gasket removal warrants replacement, therefore even ford technicians have to ?!@#$% foot around to see if the problem is elsewhere rather than going right to the source. i borrowed $10,000 to finish school this year and much of that money was spent on this car. it destroyed my academic year and i barely graduated thanks to this major headache. the was only at 49,000 miles when it finally went caput. when the engine was disassembled it was totally warped and blown. i bought a ford rebuilt engine because i couldn't afford the extra $700 for a jasper rebuilt engine... see they rebuild the same engine and make a 7 year 100,000 warranty on the rebuilt engine because they use a graphite head gasket and make other improvements that ford doesn't make. ford not only sells their weaker rebuilt engines but only put a 1 year 12,000 mile warranty on it. well, i'm broke and it's totally ford's fault.*ak

When the water pump failed th head gasket also failed . and possibly a cracked cylinder head.*ak

Springs are broken at the driver side and making clicking noise . mechanic ( midas shop) told me that this is a classic problem with this model of cars due to bad design for these cars to break very easy mostly on the left side.*ak

Alternator does not charge properly therefore having to be replaced often. *ak

The main electrical wires in the engine compartment are all peeling. the insulation of all the connectors are all dry rotted, causing numours odb codes to pop up. because of the short in the wires.*ak

Transmission failure - complete failure of 2-3 gear shift and also locking torque converter. *ak

The cear is pealing, 2 transmisisons have failed and now the a/c int. blower only runs on high. *ak

The right and left tail lights and instrument panel lights failed. the terminals on the headlight switch show signs of heat damage. this is the same symptoms as nhtsa campaign id # 99v103000 (mfg campaign # 99s14) applicable to certain 1995-1998 ford contour vehicles. this recall does not apply to my ford contour (vin # [xxx]) according to two ford dealers. the symptoms of this recall exactly describe the current symptoms of my ford contour and it is questionable as to why this recall is not currently applicable to my vin #. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Heat/ac problem the same, my last bill was $500. it's supposed to be fixed this time.*ak

I got this car in april 96. i have had it in the shop several times because the car just completely loses power without any warning at all. it locks up the steering and brakes. it happens at all speeds and in varying temperatures. they have never been able to find the problem. the most recent episode was jan 14, 2001. sometimes i have to tow the car, other times it will start back up. this last time it started back up after about 5 minutes. fortunately, other drivers have been paying attention, and i haven't been killed. this car has also experienced: check engine light always on...dealer cannot find problem, but charges $110 to diagnose it each time!....the accelerator pedal cable broke in 2000. again, fortunately, i was in my neighborhood and no cars nailed me. the paint on this car is beginning to peel/crack even though it is garage kept. i have had to put 3 sets of brakes on this car...have also had the dash and tail lights go out (which they did fix) also the ac knob broke (which they fixed) i have taken it in for all known recalls. ford has never responded to my concerns about the complete power loss i keep experiencing and the dealer just suggests totally useless repairs that cost alot and do not solve the problem. *ak

In october, 2000, on a highway offramp, the brake pedal went fully to the floor. car crashed into the rear of another vehicle with approx. $5000 damage to my car. in mid-december, 2000, my daughter was driving the car and pedal once again went straight to floor. she pumped once, brake worked, avoided accident. will install new master cylinder on technician's suggestion. at 77 years old i am afraid of the next occurrence. have others had this experience??

My 1996 ford contour's (w/v6 2.5l duratec motor) engine check light came on around jan 2 of 2001. i scheduled an appointment to have it checked out at the closest ford dealership in modesto, ca. as soon as possible. the next available appointment was on friday jan 05, 2001, later on that week. once i took it in, they had diagnosed the problem as being my (3) catalytic converters and my throttle body. the service advisor then told me that he had to check with ford because he believed that the work was covered under a ford recall 97e61. the next day he responded to me and told me that ford had said that it wasn't covered and that my bill would be $1,300.00. i then asked him why it wasn't covered and he told me because my vin# doesn't show it. he then asked me to take it up with ford the actuall company. so i've been doing research on it myself and have come up with a little bit of info. ford's customer service has told me that the reason my car is not covered is because it doesn't fall under the 97e61 criteria for recall. so i asked what actuall part does not fall undeer the criteria. they asked me to take it up with nhtsa and they can give me that info. what i have found is that cars that were built at 2 ford plants, cautlin, and kansas city plants are the ones that are affected. well my car was built at the kansas city plant. the other criteria i know about is if the car was built within march of 95 thru march of 96. well my car was first sold in feb. 96 and it's a 96 model so it would have to fall within that time frame. i am currently having my car fixed at a different ford dealership but my cost is still over $1,100.00. plesae help me. cesar garcia call me any time at 408-674-9315 to let me know you have received my letter. i would also like a copy e-mailed to me of what i have written so i have a record at [email protected]. *ak

