1999 FORD Contour

The rear subframe and cross-member is rusted out, and the cross-member failed, causing the car to swerve and sway. This happened while I was driving about 10-15mph, so luckily there wasn’t an accident. According to my mechanic, this is a very serious premature failure since the rest of the undercarriage/frame assembly seems to be in good shape.

First my throttle kept downshifting to 1st on its own, then shortly after I lost my brakes and ended in a collision in which my car was totaled and I was taken to the ER. I am concerned if this is a problem that should bear a close look and possibly save lives.

The power door lock on the driver side does not work to lock the doors but will unlock. The power window motor on the driver side door has started has started to grind and run slower. The dash has curled at the defrost/defog vent and the vent cover has come out and cannot be put back in. The vent does not work correctly now to defrost/defog the windshield. I never received the recall letter on the dash and the dealerships have told me the recall has expired. As a single mom with only one income, I cannot get this fixed now.

The dash is rolling back from the windshield…I was told there was a recall on the 1997 models, and the problem was fixed…I don’t believe the problem was fixed if it is stil happening on the 1999 models….I’m told the cost to repair this is 1600.00

The dash board is warping causing the defroster venting to become dislocated. Ford had a repair program for affected cars that ended 8/31/2002. Ford refuses to repair this known defect or assist by providing the repair parts.

The check engine lights been on since 2001. I have replaced several different components per ford all but to no avail. I have also replaced a rear suspension sub-frame!! my car constantly leaks oil and has the usual dash pull up problem. What really scares me as well as ticks me off is the electrical problem I have and have been hearing about. It turns out some contours have bad fuel pump wiring and tend to short out causing the car to stall and die. This in turn also fried the pcm unit to my car. This is very dangerous in traffic. Trust me its very hard to steer a car with zero power whatsoever. I have complained to Ford and NHTSA. I hope all of you have or will do the same.

Since I took the ownership of my 99 Ford Contour SVT, it has been nothing but trouble. I want to keep this short, so I will breifly tell you of the problems I have encountered. In less than 2 years this has all happened. Fog lights have gone out, twice. CV axis boot had to be replaced due to flawed manufacturing. ABS system failure, rear window defroster went out. Its on its 3rd fuel pump. Very tough starts when its cold, Stock alarm malufuction, right rear tail light went out, left front speaker went out, drivers door handle malufuction, the dash came up from the windshield back about 6". Honestly there is more, I am trying to pull all this from memory. To conclude I would like to say that I will NEVER own a ford again. EVER.

Received a recall for dash buckling. Took the vehicle in and they said they had seen worse. 8 months later after not driving the car for 6 months, I found when I sat down in the car I couldn\’t see the front of the vehicle due to the dash being curled up and blocking my view. I took the vehicle to the dealer again and they said the recall was over. I\’m worried that the curling while blocking my view of the road will not allow the riders side airbag deploy properly should I have an accident due to the vision obstruction.

My exhaust has a rotten egg smell & I put 93 octane gas in the car. My check engine light will stay on at all times

My Contour was repaired in July, 2001; there was a leak in the air conditioning unit – at the time I told them that whenever I used the defrost or air conditioning unit the car seemed to lose power; it would jerk while driving. I continue to have problems with my air conditioning; I had to have some Freon put in July, 2003 but was told that there was no leak but I still experience the jerking and loss of power whenever I use the air. In May, 2003 my check engine light came on and is still on today. I took it to a dealership and was told that it could be the catalytic converter of some sensors but they charge $85.00 just to diagnose it. I took it to another auto repair shop and was told that the computer said I need to replace spark plugs, fuel filter and all kinds of things, basically get a tune up for $280.00. I am unsure what to do because the dealership says the spark plugs should last for 100,000 miles when I only have 77,500 miles on the Contour. I\’ve already had my dash replaced because it came loose; at that time there was no recall on it but I was not charged for the repair. My handle to adjust the passenger seat has come loose from the seat and I am so discouraged with this car. I have only 10 payments left on the car but I am so ready to get rid of it.

My car was having no perceived problems, but then suddenly on Saturday, the transmission died. My mechanic says he\’s seen the same problem with the transmission of 3 similar cars (Contour/Taurus). He says there is excess clearance from the pressure regulator valve to the transmission. He says he can\’t see how Ford can say they don\’t know about a problem with this. You can ask any mechanic about it.

My 1999 Ford Contour clear paint is bubble up. I have a red car. I want to know if it’s been in a wreack could that be the reason or it’s just bad paint. I bought my car in September 2000.

low coolant light has came on , coolant ok seceral months ago. Now the check engine light has came on. How can I get the fuse box checked without costing alot. Only have 64645 miles on car. Can’t believe there is problems already.

I bought a 1999 Ford Contour on 01/30/03 from Empire Ford in Abingdon VA. I had it about a week and it was using oil. I took it back and the head man over the shop said it was suppose to use a quart of oil every one thousand miles. He put a quart in. I took it back four or five times he put oil in I kept the oil checked. Then I took it.10/29/03 to them and they said it would take $800 to repair so I got them to to do it. They would not give me a loaner car while mine was being repaired. They left me stranded. They kept it two weeks. I had to purchase another vehicle just so I could take my mother and wife back and forth to the hospital. I got my car back 11-10-03 and they said they fixed it and as of today which is 11-25-03 my wife took it out and it started doing the same thing that they were suppose to fix. They have my car now. They charged me over $800 to fix it. I expected it to be fixed and three weeks later it is back in the same condition it was at first.

I am complaining about something that seems to be common in this vehicle. THE DARN DASHBOARD!!!! I am in the same situation as many of you…my dash curled up and popped out the vent…mine seems to be extreme according to what I have heard from the many ford dealerships I tried to resolve this with. In addition, I have another complaint my headlights retain condensation making it almost impossible to see in the dark. I had a couple hour drive home the other night from the PA Poconos area. The temperature was about 25 degrees with falling snow. I could not see with my headlights, and if I turned on the high beams I could not see with the hypnotising snow, so in addition to not being able to see with my headlights, I also had to keep holding the dash down so that the defrost worked…..GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! Needless to say a 2 hour drive took 3 very stressful and frustrating hours. In the morning I went to yet another Ford dealership…almost in tears I begged the serviceman to come out and look at my car. He said it was one of the worst he had seen…but all he can do is give me a price on fixing it. $800 which is just the charge for the REPAIR kit….mine is beyond repair, I need a new dash and I will be damned if I am going to pay for something that was defective to begin with. Then another $500 for new headlights.Needless to say I will never be buying another Ford….what was that old saying F ound O n R oad D ead?…ya, thats right.Also, I seem to have HORRIBLE gas mileage even though everything seems to be checking out fine.