My ford contour has been stalling out and dying on me while moving along in traffic, at stop signs, and while stopped at traffic lights. the loud fog horn sound usually begins when i am slowing down to stop or while i am stopped, but it has begun even when i am at full drive speed of approx. 35 miles per hour. the stalling out and dying seems to happen more often when the temperatures outside are very cold. the car also tends to rev itself (up to 1500 rpms) when i'm stopped at a stop sign, etc. after i had the maf sensor replaced the first time, back in jan. 2000, the car continued to rev itself and tried to stall out. i took the car back to the auto service ctr. and was told they needed to reprogram the computer and that would take care of the problems. while the car did not rev itself at stop or idle, as much as before, it did still continue to rev at a full stop. the vehicle has also been roaring like a fog horn and completly stalled out and died on me when i was stopped at stop signs, traffic lights, in parking garages in long lines of traffic, and while i was driving at slow speeds. i recently took the veh. back to the service ctr. and was told it was again the maf sensor and that a replacement would indeed fix the problems. the car is still roaring and stalling/dying on me when i'm out in traffic. this is very dangerous and i certainly consider it a safety hazard. i finally went to the nhtsa website after the 2nd maf sensor (01/01) did not correct the problems. service bulletins on the nhtsa indicate the same problems (stalling/dying out) are happening in other contours. now, the ford service ctr. is telling me that i need a duct and resonator assemby (part # f-6rz-9b659-ca) to correct the noise and stalling out problems that i was told the maf sensor would correct. evidently, the entire air intake system has a real problem in this contour. please review and do a recall. *ak

Fan blower switch only operates on high speed. *ak

Both headlight lenses are dirty due to headlight assembly seal failure. night time illumination unsafe. this complaint is consistent with other nhtsa consumer complaints, odi id 864545, 734106, 531407 and 532479. dealer states the problem is not covered by extended warrenty purchased along with vehicle. *ak

The car overheated severly while on the freeway, i had it towed and spent 2 weeks at 2 different automotive companies (including the ford dealership in burien, wa) trying to get it fix before discovering it had cracked the block of the engine. i spent about $1,300 and had to salvage the car. is there a possible way to get some compensation back from ford? i have all my paper work since i bought the car. thank you for any help. gail bowman*ak

Loud humming noise and vibration during right turn. taken to dealer and repaired at my cost prior to complete failure. *ak

Plastic impeller disinigrated inside water pump> no indication previously at weep hole> ford charges $350 to replace after just being there 2 days earlier for timing belt replacement. *ak

On the morning of 11/10/2000, i just completed entering the southbound dallas tollway from legacy dr. in plano, tx. upon reaching cruising speed, my vehicle continued to race at full throttle. fortunately, traffic was light at the time of the incident. in addition to removing my foot from the accelerator, i tried to apply the brakes gently to find there was no power assist. i was able to get my foot under the accelerator pedal to insure that it was not stuck to the floor. with both feet and great effort i was able to apply enough braking force to safely manuever the automated toll gate. the vehicle continued to race uncontrollably and i exited at the west parker road exit in plano. the only way i was able to come to a stop at the traffic light i encountered was to slip the vehicle into neutral gear. at that point the engine was screaming, so i turned the ignition off. i restarted the vehicle on green and it started up at full throttle. upon putting the vehicle into 'drive', the tires lost traction and the vehicle continued to speed along in a "runaway" fashion. i had to pass through another traffic light and intersection (with the same manuever as previously described) before i reached a shopping center parking lot (parkwood center, plano, tx). at this point i telephoned aaa for a tow to the dealership. while waiting for the tow truck, i made several attempts to restart the vehicle and each time the engine raced at full throttle. the dealer evaluated the problem as being a faulty resonater assembly for the engine air intake (allegedly a worn out gasket, which required replacement of the whole unit). i find it hard to believe that ford engineers would permit the development of a product which has the potential to create such a serious and life-threatening situation. just for your information, on another matter regarding this vehicle, ford contacted me directly and reimbursed me $1,000. this was during the latter part of 1999.*ak

Whenever i turn on the heater, a/c, defrost, or fan my abs light turns on and my brakes are spongy. i have lost all brakes on two occasions when the abs light came on. when my car sits for a weekend, the battery dies. installed a new battery, still dies. ford cannot find a cause for either problem. i have taken my car in to have the wiring harness changed for the lights, those went out. also, my a/c fuse had caught fire, whole fuse box and blower was replaced. *ak

Right rear light continued to go out. replace bulb few times. right wheel bearing had to be replaced. major fan belt replaced. alternator replaced. light on radio goes off when head lights turned on. this happened after they fixed my recall for lights. gas cap cover is very hard to open. takes several times to try and open. when air is on smells come through really strong from other cars. owner notification recalls are not taken care of until they actually happen. these are coil can break and car go down blow out tires. also electrical harness can break and wires will connect with other parts of the car and cause a fire. i have sent a letter to the president of ford and explained how i felt this car was unsafe and if anything happened to me or my family they would be held responsible. i never received a response from anyone. they should be made to take back all contours and give us a safer car for us and our families to drive. i am a single parent and cannot afford to finance another car. they need to provide a loan and new car for us. i will be contacting ford again in the near future to see if they will help with taking my car back and giving me another car/loan. as i told them in the letter they just wanted to sell and make money they didn't think of the family and or families that this car as it fell apart would effect. i appreciate that you have this web site that i can voice my concerns,problems with the ford and feel someone may pay attention before someone is hurt in these cars as have been many with the tire situation. i will help you in any way i can to clear up all of these problems. i keep the letter i sent ford in my car in case something happens someone will be able to read it and know i did try to get this problem dissolved before it was to late. thank you so much for your help. debbie jennings hewitt

Engine check light keeps coming on every month for the last 6 months, had it on computer every time, no codes found. car running with no power. car is missing.*ak