Hi, my wife was recently in a pretty bad car accident. Problem number 1- her seat belt came undone on impact. Number 2- both airbags deployed but I noticed when I checked the car out that both bags had holes on the sides of them about the size of a half dollar. I’m not sure if this is how airbags operate and was wondering if this was right. Also it was so much powder and smoke from the bags that we thought the car was on fire. The car is a 1999 Ford Contour SE Sport and from what I have found on the web is there has been reports of faulty airbags and seat belts on these cars. My wife had to have her spleen removed, a very bad sprained ankle and numerous bruises all over her body. If you could please let me know if I could have a case against the manufacturer we would appreciate it.Thanks for your time,Walter & Laura Scott

Engine service light came on in July 2003 required 23 hours of labour and the loss of the car for a week to repair a cracked valve spring.Fan setting would only work at high speed. Ford replaced since TSB on this.Check engine light on dealer replace both catalystic converters for a cost of 1100 for parts and 5 hours of labour

Dashpad was very warped. Ford issued my dealer a kit, but they said my dash was too bad for just a kit & that I would need a complete dash to fix it. Was told FORD wouldn\’t pay for this & I was out of luck.

continual engine stalling cannot be found by technicianson computer, everything looks fine

Letter on behalf of constituent re concerns about the defective warping dash on various ford products such as his 1999 ford contour. *nj the consumer stated ford issued a recall in 2001 to replace the dash because of excessive warping. apparently, ford never fixed the manufacturing flaw because the replacement dash started to warp soon afterwards. the consumer stated it is a safety issue because the dash warped upwards, impacting the visibility of the driver. the warping also impacted the operation of the defroster, so the front window was not being defrosted which caused visibility issues. *jb

The check engine light in the consumer's vehicle continued to illuminate. the mechanic determined that the catalytic converter needed to be changed. *ts to date the catalytic converter has been changed 3 times. *nm

Consumer received a recall letter regarding the instrument panel for the 1999 ford contour. the consumer's vehicle started having problems with the instrument panel after the recall had expired.*mr the vehicle was taken to the dealer who determined that the entire dashboard had warped. the consumer presented the recall notice but was told that her vehicle was not included in the recall. the manufacturer was contacted and agree to pay 80% of the repair cost but the consumer declined service. the consumer felt that ford should pay 100% of the replacement cost (customer satisfaction program 01b78). *nm

Consumer was able to rotate the ignition key to the lock position and remove it without the shift lever and transmission being in park. *ph *nm

Dt: the contact stated the dashboard warped. it touched the windshield, and was pulling the passenger's air bag piece. the air bag light came on a couple of days ago. the light has not been on since. he stated now that he was using the defroster, it was coming up more. often. the vehicle has not been inspected to see why this was occurring. *ak

Rear frame, suspension rusted completely into an went out of control and threw me into ditch. this is completely not acceptable. i have 1960's cars %100 better than this . i know this is a 1999 but this is completely unacceptable. can anything be done.

The brake lines under the car have rusted to the point of breaking apart. the vehicle has less than 100k miles and was not subject to any extreme conditions. the brake fluid leaks out of the undercarriage almost as quickly as it is poured in and has left the car undriveable without expensive repairs.

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford contour. while driving approximately 55 mph, the vehicle started to wobble. the contact noticed that the rear frame was rusted. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 110,000.

The fuel tank strap is completely corroded away, and the fuel tank is ready to fall off. the protective coating is defective and has completely fallen off, causing the fuel strap to be eaten away by rust and corrosion. the fuel tank is going to fall off eventually. the fuel filler neck and emission fittings at the tank, are corroding badly too. *tr

The fuel pump failed frequently while driving, usually uphill. car would stall and sometimes restart, creating a hazard when on the freeway. eventually the fuel pump failed completely. my mechanic replaced it, having to retrofit the gas tank in order for the pump to be installed, removing certain fittings. the filler grommet was defective, and after the fuel pump was fixed and refueling was taking place, gasoline poured out of the tank and the car had to be returned to the mechanic. the replacement fuel pump failed about 10 months later, in sept. 2011. at that time, the car had been working fine the night before and wouldn't start in the morning. ford will only guarantee the original replacement, so if the replacement had failed after more than two months, ford wouldn't have replaced the part. the driver's side window motor has broken three times. i have also had trouble with the air intake system, which causes a whine whenever the car is started cold. this is irritating, but doesn't seem to cause any difficulty with the operation of the car. the dashboard was recalled, a cheap plastic piece placed over the vents, which ruined the look of the dashboard. i persuaded the dealer to replace the dashboard as originally promised in the recall notice. the replacement has now also developed a problem with the vent being separated from the dash. there are also vague electrical problems, including surging and dimming of lights. can't use the radio for fear of stalling the car, or use the heating system along with the rear defrost simultaneously. *tr

The dashboard windshield air/defrosting vent cover below the windshield popped off and the dashboard padding has pealed up blocking windshield/forward visibility. this has caused the vehicle to fail the virginia safety inspection. all remedies we have tried have only seem to provide temporary relief. i have pictures. i have talked to several other contour owners who have the same problems and i have seen contours in parking lots with similar conditions. additionally, i was told this was identified in a past safety recall. this is a safety hazard resulting from defective materials and poor design. *js

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford contour. the contact was driving 15 mph when the vehicle started to sway from side to side and exhibited a loud, abnormal noise. the vehicle was towed to a local mechanic who diagnosed that the rear sub-frame was completely corroded and advised the contact to call the manufacturer. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure who did not offer any assistance since the vehicle was no longer under warranty. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 107,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford contour. the contact stated the entire top of the dashboard curled upward. the damaged dashboard caused problems with the defrost and air conditioner, because the windshield would not defrost. the contact plans to take the vehicle to the dealer. the contact was concerned about the safety issue because it was hard to see out of the window whenever it rained or the weather conditions were chilly. the failure mileage was unknown, but the current mileage was 170,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford contour. while the contact inspected the vehicle, he noticed that the fuel tank straps were rusted. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was 180,000. updated 06/16/11*lj updated 07/11/11

I have a 1999 ford contour sport v6. my motor/tranmission mounts keep failing a have replaced numerous times. causing many engine issues. have taken several mechanics, even dealership. been told this is a manufacturing fault. why has nhtsa not made a recall. to make the company fix their mistake or at least a way to keep mounts from failing. all i keep getting is "thats just how its made". when coparing the frod replacement part to those sold at my local auto parts store its the same thing. so as far as i can tell there is no improvement made to parts. had my trans mission replaced-the transmission leaked-they noted that the leak was do to failed mounts. *tr

1999 ford contour, fuel constantly cutting off and not restarting. shows gas but acts like no gas in car. said to be fuel pump problem. no one can find issue. i have babies and had been stuck on freeway for over two hours when someone had to come and get us and tow vehicle home. still not working. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford contour. the contact was refueling the vehicle when he noticed large amounts of fuel spilling from the vehicle and onto the ground abnormally. the vehicle was towed to a local repair shop where the mechanic advised him that the fuel tank filler pipe grommet was leaking. the contact referenced the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number: 00v350000 (fuel system, other:storage:tank assembly) but was advised by the manufacturer that the vehicle was not included in the recall. the contact was able to secure an appointment to have the vehicle repaired at his expense but was awaiting the required parts needed for repairs, which were on backorder. the failure mileage was 73,556.

Dash curling back. strap for fuel tank rusted, going to break, rust on brake line, rust under both back doors and spreading to underneath car, radio speakers out, car hesitates while accelerating, trunk leaks defroster not working properly because of dash. was not aware of a recall for dash. should be recall for corrosion problem as it is unsafe to drive. i have no other means of transportation so i take a huge chance everytime i drive which is 3 or 4 times a week to work.. fuel pump had to be replaced. check engine light comes on for no reason. piece of junk and i can't afford to buy another car. ford should be ashamed of themselves. they should have to fix these cars or replace them. the mechanic told me the strap for fuel tank is going to break. the car only has 61,000 miles on it. what a joke! *tr

I have noticed that on every 1999 ford contour the headlight covers turn yellow and start to crack. i have checked a lot of places and look at the lights and everyone i have seen are the same. i can't drive with my lights on low beam at all. i keep them on high beam so that i can see. low beam looks as if they aren't on. *tr

I have never received any recall notices, but i need to know if there are any. i have a 1999 ford contour, purchased new, one owner, where the dash is curling back, the headlamps collect moisture, the tail lamp has been replaced repeatedly, and now the torque converter is showing up on a read-out. i have asked over the years about the problems, and i've always been told they are not manufacture issues, but current readings suggest otherwise. i really need to get these items corrected if there have been recalls. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford contour. the contact stated while driving at approximate speeds of 25 mph, the vehicle abnormally accelerated without driver intent. the contact applied the emergency brake and shifted into neutral until the vehicle coasted to a stop. the vehicle was towed to a local repair shop where the contact was advised there was a recall on his year, make and model (nhtsa campaign id number: 99v194000: vehicle speed control). the manufacturer advised the contact that his vin was not included with the recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 122,000. updated 10/27/10. *lj

Letter on behalf of constituent re concerns about the defective warping dash on various ford products such as his 1999 ford contour. *nj the consumer stated ford issued a recall in 2001 to replace the dash because of excessive warping. apparently, ford never fixed the manufacturing flaw because the replacement dash started to warp soon afterwards. the consumer stated it is a safety issue because the dash warped upwards, impacting the visibility of the driver. the warping also impacted the operation of the defroster, so the front window was not being defrosted which caused visibility issues. *jb

I was never notified of any recalls. i have had to pay out of pocket expenses lost control of vehicle replaced starter and brakes several times feels like suspension is falling apart and never notified i have small and older children shameful. these events starting taking place when i purchased the vehicle in 1999 arm control 3 times replaced i was lied to by ford and said i must of hit a bump bump my bump 3 times almost dead. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 1999 ford contour. while adding fuel to the fuel tank, gasoline began leaking. a technician concluded that the fuel tank seal caused the exhaust system hose to melt. the vehicle was in the process of being repaired . the failure and current mileages were 150,000.

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford contour. approximately six months ago, the contact noticed that the dashboard was falling apart in her vehicle. the failure occurred without warning. she first noticed the issue when the defrost vent was beginning to push outward due to the bending of the dashboard. when the glove box is opened, it falls to the floor because the entire dashboard has shifted. there was no impact to the outside or passenger compartment of the vehicle prior to the failure. the failure mileage was 40,090.

Rear brake failure on 99 ford contour se contacted dutro ford zanesvile ohio said there was no recall on this car. *tr

2 major powertrain failures. timing belt pulley broke at 68,000 miles. $600 to repair. automatic transmission broke at 85,000 miles. both occurred out of the blue. car has always been treated gently, all fluids have been changed consistently, and all routine maintenance has been completed on time. transmission must be replaced or rebuilt with a price tag of $2k-$3k. *tr

Happened around oct 15, 2008 at night, between marshall and olivet mi. failure was windshield wiper linkage, causing wipers to blow off the vehicle. part is hard to find, looking to get it fixed for safety obviously. was not able to see well, since next exit was still miles away. no easy way to fix this in an emergency, like this. this type of linkage is unsafe, and i believe any vehicles with it should be recalled. *tr

Dashboard is curling up started on the right side. deal put some type of glue on it but its not staying down. now almost the whole dashboard is curling up. i read there was a recall. why were we not notified? not happy with ford *tr

New goodyear gs h tires purchased from sam's club in june '08 have little or no stopping or turning traction in wet weather. near collisions and sliding on turns. no accident yet. *tr

In the back seat i have only 2 seatbelts it's should have 3. *tr

I think something should be done to correct the clouding of headlight lens - it is definitely a hazard and very dangerous...there shouldn't have to be any incidents before this is looked into..... lets do it before there are injuries!! *tr

Tire was purchased on 9-03-07 at walmart in north myrtle beach. today is march 6,2008. driving down the road and get the flat tire shudder. jack up car, pull off tire, slit my hand on threads on the interior. the part of the tire that is closest to the car is completely bald, and threaded. mileage at time of purchase 144,296. mileage today, when tire blew 150,177. *tr

Dash on ford contour warps, interfering with vision and defrost capabilities of vehicle. ford had a one recall on the dash, but refuses to fix the problem again.*cn

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford contour. the contact received a letter from the manufacturer stating that the dashboard needed to be replaced. after the replacement was made, the dashboard developed a gap next to the passenger side vent, which over time, caused the vent to sink behind the dashboard. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer (ken gordon ford) and had it repaired. while driving approximately 55 mph under normal conditions, the vehicle overheated. the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the thermostat was repaired. a few days later the vehicle overheated again. the contact discovered that the timing belt and water pump needed to be replaced. the current and failure mileages were 100,000.

I have a 1999 ford contour i bought it and 6 months later the timing belt went out this cost me $800.00 out of pocket after the warranty paid their part. drove it another 3 months when it stalled out and started sputtering i replaced the plugs, wires, ignition control box, and fuel filter and found a hose that had a hole in it from being melted after replacing all of that found the transmission to be leaking and no way to get to it easily. still ran crappy took it to a garage and was told they could not figure it out brought it home and it won't run anymore it still does not run not sure what else to do had to buy another vehicle to get to and from work while still paying on this one and can not use it anymore. this is my second ford and i will not ever get another one. and with all this going on when the mechanic shut the back passenger the glass shattered and it was shut normally. also the radio has issues. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford contour. the vehicle stalls and makes a lot of noise during acceleration. the overhead lights and other interior lighting will not dim when the vehicle is turned off. the contact must remove the bulbs to dim the lights. when the key is inserted in the ignition, the ignition switch locks up. a mechanic stated that the front sway bar was leaking and the brakes, rotors, and struts were corroded and needed to be replaced. the purchase date and powertrain were unknown. the current and failure mileages were 100,000.

1999 ford contour se sport dashboard peeling. my dashboard started to peel away at approx 60,000 miles. i now have 80,000 miles on my car. i did not receive notice of a recall on this matter, which was apparently a secret. i have owned 3 fords and will never buy another due to the lax customer service and failure to take responsibility for product failure. i have also had all the head gaskets replaced (i am 60 and hardly hot rodding), rear struts and something related to a loud humming sound under the hood that was essential for the car to remain in working order and problems with the key sticking in the ignition and also a fuel pump. *tr

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford contour. she stated that the mechanic noticed that there was a crack on the passenger side front coil spring. they stated that the road salt could be a possible cause of the crack. the mechanic made the replacement. the failure and current mileages was 85,000. the vin and engine size was unavailable.