I can tell by the marks on the passanger side door that the window assembly was replaced prior to my buying the car. since i bought the car the drivers side window got stuck down and seeing the cost of the part and labor i couldn't afford to get it fixed so the guy just put the window in the up possision for me. the back drivers side window is so loose that i can't roll it down because it rattles too much. the gas pedel sticks all the time. i can be going whatever speed l;imit and have to hit the gas real quick to get it to slow down and when i get ready to go the pedel is stuck again and i have to push hard and then it all of a sudden goes with a jerk. this has been the car from hell.*ak

Car has always stalled and i was told by a mechanic that it was because the car was made like a stick shift so it stalls at stop signs and lights sometimes. now my car is stalling as i start going through lights and i was almost hit by a car from behind

The plastic lens in the headlight assembly degraded to the point that light coming from the headlight was hardly distinguishable from the light coming from the amber parking lights. vehicles behind my car, while driving would cast a shadow in front of my car. i replaced the light bulbs on the front of my car to no avail. the problem remained the same. i just recently purchased new headlight housings and installed them to replace this serious problem. ford used a very inexpensive or untested plastic which failed/degraded quickly.

My transmission went out on my 1996 ford countour (66000+ miles). i was told that my transmission went to high line pressure and blew a piston drum in the transmission. the transmission in my car is a cd4e which is also found in madza cars. the cd4e transmission is known for it many problems releated to going to high line pressure and blowing the piston drums in its' earlier designs between (1994 - 1998). why aren't these defective transmissions recalled for correction.*ak

Cooling system failed at low mileage for no reason. i was informed by a friend that he was told by a car dealership that there was a "silent recall" on the cooling system and head gasket, when i called they denied it. water pump,timing belt,serpentine belt, thermostat, sw 5030 switch, dy719 switch, frr2 relay and pressure test cooling system and inspection where done. i had all parts replaced with new ford parts at non-ford repair station due to williams ford bad service and reputation of not fixing cars properly and over charging. i feel that williams ford should be investgated on how they run the matiance department, myself and people i have meet have had nothing but problems.

What exactly are they recalling on the 1996-1998 ford contour? is it the whole car or just the electric system? is that considered the wiring harness? the reason we're so interested is because we've had many major problems with our 1996 ford contour. we sent our car to the ford of ocala,fl for the wiring harness recall, and they gave us a very hard time about fixing it. they were trying to get us to replace parts that weren't even bad, at the cost of $400.00 for one part. but then they said there was a whole list of things that were wrong with it, and after they fixed each of these parts, if our car still didn't start, then they'd get to fixing the wiring harness. we had 2 mechanics check these parts and they weren't bad at all. it took them 2 and a half weeks before they gave us our car back.then when we got it back, we had to take it to our regular mechanic who said they wired it wrong, and left the wiring to the air-conditioning and the alternator undone. that was 2 months ago, and we just had to replace our alternator. the mechanic that fixed the alternator said they did a lousy job, because half the wiring wasn't even done right. there is wiring in our car that is bare, and he said it could cause our car to catch on fire. also, the wiring leading to the alternator is bare, which he said most likely shorted out the alternator. so now we need to have the wiring redone, and all of this has cost us hundreds of dollars. this car is the worst car ever made, we've had nothing but problems with it from the day we gotit! we had the air fixed, and after they did the recall, the air no longer worked anymore. also, after they worked on the recall, there are many wires that are still cracked and brittle, and left bare. the wiring to the battery is completely bare, also, and we've had to replace the battery 3 times since we've had the car. the seatbelt locks up while driving where it is so tight i can't move at all.we're afraid it will catch fire! also more problems!

My car was in the shop 5 times in one month - all electrical problems. alternator, battery, starter, wiring harness, speed sensor and oxygen sensor were all changed. the ford dealership does not understand why i am having all these problems. it was also in a garage fire at the dealership in this time and i had smoke damage to my car on top of the engine problems. needless to say, i loss money on the trade in. this is the worse car i have ever owned and will never own another ford car or truck again. *ak

No comment. no safety defect. *ak

There are too many problems with our car to write down. please contact us.

I have previously had problems with this vehicle and have taken it more than eight different times to be service and problem still has not been resolved even after having engine replaced i am having some of the same problems. car has been serviced on a regular basis and still it has problems.e . .

The blower fan was replaced by the dealer because of a recall. it lasted about 3 months and proceeded to break again. this time the dealer stated that i had to replace the fuse panel in the car. i took the car to a local mechanic and he reaffirm the defect. they also stated that they rarely had to replace a fuse panel. in addition to this repair, both power window regulators went out on the driver and passenger front sides of the car. the company that did the repair said this is very common in ford vehicles. i contacted the regional office of ford and they would not give me any restitution on these repairs.

Steering wheel, column, dash board, and now i can feel it in the drivers seat ,vibrate when car is at a complete stop. vibration lessens slightly when the car is placed in park. the ford service dealer in warner robins, ga diagnosed the problem as "correction diag and needs air bag, radiator support and steering wheel damper" i was also advised none of the repairs were covered under my esp plan as these were external probalms and the warranty only covers internal. my warranty runs at at either 72000 or on nov 10, 2000. i am concerned about the air bag specifically. will it deploy when it should, or shouldn't or not at all? i asked the service department if their records indicate any serious damage would be done if i did not have the repairs done and they told me no. this i don't beleive as i feel the problem getting worse. how will i be able to control the car if this problem continues to get worse? i feel ford should look into this problem, if it is a major defect it could result in a major lawsuit.