The 1999 contour has 67,000 miles. at 36,000 miles had the left front wheel bearing replaced. since then, i had the front wheel bearings replaced 3 more times. *ak

Took car to dealer because the brakes were acting up . found that both tone rings in the abs system broke. the dashboard had been warping for the last four years, was told at the shop that there had been a recall on the dashboard, and i must have gotten a letter, but it expired and will cost $1164.60 to replace it. the during the inspection they told me that the front coil spring broke. they could get away with the defective dashboard because they could blame the consumer, for driving without clear vision?, but the rings that control the braking action,and the coil spring being made of bad materials was a absolutely a safety problem, that should bring about an immediate recall. when one of these components failed while driving a bus full of children of a cliff whose fault will it be then. not mine for not reporting it, maybe that of nhtsa for not recalling it, maybe fords for not fixing it, or maybe shared blame. *ak

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford contour. the contact stated that his dashboard is covered with laminated plastic that covers the grill. the grill separated at the place where the dashboard connects to the air conditioner. he took the vehicle to the dealer who acknowledged the failure. ford stated that they have not heard anything about the failure and that the vehicle is not under warranty. when driving at night, the contact must stop the vehicle to clean the windshield and windows. this failure is from air not blowing correctly due to the dashboard defect. the current and failure mileages were 36,000.

Check engine light comes on three times for different oxygen sensors. these greatly effect the gas mileage and timing of engine resulting in more expensive repairs. the mechanic stated he has seen a lot of ford contours in with this specific problem. cost is minimum $250-$450 to replace. *jb

Driver seat belt ripped/tore. no injuries. looks like it will not survive another incident. have a friend that this also happened to on a ford vehicle as well. *jb

Vibration when brakes applied. this problem started before i even pulled off the lot when i bought it used. the dealership had supposedly fixed it. now, this was the second time that i needed to replace the rotors and brake pads. the first time i bought a set of tires, then got an alignment. was told i needed different tires since the vibration did not stop. bought more tires ,and was told that it had nothing to do with the alignment. today, my car would not accelerate. the check engine light came on, and i immediately took it to a repair shop. it's going to cost $120 just to have diagnostics done. i also heard strange noises from the back of the car every time i brake. i'm shopping for a new car tomorrow. i have yet to meet someone who can tell me exactly what was wrong with my car and fix it!*ak

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford contour. while driving 40mph, the rear axle broke. the contact crashed into a tree. the weather was not a factor. the car was destroyed. the contact is aware of the safety risk involved due to a broken axle. the vin and engine size are not available. the current and failure mileage were 42,000.

I contacted ford to find out recall information on the 1999 ford contour which dashboard was curling up and forward. i was told that this voluntary recall expired in 2002, and that it was not a safety issue. therefore , it will not be fixed, and i would need to pay. i wish to state that it should be a safety problem as it is curling up and forward in the windshield. when it curls up it causes obstruction to the driver's view. please if you would like i would be happy to take pictures. this car was becoming a safety hazard for me, and i will not be able to drive or sell it. to fix it would be more than the car was worth. therefore, because they did not want to take responsibility i will be out of a vehicle. *ak

Warped dash .there is no help available for this, it's getting so bad that it's hard to see over dash the defroster doesn't do its job well ,and ford wants an arm an leg to fix there problem. this is a known problem and very wide spread. *tr

Dashboard has detached at the windshield. it has experienced a severe warpage and is now resting upward about 5 inches higher than its normal position. the defroster grill popped out - it is blocking the view and redirected the defroster so that it will take much longer to clear windshield, but not completely. it has peeled back so far that it is now in the area of the passenger side airbag, which i felt it's a safety issue. dealer has consistently blown me off. *jb

On my 1999 ford contour with 95,000 km, both rear coil springs have broken, puncturing both rear tires. this car has been driven very nicely and given incredible tlc. the cost of these repairs totaled $1000, and should never have happened if the springs were manufactured properly. *jb

Warped panel. *jb

In july 2002, i purchased a 1999 ford contour from a ford dealer. the vehicle was a ford certified pre-owned vehicle. within six months of the purchase, the dash began to warp causing the defrost vent cover to pop out and not fit correctly. the ford dealer never made me aware of a ford customer satisfaction program (#01b78). also, i never received any notification from ford. over the past four years the dash has continued to warp badly. the warping has become so bad it could interfere with the operation of the passenger airbag. also, part of the dash is covering the defrost vent. i think ford needs to re-open the offer to repair this defect for safety reason. i agree with the petitioner in nhtsa action number dp06004, that ". . . improperly retained instrument panel components can be detrimental to the desired performance of front air bag deployments as well as become projectiles during air bag deployments." *nm

1. dash warp causes visibility problems, defroster malfunction, loose trim. i drove over a seam in the roadway at an overpass (small bump) & the vent trim popped loose. this is simply an aging issue as there was no unusual event. my car is a 1999 ford contour, but this issue is also prevalent on the mercury mystique 1999 & 2000 , and some 1998 models with the newer style dash. 2. the trim popped loose from the dash while commuting on i-45 to work. the vent trim came to rest in front of the air bag & on my arms as i drove, but fortunately did not cause an accident. 3. the vent trim was placed loosely onto the dash so the defroster would still be usable, but the warped dash prevents it from being properly secured. a new vent trim will not fix this problem. there was an old recall which included a 'repair kit', but it has expired. i would like to see the recall re-instated. *jb

Dashboard is warped and in cold weather warps and has warped even worse. it obstructs the driver's view, potentially decreases flow from defrosting vents, and the view is additionally obstructed as the plastic vent cover across the dash as it is no longer retained by the warped material. airbags may project pieces in case of deployments as cracks are visible in the dash.

I have a 1999 ford contour. a few years ago the top of the dash warped, came up really high. it was an unsightly mess, noisy, and it also raised questions on whether the passenger side air bag would work correctly. at that time it was repaired by ford. however with time, the repair job makes some noises and doesn't look like it's holding as well as when it was done. ford has washed their hands of this. i believe this to be a potential safety issue and believe ford should stand behind this dashboard problem for the life of the car. thank you. *nm

1. dash warp causes visibility problems, defroster malfunction, loose trim 2. with the dash warp the vent trim is continually popping out . there has been no accident or incident but in the event of an accident i don't want the vent trim popping out and preventing airbag deployment or causing any further harm to me or my family. there have been repeated incidents of defroster causing visibility problems because of the vent trim not properly dispersing air. the vent trim was placed loosely onto the dash so the defroster would still be usable, but the warped dash prevents it from being properly secured. a new vent trim will not fix this problem. there was an old recall which included a 'repair kit', but it has expired. i would like to see the recall re-instated. *nm

While driving the vehicle on the highway, it lost power and would not respond to the gas pedal. i had to steer it to the shoulder and after a while it responded long enough for me to take it to a service station where it was diagnosed to have a defective fuel pump and flywheel. *nm

The transmission on my ford contour went out after just 70,000 miles. of course it was after the warranty had ended. i did some research and found that other contours were experiencing the same problem. ford did not recall and i paid 3000 dollars for ford to replace it. along with the starter. also the battery for the car is an international battery which is for bmw's and "international" vehicles. ford is american yet made a car that needed an international battery. so a year and a half after the transmission was replaced sears has informed me that the transmission is leaking fluid and recommends i not drive the vehicle any more. while that happened the alternator went out on it. this car is junk and ford knows it!! yet they have done nothing about it!!! *nm

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle caught on fire while in gear. a pop noise was heard and smoke came out from under the hood. the front of the vehicle then caught fire. the insurance company deemed the vehicle a total loss and it was never taken to a service dealer. a fire department report was processed.*ak updated 12/11/06. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated after purchasing two continental tires, the steering wheel wobbled and vibrated so badly the vehicle could not be controlled. an independent tire dealership determined the belts frayed and one tire had a broken belt. the vehicle was properly aligned after purchasing the tires. the tires were continental, size 205/6015. continental asked the contact to take the tires to another dealership. this dealership requested the contact send the tires to them. updated 10/18/2006 - *nm

Instrument panel padding pulling loose and curling at windshield. also defroster grille popped off. interferes with defrost air flow. padding glued and stapled and old defroster grill attached with screws. windshield was replaced to have working room. repair was made by an auto trim shop with a cost of $400.00 *jb

Dt*: the contact stated there was a technical service bulletin about the vehicle's instrument panel warpage interfering with airbag deployment. the vehicle was taken to the dealer who expressed that the incident would not affect the vehicle.*ak

Dt*: the contact stated that the glue that holds the front of the dashboard dried out, allowing the dashboard to curl up by five inches. the curl in the dashboard partially obscured the windshield. the vehicle was not taken in for service.*ak

Dt*: the contact stated, while driving 45 mph blue smoke issued from under the hood and from the exhaust pipe. there was also a rattling sound emitting from under the hood. the motor then bogged down and would not accelerate above 20 mph. the vehicle was towed to the service dealer where upon inspection, the service dealer's mechanic determined there was no problem found. on 7/13/06, the vehicle experienced the same events and stalled on the side of the road and was unable to be restarted.

I received a letter from ford in august 2001 that stated the following "the cover of the instrument panel has warped....at no cost to you, your dealership will evaluate this condition and repair as required. this program will be in effect until august 31, 2002, regardless of mileage." the dealership evaluated my car in late 2001 and stated that a repair was not necessary. however, by the summer of 2004, the warping has become so bad that the defroster grill bezel can no longer be retained by the instrument panel. engineers at my company (which make instrument panels) stated that the warping creates a safety concern as the airbag deployment may be affected. ford now refuses to repair the vehicle at their cost. i feel they should be liable as my vehicle was stored in the garage and therefore didn't receive the cumulative thermal energy required to warp the part prior to ford's replacement program expiring. *nm

Starter engaged with no keys in ignition wire harness melt down from battery. starter started to smoke. mechanic me informed that contour has a recall but dealer(ford) has not this car. *jb

There is no incidents to report. however the dash on this vehicle is warped. i have seen this same problem on ford contours and mercury msytique's that was manufactured in 1999. the warpage reducing driver visibility and prevents the defogger from operating properly. *jb

The check engine light in the consumer's vehicle continued to illuminate. the mechanic determined that the catalytic converter needed to be changed. *ts to date the catalytic converter has been changed 3 times. *nm

My car sporadic stalled in traffic because the new fuel pump would shut off. the cause was faulty wiring that shorted out and in turn destroyed the cars computer. no parts are available so dealer was using parts from different make/model parts for repairs. i was told that this is a recurring problem. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated the entire dashboardcurled up interfering with the driver's vision. the vehicle has not been see by a mechanic. updated on 06/20/2006. *ak

Dash warpage on 1999 ford contour: dash has warped at least 3 inches. defroster vent can no longer fit into dash causing defrosting issues for driver. warpage is very near front passenger dash airbag. ford and the dealer respond that there was not a recall for dash warpage. i have found a notation for a recall 01b78 dash warpage on a service invoice from sept. 2001. dealer ran checked recall and found no warpage at this time. *jb

The front dash will warp, preventing proper air flow for the defroster to work on the front windows, creating a safety concern. also, as the dash warps upwards, the visibility of the driver greatly diminishes, creating a safety concern. i have been told by 2 ford dealerships that this is a problem that many have experiences with the contour, however, there is no recall on it, which seems strange because there is a very valid safety concern present. ford acknowledges the problem and offered a one time repair/replacement of the dash, which doesn't solve the problem if dash keeps warping. *nm

Dash board on my 1999 ford contour's is curling up so bad, defrost air across the wind shield is blocked not clearing fog/frost on wind shield creating a safety hazard. also the blower fan only runs on high speed. i contacted my local dealer vollman ford of portland, mi. where i purchased the vehicle and spent over a $ 1000.00 extra dollars for a the ford extended warranty plan esp, and they said that they and ford would not cover it under warranty and there is no recall on these items. that is strange because i have read multiple complaints on various sites from contour owners experiencing the same problems. *nm

I have observed an ongoing problem with my 1999 ford contour where the abs comes on whenever the brake pedal is pressed, especially at lower speeds (under 15 mph). i do not know what failed to cause this condition and offered to bring the car to a ford dealer for inspection, but they declined to have me do so. *nm

Dt: the contact's daughter's car had braking problems. the brakes lagged on reaction time in an emergency braking situation which resulted in the car being totaled. the air bags deployed, and no one was injured. the car was never taken to a mechanic to check the brakes.*ak

1999 ford contour left hub bearing was loose. this is the fifth time this has been replaced. *ts ***no answer required*** *jb

Recall 00v350000: fuel grommet leakage is for bi-fuel cars (contours) and my vehicle was at the mechanics and i am having the same issue but my vehicle is not a bi-fuel vehicle. while i was have my vehicle worked on i asked to check the fuel because as i store my vehicle in the garage for the winter i noticed a gasoline smell. the mechanic told me there was a recall and i contacted 2 ford dealers and ford itself and was informed that this vehicle is not on the recall. the is a very serious issue and should be included in the recall as it is the same specific information on the recall but not for my vehicle. *jb

1999 vehicle, in a 6 year period, the dash warped and came unglued. this resulted in a very unattractive appearance, a non working defroster, and a dash that doesn't fit properly. i had to buy a $80.00 kit and physically remove the entire dash from the car to install a repair kit that ford no longer warrants to their customers. ford charges 2 hours labor at $85.00/hour, plus the $100.00 kit. it took me over 4 hours to do the install, and it still does not completely fix the dash. *nm

1-gradual warping of the dash starting from the edge closest to the windshield 2-it is starting to severely inhibit the effectiveness of the defroster and will inhibit the line of sight out the windshield if it continues to warp 3-this has not yet been corrected. *jb

Alternator died after only 60,000 miles. *nm

1999 ford contour svt, dashboard warping. just started this past summer (2005). ford had a recall on this issue but it expired in august of 2002. dashboard has peeled up so it has limited site to about 4" above the bottom of the windshield. *nm

Dash board warping on 1999 ford contour. repair was attempted, but only a temporary solution. dash has continued to warp and has cracked in one place as well. *jb

The dash board started warping a few years after the car was purchased. a dashboard temporary fix to stop the warping has caused the rest of the dash to pull away from the speedometer and tachometer. *jb