I have problems with power windows, front left side, this car has had 5 previous owner's

The water pump impeller failed. the impeller is made of plastic and it developed cracks. the result was overheating. a water pump failure at 42k miles is unacceptable. other contour owners had this problem and there should be a recall.

While approaching a stop sign both airbags deployed. there was no accident involved. my daughter and her friend were slightly injured. my daughter still suffers neck and back aches. no explanation as to why this happened. *ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Each incident has been with the engine, the dealership attempts to fix one problem and another engine problem begins. my car has been in repair for the fifth time in four of the five months that i have had the car. i've been driving a rental car three, almost four weeks now. because of these problems with the engine. what can i do?

Was driving one day and overdrive light comes on and cars starts to shift real hard no exact speed matters all the time and engine check light is on all the time. *ak

Window stuck down, and struts needed.....4 years old???

I bought this car because i was told it was the best buy for my money and seeing i am a single mom i needed a dependable car and this has turned out to be the car of my nightmares. the dealership i bought it from was dishonest all the way down the road know that i had little money to pay for a car let alone to keep taking it in for repairs. i asked northgate ford to help me out on buying a car because i have not done this on my own before and to keep in mind the fact that i could be one of there sisters and really need them to help me to buy a car that wasn't gonna have a bunch of troubles. they agreed with helping me out and come to find out i have never been so screwed in my life. my goal is to buy a brand new car in 5 years or so and i will still buy ford but it won't be through northgate ford. i think northgate must have forgotten the rule of thumb "one unsatisfied person tells 10". no safety defec tmentioned. *ak

Paint on the vehicle looks as if there are spidar webs everywhere in the paint - clearcoat. it is getting worse and has spread all over the car. no safety defect. *ak

Car would not shift, entire transmission rebuilt $2600. *ak

About 2-3 months after i had my car i tried to trade it in for another car because of the deffects on it, but the dealer would not help me out then. is there anything i can do about it now? no safety defect listed in the summary.

Pistons and rings were both shot in the motor, but the motor had oil and full compression. *ak

My ac/heater switch has gone out twice. theres seems to be a short in which the plastic is melted behind the switch, where the switch cannot be turned.

It seems like when one thing started to short on my contour everything started to go...first the lights started going on and off then ..the a/c started shorting then it completely froze causing timing to jump and noew ..i'm told the car needs new computer ..it dies in middle of road the sensors are bad ...please help me regarding this matter ..

When shifting into third gear there is a grinding/clashing noise= tsb # 96248; contacted local dealership and was informed ford does not cover anything, car needs a new shift fork and rebuilt input shaft; cost $1000. *ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

Occasionally, when the vehicle rolls through a puddle, the steering will fail and the battery light will appear, with the engine almost stalling. this has happened with the car going as fast as 35 mph and as slow as 5 mph. the problem has been reported to the dealer on several occasions, and the dealer has reportedly contacted the manufacturer regarding this particular problem. additionally, the first time the vehicle was taken back to the dealer to report the problem, the service personnel was aware that the problem existed with the specific model. after repeated returns to the dealer (at least three separate complaints), the dealer informed us that the problem was fixed and that the car was even "driven through several puddles" without any steering failure. the last time the vehicle was taken in was approximately august, 1999. the warranty has since expired, and the dealer says that it is our responsibility to pay to have the problem fixed. unfortunately, we have taken the car back several times, and the problem still exists. on 02/13/00, the vehicle again experienced steering failure.

Water pump impeller broke into two pieces imeediately paralizing the entire engine cooling system. this defect, to the best of my knowledge is common for ford contours equipped with 2.5l v6 duratec engines. although not directly related to passenger safety in the traditional sense, this defect is potentially very dangerous. i think ford should recall the part given the number of failures. *ak

The ignition switch is in an operating condition to enable the ignition key to be pulled from the ignition switch with the engine still running. spoke to capistrano ford, stated car used and cost of repair: $200.00. *ak

Unknown if wiring recall is a problem in my car,will dealership check that for free? no safety defect (s) listed.

Ac/heater/defroster/blower part that was defective has been recalled, but ford refuses to cover under this recall the a/c compressor, which failed prematurely. chris early, at joe machens ford, columbia, mo, informed me that the compressor has nothing at all to do with the ac/heater/defroster/blower, and so, will not cover the work under this recall. i find it hard to believe that the a/c compressor has nothing to do with the ac/heater/defroster/blower and its problem (blowing air quite hard, but with none coming out the vents, and not heating or cooling the car/defrosting the window). though i have had the car in 9 or 10 times to have the ac/heater/defroster/blower problem fixed, i still have trouble with it from time to time. surely this kind of strain caused the a/c compressor to work harder, and be subject to undue stress and therefore immature wear and tear and ultimately failure. (even the service technicians expressed surprise at the earliness of the compressor failure). please investigate this problem, since i have had trouble getting anywhere with ford in the past -- i still haven't gotten any sort of reply from ford as to my inquiries to their customer service department about the problem, which i registered in writing to them in august 1998. thank you for your time and your work! *ak

This is a leased car. i take good care of it, bringing it to a mechanic every three months for a "check up" there were no warning signs. the car simply stopped. i had it towed to a shop and now it is costing me $ 3000.00 to fix the transmission. i called ford and besides being nasty and rude, was told that there was nothing they could "do". no warning lights, nothing. just a dead car. my mechanic is having a very difficult time finding parts to replace the transmission. i am very angry! *ak

Have had numerous problems: interior/brake lights failed to light. replaced switch twice. fuel filler door will not open with latch inside. never worked. cigarette lighter failed. power window on driver's side has failed. car intermittently will not start due to drained battery. mechanic could find no cause for this related to alternator/charging system of car. never able to fix this. trunk leaks water around seal. abs light keeps coming on . mechanic could find no problem with abs. air conditioner/heater would only blow out defrost setting. also bad smell comes from ac when on. rear seat belts keep jamming; not able to use sometimes because they won't come out. worst problem so far: transmission has failed. not yet fixed. i loved this car once, now i hate it! the whole thing should be recalled. *ak

While backing out of a parking area the vehicles engine began to accelerate until the rear bumper struck a light pole. driver then placed the transmission into drive and the car surged forward at an uncontrollably high speed, jumping the curb and striking a concrete pillar, resulting in considerable damage to the front area of the vechicle and bruising the drivers left arm. pressing hard on the brakes seemed to have little or no effect. it appears that the throttle linkage/cruise control or some related mechanism malfunctioned. *ak

The front end of vehicle shakes and rattles when slowing down..the smell of burning wires are present when ac and heaters are utilized.very dangerous if you live in cold climate area. could cause injury or even death during winter months. ford should do a safety recall on all engine, internal wiring harness, and fix rotors. *ak

We would like to find out any information on hidden warranties and hidden insurance.

Ac switch and blower speed not working properly. mechanic said: "found burnt blower motor resistor, hi blower motor resistance affected circuit. melter resistor and harness." later mechanic also said it need a new ac dash switch and wiring harness. a total cost of about $600.00. i don't understand how a high resistance causes increased current and thus burn up the resistor and wiring. i believe that the resistor had a short and the excessive current burned up the resistor and the wiring. i don't know whether the blower is damaged or not. this faulty resistor is a manufacturing defect and could have caused a serious fire under the dash. therefore the manufacturer should repair the damage. the manufacturer's representative says that the car is four months over the warranty period and even though it had only 27,000 + miles, the manufacturer would not repair the damage. if i pay to have the damage repaired, can i get my money back if you find the manufacturer responsible?

Ignition wire under cowl severed by windshield wiper components that caused engine shutdown, loss of power assist to brakes and steering, battery discharge and blown fuses.

The pcm module is a critical emission control device. according to the warranty book provided with the vehicle, it is covered if it is replaced. however, a failure (loss of programming) is not considered a part failure. it would appear that a loss of programming is a failure (memory?). the ford mfg. consumer line was contacted on 8/23/99. the ford mfg. explained that only when a part is replaced is this covered; since only re-programming is required, ford is not obligated to repair this pcm module. this seems to be in conflict with federal emission warranty.

I have previously had problems with this vehicle and have taken it more than eight different times to be service and problem still has not been resolved.

Flexible vent hose is deteriorated and cracked. it leaks gasoline when the tank is filled and when the car is driven.it appears to me , that the wrong type of hose is being used in this assembly. if this is happening so prematurely, it must be happening to alot of other contour owners. *ak

Engine overheated with no warning left us stranded in memphis, tn in ice storm, ruined engine. had to replace engine, dealership could not tell us why this happened. the engine contained water and oil at the time.

Rubbing noise while driving--noise is louder when turning wheel to left when changing lanes and going around curves. *ak

Air conditioner/andy panel air blows out of defrost.

I have had multiple problems w/ my 96 ford contour since i bought it 2/23/96. i have had it in for service multiple times, and i get told it's covered under warranty why worry about it. the srv.mngr.at my dealer supposedly talked to a "tony" at ford & told him to tell me as long as it's covered under warranty i shouldn't complain it is no money out of my pocket. that is unsatisfactory -i believe my car to be a defect in that years line of contours & i would like something done about these problems. my car runs worse than any used car i have ever owned! all i ever wanted done was to rectify the situation,they could have easily replaced my car with one similiar to that year & model & i would have been happy. i really would like a response to this matter. i am to the point where i will contact a lawyer to seek help dealing with ford & kennedy ford , if i can not get a fair & aggreeable outcome to this situation. thank you.

Summer of 1997 cold air from a/c only blows out of defrosters,had it fixed. summer of 1998 again cold air from a/c only blows out of defrosters, had it fixed. summer of 1999 again cold air from ac only blows out of defrosters, again i had it fixed.*ak

The rear power window on the passenger side does not work. the moulding on the outside of the rear windows has been loose ever since the i bought the car. the carpeting in the rear of the car has been loose/ hasn't fit ever since i bought the car. the blower no longer blows through the panel vents--only through the defroster/defogger vents. *ak

No summary listed for this vehicle. *ak

Electrical wiring harness failed, causing tail lights/interior lights, and parking lights to go out.had it fixed for $181.90 3/23/99 as of 7/2/99 dealer says he has no information on recall. *ak

The motor froze after overheating. the reason for the failure was the heater hose rubbed against an electrical connector at the location near the firewall. there is no sleeve on this hose to protect it as other hoses are protected. over time it had worn a hole in the hose and the marjorty of the coolent leaked out and the speed that i was traveling i could not tell the car was overheating because of the relative speed that i was traveling. i never saw the vehicle overheat and it blew the motor while i was going down the highway. my car is out of warranty, but i wanted to let other know there is a potential hazard with the motor freezing up and ofcourse it is too late. my motor started to cough, that was the only indication that there was a problem. *ak

No summary listed for this vehicle. *ak

Compressor and lines broke, will not hold a charge; have been to the shop 4 times in last two months.*ak

Headlight switch and mount failed/burned up/lights won't turn off/on, needed replacing, dashboard components always run hot; fuel door lever inside car doesn't work reliably & door sticks; egr hose failed, took ford 1.5 weeks to get one in, no guidelines re: this hose ever needing replaced, & it costs $93??!?!