The dashboard vinyl has separated from the dash and curled up which affects visibility as well as reducing the effectiveness of the defroster. *jb

Dashboard curls up and impairs vision out of the front of the car. can't use defroster up front or else the dash curls up even more. this is dangerous for contour owners and should be fixed immediately. *nm

Nhtsa website confirms 79 similar complaints of ford's known manufacture defects in dashboard assembly is a safety hazard that compromises the occupant/pedestrian saftey: warped dash panel and sprung out front defrost grill obstructs driver's view; loose grill strikes windshield while car in motion and could break it; deflects proper airbag deployment; proper airflow of defrost is deflected; ford knowingly manufactures and sells defective vehicles. then immediately issues a "customer satisfaction program" notice (in this case cps # 01b78) that has an expiration date designed to preempt manifestation of the defects by the customer. on my 1999 ford contour se, the defroster grill has sprung out and juts out of alignment so that the airflow from defrost mechanism is obstructed. dashboard warped and separated from windshield on the driver's side with the fissure spreading toward the passenger side. ford customer service declined to do repairs/replacement at no charge, stating ford is no longer liable because the customer service program expired august 2002. instead, the ford dealer service department offered me the loyal customer service deal of making the repair for cost of only $1638.12. i purchased the vehicle new in february 1999 for $18077.16 (financed price of $24318.40)!!! my car loan has been paid in full february 2004 with no late payments. my vehicle's routine maintenance was done by the ford dealer's service department. i am a second time ford owner; my previous vehicle was a 1992 ford tempo. however, lord willing, the 1999 contour will be my last. these are just some of the additional expenses i incurred seldom used a/c repair $275 faulty engine light 02 sensors replace $500 dealer cut brake roters too low $800. *nm

August 2001 ford notified us of a defect in the cover of the instrument panel. that the panel may warp and come undone first around the defroster grill opening. ford identified program #01b78 to fix this problem. we brought vehicle in for service as instructed by letter and service was denied as the gap in the warpage was only 1.75 and needed to be 2 in order to be replaced. now, in 2005 the dashboard panel has completely warped up and off. it obstructs driver's field of vision through windshield and prevents the defroster from working properly. this is a definite safety issue. ford refuses to cover known defect now. *jb

Dash warp / curl / delamination dislodges defroster vent panel. under high humidity conditions and during rain events, the defroster / defogging system is compromised and visibility is poor. *nm

Hello, i am the customs advisor for my base and have an individual who's tires do not have the letters "dot" imprinted on the sidewall. they are on the database of compliant tires and have ratings within standards. can these tires be imported into the u.s.? *nm

Consumer dash board panel popped up. *ts the vehicle was taken to the dealer and the consumer was told that since he didn't reply to the recall before the expiration date they would not be responsible for replacing the panel free of charge. *nm

1999 ford contour dashboard buckled and consumer is concerned that the airbag may not deploy properly, if at all. *ts *jb

The dashboard of my 1999 ford contour is warped beyond repair. the dashboard is peeling back from the windshield. this manufacturing defect has caused my defrost to work improperly, making visibility poor whenever the defrost would be needed. ford has refused to help fix it although they have recognized that it is a problem with a "customer satisfaction program" that expired around the time that i purchased my vehicle. this is a huge safety issue for all contour owners as well as all on the road. *jb

Dt: the contact stated the dashboard warped. it touched the windshield, and was pulling the passenger's air bag piece. the air bag light came on a couple of days ago. the light has not been on since. he stated now that he was using the defroster, it was coming up more. often. the vehicle has not been inspected to see why this was occurring. *ak

Dt: the contact stated that all of the door handles did not operate properly. this problem began intermittently, and now resulted in a complete failure on two of the door latches. the front driver's side door handle must have both the inside and the outside door latch pulled to gain entry into the vehicle. she took the vehicle to the dealer for this problem. the dealer suggested this was a design flaw. the dealer was replacing the door latches at this time. *ak

Dt: the consumer owns a 1999 ford contour that had cracks in the flywheel along the rear area of the motor. there was a ticking noise in the engine. the consumer took the vehicle to an independent transmission shop, who confirmed there was a crack in the flywheel. there was no explanation as to why this failure occurred. apparently, it was cracking it is near the bolts that hold the flywheel onto the motor. this happened from hole to hole as if it was at a fatigued point. was replaced at 40,000 kilometers, and the second flywheel now needs to be replaced at 126,000 kilometers. there were no other apparent problems with the vehicle other then the same issue occurring on both the original flywheels and the replacement. *ak

I inadvertently found that it is possible to rotate the ignition key in my car to the lock position and remove the key without having the gear in park and just having my foot on the brake. as i released the brake, my car rolled a few feet into my garage and i realized the car was not in park. there were no damages. i contacted my repair shop about the ignition issue. they informed there was an old recall on my vehicles' make/model. i did some research and located nhtsa's information as it relates to campaign 99v060000. i contacted for. they informed me my vin was not part of a recall, that they could not give me any information whether my car's make/model had ever been in a recall and that no on in the entire ford motor company could tell me, nor did they have any referral sites for me to find this information. i still need to get this issue fixed. *nm

Dt: the consumer owns a 1999 ford contour. the consumer stated the dashboard was warped, making it difficult to use the defroster. the consumer stated that this would make it difficult to drive during the winter because the defroster can not properly work. the consumer has not contacted the service dealer or the manufacturer. the vehicle was involved in a previous accident, but the consumer states the dashboard was doing this prior to the accident. *jb

Headlights are clouding over, making it dimmer at night and harder to see the road ahead. i have tried to clean the plastic lens but nothing seems to work. i think this is a poor engineering solution when the car is only 6 years old. *jb

Dt: the consumer could hear the radiator coming on/over and over again. previously it overheated in june 2004. when the consumer took vehicle to dealer for repairs they changed the thermostat, added more water to the radiator, and something else in the transmission area. when the consumer picked up the vehicle the problem recurred. afterwards, there was a rattling noise coming from the dashboard. they told her that it was due to a bracket that broke.. dealer replaced the radio. the consumer stated that the air conditioner was no longer working properly since they replaced the radio. also, the dashboard was loosening and there were wires showing. the front driver's side window knob came off. these were the only known problems with the vehicle at this time. there had been no accidents concerning these issues. *ak

I along with many other people have had the same issue with my dash board peeling back. i took it in for the recall instead of repairing it they just reglued it. a year later it came apart again and they would not fix it agin. i called ford they said the recall had expired but since i did have it fixed once i would have to take it up with the dealership. they said the same thing and that i would have to pay out of my pocket to fix it. i don't have that type of money and feel as if there should be an additional recall on this issue.

Dt: consumer owned 1999 ford contour. dashboard warped blocking the defogger/defroster vent. the consumer knew of other people with the same problem. consumer bought the vehicle six months ago. *ak *nm

Dt: contact owns 1999 ford contour. the gas tank strap which holds the gas tank broke. the contact felt this was a safety defect because it could break off and possibly cause a fire. this happened on july 6, 2005. *ak loudon motorcraft replaced the gas tank strap assembly. *tt

There was a recall on the 1999 ford contour lx , for the dashboard peels back. i never recieved a notice we had moved from pennsylvania to georgia. i contacted ford and they said they could not honor their recall notice. i would have to come up with 700.00 -850.00 dollars to get it fixed. i would also have to incur payments for a rental, while my car is being worked on. please help.