In june 1998 replaced brake pads, and had rotors turned because they were warped. had to replace brake pads again, including rotors in february 1999. two months later rotors again warped. in july 1998 had to replace alternator. in april 1999 dash lights and tail lights quit working - had headlight switch replaced.

The left front axle broke while i was driving the car and it punctured my tire and damaged the rim of it. the mechanic says it was just worn out even though the car is only 3 years old. the check engine light stays on all the time, and there is nothing wrong. the engine rumbles when it idles. the brakes grind all the time, and i have replaced the left rotor 3 times in less than a year. the carpet comes out from under the rear seats an the passenger's side. *ak

This is our second car with this model overdrive transmission (cd4e) that has failed at approximately the same mileage, the first was a 1995 mazda 626 vin# [xxx]. the majority of the driving miles on both vehicles were considered highway miles at a cruising seed of 55mph or greater, generally with the cruise control on. *ak information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Dealer finally replaced tires with michelin x1 and vibration is down to barely noticeable. we feel the tires are masking the problem. ford admits having the same problem with the sister model sold in germany, doesn't know what causes it but these extremely expensive tires seem to help. they use pirelli gold, michellin x1 in germany to "fix" the problem. they ruled out other causes such as suspension, alignment, wheel balance, etc. we are worried that there is an inherent design flaw that will cause major failure.

We have a infant/toddler car seat that cannot be put in the rear facing position because the back seats are too angeled back.we also can't have seat in middle because then my 9 yr old has to sit against the door.i am now forced to face my baby forward in his carseat.help! the cup holdes next to gearshift leak into the shift colum and cause the gearshift to stick. brookdale ford said it would cost me $100 to clean it for me.they offered no help, the least that should be done is to fix it so nothing more can leak through the holders.

The belt is far too long to be used with a car seat - we had to tie it in a knot in order to use our child seat!

The driver's seat is not firmly attached to the floor of the vehicle. thus, the seatback rocks slightly from side to side during cornering, and from front to back during acceleration and braking. the local ford dealer told me that this problem is common, and cannot be cured. specifically, the service advisor told me that certain 'rivets' or metal flanges in the seat track stretch over time and cause the loose feeling of the seat back. replacing the seat rails does no good, as the new parts are of the same design, and eventually begin to fail like the oem parts. this malfunction of the seat is a serious safety concern to me. having the seatback dislodged during normal driving could cause an accident. what's worse would be a seatback failure during an accident, possibly allowing me to be ejected from the vehicle. my only recourse in this matter is to purchase aftermarket seats of higher quality. seats from a manufacturer such as recaro or corbeau come with a substatial warranty, and are sure to be more durable and safe than the original equipment. in sum, i would like to see a safety-oriented recall of all ford products that have this seatback malfunction. specifically, i would like ford to redesign a more durable, safe seat mechanism and retrofit all existing cars. an additional note - i am a member of the ford contour enthusiasts group, as well as a ford contour mailing list recipient. of the 505 people on the mailing list, many have had the same seatback failures. i encourage you to contact the contour enthusiasts group at www.contour.org for more owner testimonials. thank you, tom disalvo. *ak ([email protected])

Seat track problem: seat track "pops" and moves during cornering, which directly affects driver's position and steering; can cause unintentional swerving while cornering; seat track has been replaced 3 times and each replacement has failed. ford has not. *ak

The worst problem was the wheel falling off while in operation, with no warning. the axil, rotor, and balljoint was replaced. the heating and cooling is all messed up. the fan will only blow on low, it is niether hot nor cold. the tail lights and panel lights do not work. it's not a fuse

When pressing brakes it vibrates and makes noise. rotors have been replaced twice with because of same problem. service tech says it will be a continuous problem due to the type of brake pads the vehicle uses.

Ford need to replace this car with a safe one! come on 6 electrical failures? when will the fire start from the failures?..dateline nbc next!

No summary provided by consumer

Power steering becomes disables when driven through puddles of water. safety should be a recall by ford motor corp

The first noticable symptom was that my dashboard lights went out. i then learned that, although my headlights, brake lights, turn signals, and ememgency flashers still functioned, my running lights were also out. upon taking the car into the dealership, i was informed that my headlight switch had shorted and caused damage to the interior wiring harness. to add further insult to injury, i had to purchase an entire wiring harness regardless of whether or not i wished to have the damage harness repaired or replaced because the needed parts could not be obtained separately. this has all been reported to ford motor company and they are looking into the matter. i have only reported my case to the nhtsa after finding a listing in your online investigations database for action number pe98063 and thought that my story may pertain to this investigation. thank you for your consideration.