My wife and i own a 1999 ford countour. in august 2004, i had a broken left-front coil spring replaced by a private mechanic with a used part from the identical make/model vehicle. in may 2005, the vehicle was rejected during a nys vehicle inspection for a broken left-front coil spring. after checking on internet and finding a pattern of similar coil spring breakage in recent ford vehicles - including a warranty extension for the 1998 contour - i called ford customer service to request an adjustment, but was informed that the 1999 contour was not covered by any extended warranty relating to this very common defect and that no adjustment would be made. why has ford continued to utilize this defect-prone coil spring design on numerous models, and why is there no extented warranty in place for the 1999 contour as there is for the 1998 model?

Consumer received a recall letter regarding the instrument panel for the 1999 ford contour. the consumer's vehicle started having problems with the instrument panel after the recall had expired.*mr the vehicle was taken to the dealer who determined that the entire dashboard had warped. the consumer presented the recall notice but was told that her vehicle was not included in the recall. the manufacturer was contacted and agree to pay 80% of the repair cost but the consumer declined service. the consumer felt that ford should pay 100% of the replacement cost (customer satisfaction program 01b78). *nm

My dash began to buckle to the point where the defrost vent would not stay in place. the dash face on the left side of the steering wheel is falling off. the floor on both sides in the front seat gets soaked every time i drive through puddles or rain. the dome lights would not go off. the door buzzer has tendencies to come on while you are driving even though all 4 doors are shut tight. the fuel pump went out and when the mechanic was going to replace it, he brought to my attention that all wires connecting to the pump had burned the wiring insulation. the fuel pump happens to be located in the fuel tank. there were bare wires in the fuel tank! (i do still have the fuel pump)the trunk latch located inside the drivers side front seat has not worked since 1 month after purchasing the vehicle. all of these things have happened since i purchased the vehicle in 2001 and i cannot seem to get ford to own up to any of them. the recall on the dash apparently is not important enough for them to assist me. i cannot get through to someone who will help me solve these problems at any of the dealers in my area. i am currently still paying for a vehicle i am afraid to drive and no longer care to be associated with. needless to say the car is sitting in the driveway and i will probably never drive it again.

Ever since we bought this vehicle (1999 ford contour) last august from gsa it has squealed when the brakes are applied. it had only almost 9k on it at that time. now with near 20k it squeals like metal and vibrates when the brakes are applied. mostly at around less than 40 mph that i have really noticed. the tires seem to be wearing unevenly, too after 2 alignments. seems to be fine other than that now that the electrical problem that was recalled was fixed.

Dt: lenses of the headlights get water in them when it rains. when the mechanic opened found a lot water inside about a quart or more. condensation has collected inside since she bought it. internally, the tail light also blew. *ak *tt *nm

The abs engaged continually due to corrosion in the tone ring apparatus. dealer says it is unusual, and will cost $600. *jb

Vehicle stalled while driving. driver tried restarted the vehicle five minutes later. took it to dealer, and mechanic determined that the problem could not be duplicated. *ak

Well i had the worst experience ever in my life since i bought this car. i had this car repaired so many time i cant start to name off dates. i do know less than 6 months after i bought this car i drove to the beach less than 30 minutes always and it cut off. it started back up, but cut off 4 time before i got home. next day i had to take it to the dealer to repair it. since i had this car it has been nothing but a burden. i had to replace the ball joint once before, and as i write this letter it is being done again for a 2nd time. my heat and air stop working. heat only works on high, and my defrost take for ever to clear my windows. my door just wont stay closed it pops open while driving. on my passengers side on the floor. it gets soaked with rain everything. if its rainy and im driving my car makes a loud scratching noise. my brakes have to be changed every 3-4 months. shocks gave out less than a year after buying my car. my engine light wont go off. i took my car to over 3 ford dealers and many shops, and no can say why the light keep popping on. so today i dropped my car off to the shop to have brakes,door,engine light, ball joints and to see why the over drive off light keep blinking while im driving. this is the worst car ever made by ford. i know its nothing on my behalf why this car is so horrible because is know 4 other people who have or had the same problems as me. they were smart enough to get rid of this piece of ¿[email protected]#$%, i just cant afford it. well i know this summer if i do have the pleasure and jungian this car, im going to push it off a bridge myself, and never ever by a ford again. i think ford should be assumed for putting out such a bad model. how dare u try and make a quick buck instead of building a reliable car for families. *ak

The dash vinyl covering became unglued. the consumer has contacted the dealership and ford motor company.

1999 v6 contour se. rh rear spring made by visteon broke from corrosion @ 87k miles. lh rear spring covered with rust visteon is also maker of front springs that had recall on 95-97my front springs. poor spring coating design incl. iron phosphate. ignition switch failure at 75k miles. had to be replaced. top of dashboard was recalled with a kit. kit did not fix problem -- excessive rattles still exist. i understand that was the intent of recall & ford has no additional kits or plans to replace faulty recall. kit was replaced around 60k miles. faulty dpfe sensor on this duratec engine. dealer told me replacement sensors had a re-design that did not have exposed area that constantly triggers check engine light. original sensors get contamination and will trigger the check light continuously. ford did not recall and only replaced if complaints under warranty. i noticed problem around 60000 miles.*ak

My 1999 ford contour has less than 50,000 miles on it. the dashboard is coming unglued and has warped significantly. i am concerned that my safety is jeopardized. in addition, the headlights are literally falling out, due to what i perceive to be structural failure. there is no sign of visible rust or decay. again, my safety is at risk, as my visibility is minimized by the inaccuracy of the aiming of the headlights. *ak

1999 ford contour, check engine" light came on, car jerking/stalling, took it to local mechanic who could not diagnose problem, then had to have car towed to local ford delaership (key scales ford, lessburg, florida), they kept car for 2 days, charged over $800 to replace the timing belt, attempted to charge an additional $165 to replece spark plugs (service declined, spark plugs replaced by local mechanic for $50), "check engine" light still on, car still jerking/stalling. afraid to drive car out of immediate neighborhood. local mechanic suggested possibly catalytic converter problem but said it could not even be tested because of the position of the converter is in the middle of the manifold and is inaccessible. local ford dealership has not replied to email requesting additional investigation.*ak

Dash board is pulling away. there was a recall in 2002 which we just discovered, we never received a notice and we are the original owners and the original recall was prior to the incident. *jb

Dashboard, near the windshield, has lifted (warped) to the point that the defroster does not properly defrost the windshield. dealer wants $1700 to repair the problem, because the car is 6 years old, and this was part of an expired recall. at the time of the recall i did not own the car, so i couldn't have had it repaired. now i am held responsible for a costly repair that the dealer should repair, due to faulty craftsmanship. *jb

Exhaust manifold rusted out. *ak

While driving 30 mph on gravel road vehicle stalled. consumer managed to pull over and had the vehicle towed. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

Consumer stated the fuel tank filler grommet was damaged and rusted. as a result fuel fumes seeped into the passenger compartment when the vehicle's tank was full .*ak *nm