No summary provided by consumer( dot number: ??? tire size: ??? )

No summary provided by consumer

Dealer unable to fix hesatation- then when supposedly repaired vibration occurred

While traveling down interstate 295,new jersey, i slowed down to get off at exit 4, suddenly i heard a loud explosion (which i thought was my car exploding) and the next thing i knew both air bags exploded (passenger & drivers side). the force and power of the explosion caused my windshield to crack on the passenger. i did not hit any other car or object,i was traveling no more than about 35,because i was preparing to get off at exit,and the road surface was smooth. car was towed to the dealer,murphy ford,chester,pa, who offered little or no assistance in determining the exact cause of why two air bags would explode other than to tell me i had too much air in one tire. ford motor company was contacted and i have yet to hear from them.

My son was involved in a traffic accident where the car rolled over and hit numerous trees. both air bags did not open and the seat belt broke away... miracously my son ended up in the back seat with only a modest bump on his head. .... witnessess as well as the towing/wrecking yard could not believe there were no serious injuries, especially considering the condition of the vehicle... when purchasing the auto i recall that safety reports were generally favorable... given the impact of this accident it is incredible that the airbags did not open and that the seat belt broke away...

Twice the transmission failed on the freeway and had to be completely replaced even though the car was 1 and 3 months old. the dealer was extremely rude and i promise i will never purchase another ford again and neither will anybody that has heard my story.

Gas latch has never worked properly.

Car stalls in forward/reverse gears.

Power steering failed.

Brakes failed.

Goodyear tire failed.

Gear shifter failed.

Intermittent stalling.

Alternator failed.

Power steering hose and pump failed.

Auto air control failed.

The inside release for fuel compartment filler door failed.

Check engine warning light came on.

Short driver wants airbag disconnected.

Trunk handle inoperative.

Evaporator and blower failed 3 times.

Ignition switch failed.

Violent deployment of airbags, causing injury to head, neck and face.

The front part of the vehicle makes a dragging sound while driving. the dealer indicated there was an internal transmission problem. *yh the serpentine belt was replaced. updated *jb

The engine makes squeaking sounds when starting. the dealer replaced serpentine belt to correct the problem. *yh

Consumer received a recall notice and made an appointment with the dealer to have repairs, the dealer stated that the vehicle was not in their computer to have this work done, consumer has paid for the repairs. (99v10300) *yh

Consumer stated that instrument panels were inoperative, consumer's received safety recall 99s14 regarding instrument light failure, consumer took vehicle and recall notice to dealership, dealership was reluctant to honor recall, after speaking with management,dealership finally honored recall, when consumer returned home with vehicle, they noticed a leak which resulted in recall repair. *tt

Consumer stated that tail lights were inoperative, consumer's received safety recall 99s14 regarding tail light failure, consumer took vehicle and recall notice to dealership, dealership was reluctant to honor recall, after speaking with management,dealership finally honored recall, when consumer returned home with vehicle, they noticed a leak which resulted in recall repair. *tt

Vehicle stopped abruptly while in middle of traffic, consumer sent copies of bills to dealer, but no response, consumer is requesting reimbursement. *tt

While driving, vehicle overheated, consumer stopped to add anti-freeze, a little while later vehicle began to make noises and came to a complete stop, vehicle had caught on fire. ohio traffic crash report. *slc

The transmission failed while driving. nlm

The vehicles overdrive failed resulting in transmission failure, the manufacturer has been contacted. nlm

While driving the rear window fell out of the housing onto the roadway, the consumer had replaced the window in july 2000, the officer inspected the window and found that the window seal appeared old and rusty. (ohio traffic crash report) *mjs

The engine cooling fan broke prior to recall notice 00v-367 causing the vehicle to overheat, the consumer had to have a new engine installed, consumer requests reimbursement. nlm

Panel lights and tail lights failed, part (f5rz-14a411-ba) was replaced in 8/99 according to recall (99v-103), part failed 1 year and 5 months later, owner would like to be reimibursed for repairs on 1/12/01. cj

The wiring was damaged by corrosion which caused the abs light to malfunction, the alarm system to be defective, the heating system to work improperly, and the cigarette lighter to not work. *slc

Vehicle has been at the dealership for a nine week period waiting for the recall component part to arrive (99v-103). *mjs

Windshield wiper is inoperative. *mjs

The accelerator cable broke causing vehicle to stall and leaving the consumer stranded, there is a recall (97v225), however the dealer states that the vin is not included in the recall. *slc

The convertor clutch was slipping in the transmission, transmission was replaced. *slc

The consumer hears a squeak in the left front wheel. *slc

The air only comes out of the defrost. *slc

The battery light comes on, it will dim down while the consumer is driving and then the engine will quit,the dealer replaced a faulty cable from the alternator to the junction block, could possibly be an engine problem instead of electrical because now the engine light stays illuminated. *slc

Prior to receiving recall notice, the left front firestone tire blew out causing damage to the vehicle (00t-005). *yh

Consumer received recall notification (00v-075), however dealership denied service, vehicle does not apply. *mjs

Consumer does not feel the vehicle is safe, due to the extensive amount of recalls (6) that have been sent regarding the safety of the vehicle, request vehicle to be exchange or recalled completely due to manufacturer errors, most recent recall (00v-075) brake system. *mjs

Possible engine failure resulted in vehicle fire. (ohio traffic crash report) *mjs

The heater blower switch failed prior to recall notice . nlm

The terminals at the headlight switch and wiring harness connectors failed prior to recall notice 99v-103 causing the vehicle to shut down. nlm

Over drive light flashes and over drive system will be activated suddenly couldn't be turned off.

Air conditioner is not functioning after service. yh

Sway bar failure caused vehicle to make rattling noise while turning left. yh

Prior to recall electrical connector at head light switch failed (99v-103). yh

Fuel tank spills gas when fueling more than half full. yh

Consumer recall workk on 99v-103 head light switch performed, however after repair temprature gauge failed and head lights not aligned properly consumer not satisfied with repair. yh

Recall 99v-247 filler neck not completed due to lack of parts. yh

Vehicle was experiencing electrical problem which caused the cigarette lighter to malfunction, radio and clock went blank and driver side front window will not roll down. nlm

Rear passenger side struts have poped and cracked since new. nlm

Recall repair on the head light switch (99v-103) completed, however after repair the instrument panel lights do not always illuminate and are not as bright and after extended use of the headlights the resistor switch for panel lights is hot to the tough (required additional repairs). mjs

Wiring harness connector failed prior to recall notice causing instrument panel lights and tail lights not to illuminate(99v-103). nlm

Recall repair (99v-103) completed, however harness connector assembly replaced and not the switch, panel lights feel hot to the touch and illumination is dim after repair work completed. mjs

Tranamission failed. yh

Recall component failed prior to recall notice (99v-103), consumer is having trouble with refunding. mjs

The transmission is making a grinding and scraping type noise. i should not have to for any of the cost of the transimission.

Transmission replaced due to grinding and scraping, was also replaced once by previous owner.

Cruise control component replaced due to vehicle missing and sputtering at 65 mph.

Rear seat belt clip fell off/repaired.

Right speaker blown out.

Engine failed, causing smoke. *yc

Vehicle continually shuts down during operation, unable to determine failure. mjs

Drivers side front wheel fender guard became detached from vehicle. nlm

Steering column bolt siezed causing steering column to lock up while driving.

Wiring harness failure caused short in electrical system.

Excessive power steering fluid leak. the original rack and pinion assemply was replaced, due to leakage, with ford parts. the replaced parts also leaked. after second replacement, the power steering hose leaked. at least two power steering hoses have been installed, both have leaked. all repairs attempts have been made by authorized ford dealers under the manufacturers warranty.

Faulty headlight switch caused dash and tail lights not to work.

Brakes and brake line failed.

Gas tank failed.

When driving through a small puddle at 20mph, the power steering failed, making it difficult to manuever vehicle into a parking spot. dealer believes the power steering belt slipped.

Loss of power steering fluid due to improperly installed clamps during oil pump replacement.

Gaskets and oil pump failed resulting in oil leaks.

Rack and pinion failed.

Vehicle experiences continued difficultly in steering.

Dashboard has had several electrical shorts.

Engine consistently overheating.

Cruise control has never worked.

Trunk lid not closing properly.

Emergency hand brake failed.

Vehicle engine omits fumes.

Engine idles rough, hesitates on take off and occasionally stalls.

Consumer having trouble scheduling recall repair due to lack of parts.

Indadequate headlights.

Steering locks every time it rains and the vehicle runs through a puddle.

Head lights very dim.

Front wheel and hub assembly rusting on both right and left side.

Oil filter loose causing fumes to enter vehicle.

Air leak caused noise around the door while driving.

Turn signal burned out.

Throttle linkages and control hesitate on occasion as well as sudden acceleration.

The steering locks temporarily during rainy weather and vehicle hits a puddle.

During rainy weather, the steering becomes locked temporarily whenever a puddle is hit.

Transmission automatic transaxle failed at highway speed.

Seat belt buckle failed.

Intermittent stalling/doesn't start right up. after starting, the vehicle runs roughly for 10-15 seconds, then stalls. *ak

With a/c off the temperature gauge malfunctioned, needle constantly fluctuated. *ak

Passenger's safety belt failed in accident.

Air bag did not inflate in accident.

The accelerator cable shredded and jammed causing the accelerator to stick at 65 mph.

Air conditioning has a bad mildew smell.

Transmission failure.

Reflection/distortion of windshield caused by on-coming headlights.

Speedometer failed.

Due to slanted windshield, vision at night is distorted.

Speedometer/odometer failed.

Vehicle hesitates upon acceleration.

Cooling fan remains on at all times.

The vehicle stalls.

Brakes failed twice once while driving in an ice storm, each time brake failure was followed by a grinding noise, had to be applied 3 times before stopping vehicle, serviced twice for this problem, however problem not rectified.

Defective brakes.

Traction control system filed.

Antilock brakes failed.

Vehicle pulsates when brakes are applied due to warped rotors.

Need to install on/off switch on passenger's side air bag. *ak

Vehicle stalls intermittently due to faulty calibration processor.

The turn signals do not flash and the stearing wheel column smokes when the flasher is in place. mr

While driving with headlights on tail lights and dashboard lights went out without a prior warning. dealer had been contacted, and cause could not be found. *ak

Consume r was traveling about 65mph on highway and heard a clunking noise. there was no prior warning light at all. vehicle had to be towed. mechanic told consumer that engine head gasket had blown out. *ak

Gear shift indicator is not reading the actual gear position ,causing incorrect gear selection. also, ther eis recall 98v233000 for the same problem. however, vehicle not included in the recall. please provide any further details.*ak

Oxygen sensor failed 4 times. *sd

Rubber window molding on driver's side loose, windshield trim failed also.

Engine hesitation and stalling continually.

Rear defrost button failed.

Seal in trunk split.

Front lap seat belt failed to secure child. *sd