The blower resister wires in the defroster melted almost causing a fire in the vehicle. *jb

Consumer was able to rotate the ignition key to the locked position and remove the key while driving and in gear. the cause had not been determined. consumer will contact the dealer in the near future. *ak

The lower tensioner on my timing belt disintegrated at 49,500 miles, although the manufacturer recommends this not be replaced until at least 90,000 miles. the failure of the lower tensioner caused problems with the upper tensioner, which necessitated replacement of both tensioners and the timing belt. i was charged $455 for these replacements, which should not have been necessary. had i been driving to work and not noticed the noise the previous weekend, the car would have come to a dead stop in rush hour traffic, and myself and probably at least another 3-4 others would have been killed. *jb

Horn is not working....have used the horn probably five times in five years and yet not working. have car in the shop horn problem so far is not due to fuse or electrical. next step will have to be replacement.*ak

While driving 30 mph the dashboard lifted up on its own. this caused the driver to have poor visibility. the cause has not been determined. *ak

99' ford contour se the dashboard has been replaced once before. it becomes unglued and obstructs view, and also prevents the defroster from working properly. this is clearly a defect by the manufacturer, as like i said it has been previously repaired in a ford service department. unfortunately, it has became unglued again. *nm

Jan 2004, my son was driving my 1999 ford contour. he was involved in a roll over accident at a speed of approximately 70 mph. the vehicle rolled 1.5 times and never once did either of the air bags open. *nm

There was a strong fuel odor in the cabin of the vehicle after fueling. also, there was a fuel system tank assembly advisory on this issue. manufacturer was contacted, but provided no assistance. *ak.....strong fuel odors continue whenever consumer attempts to fill fuel tank. took vehicle to repair station on 12/31/2004, and the mechanic indicated that fuel tank filler pipe grommet was damaged rusted. *ak

While driving 40 mph rear driver' side wheel fell off vehicle. damage was incurred to undercarriage brake drum rim running board. lug nuts were determined to have come loose due to failure to re-torque after changing seasonal tires (evidenced by elongated lug nut holes) wobbling and shaking occurred 3 miles prior to loss of wheel. *ak *eh *jb

I recently became aware of a recall that occurred in 2001 on 1995-1999 ford contours, mercury mystiques, and cougars. the dashboard in my 1999 ford contour is tearing and a friend of mine told me there was a recall on it. so i decided to check the recall information on nhtsa's website. instead i found other disturbing information. according to a report listed, the blower switch / resistor overheats and starts or could start a fire. it also states that "failure of the blower switch causes loss of one or more blower speeds". however, i was never notified about neither recall. in july 2003, i had to have my 1999 ford contour (bought brand new) repaired because my a/c stopped working. the repairs involved the wiring in the fuse panel (repaired) and the blower / resistor was replaced. the cost: $60.00 (technician hooked car to a machine to diagnose check engine light staying on, parts & labor) and $187.40 (a/c problem, part $7.40 and labor $180.00). i was never informed by the service department (local ford dealership) that there had even been a recall. will i be reimbursed for this mishap? *jb

Consumer stated dashboard was lifting, and defogger did not work. there was a recall regarding this issue. however, there was no recall information in the system. consumer was told that a letter was sent to her two years ago. *ak *tc

While driving the heater blowers failed. the smell of burning wire started to fill the vehicle. the defogger completely failed. consumer could not see through the windows. however, there were burnt wires under the hood. please provide any further information. *nm....replaced starter motor and damaged battery cables. *ak

Dashboard separated from the windshield. consumer contacted dealer, no help offered.*ak

When driving, the consumer took her foot off of the gas pedal and could see the rmp's and speed of the vehicle went up. the vehicle actually jerked forward as the hit brakes. *bf the consumer was told that there was no problem with the vehicle. *sc

The tail lights became inoperable after four replacements. also, the windshield wipers did not work in low gear, and the running lights malfunctioned. *ak the electrical connector splice from the headlight switch opened. (the right side tail light was inoperative) the tail lights, front running lamps were out again, a fuse was bad and found some more wires in the trunk wired incorrectly, the dashboard lights and the license plate tail lights worked intermittently, there was a wiring short in the harness in the cowl area, there was a blown fuse in the exterior lighting, on another occasion, the #33 fuse was found open, the sunroof was inoperative due to a shorted motor, bad drive gear and two cables. *sc *jb

On dec. 3, 2004 i was involved in an accident with my vehicle, 1999 ford contour, and an oncoming vehicle, a 1999 ford pick-up. i was going through a green light at an intersection doing 30-35mph when the truck went through his red light, plowing through the intersection. as a result, i hit (t-boned) his truck. the whole front end of my vehicle ran into the passengers side of his vehicle (he was doing 30mph at the very least). my air bag did not deploy as it should have. i hit my head on the steering wheel. when paramedics arrived i was then put in a neck brace, put on a backboard, and taken to the er. i did not suffer a concusion, injury was minor (hit head, approx 10 minute state of confusion about 5 minutes after collision, dizziness and saw spots about 30 min after collision), and i've only suffered a very sore neck and back. however,injuries sustained could have been much worse. i do not see any reason why the air bag should not have deployed. ford should be held responsible for this failure. since i was taken to the er i am not yet aware of all of the damage my vehicle has sustained; all i know is that the bumper was in the middle of the intersection, and the crumple zone did as it should- however, being that the front bumper was hit hard enough that it fell off and the crumple zone reacted, the air bag should have been activated. what can be done to determine why it did not, and can ford be held accountable in some manner?*ak

I just bought my vehicle a few days ago. i was notified of a defect of the dashboard, and could plainly see it. the dashboard has warped very badly, causing my sight to be limited. i am also having a problem with fuel injection. i had it checked by a computer and it reported that the engine was not getting enough fuel. *ak

I bought a 1999 ford contour on 9-23-00 . i had the alternator replaced june of 2004 . now , every time you let off the gas , the car stalls out. due to this problem i have been stalled out in the middle of very heavy traffic , large intersections , railroad crossings , and making left turns with on comming traffic . i must drive this car , because it is my only means of transportation. i have put this car in the shop 3 times since last june . one of the shops was the local ford dealership. they kept my car for a month , said they did not know what is wrong with it , and for me to come get it. also , i am still making payments on a car that i can not drive, and no one is able to repair!

The deck over the dashboard beneath the windshield became deformed. *sc

Dashboard separated from the front windshield. this caused water to leak down into the vehicle. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

The consumer stated that her air bag was making a popping sound, and the dash board buckled up. *jb

A recall was issued on dashboard separating from the instrument panel. manufacturer stated that the recall expired, and consumer was never notified since they were not in the database.*ak several months ago the dashboard began to raise and separate from the anchorage points which caused some instrument panel warpage and visibility problems. *nm

The front coil springs broke while the vehicle was sitting in the driveway. the owner heard a loud noise and went to investigate, it was then discovered that the coil springs had broken tearing into the front tire and causing the front suspension to drop to the ground. *jb the flat tire was on the passenger's side of the vehicle. *sc

The consumer stated the wheel bearings on both sides had gone out on the vehicle four times. the vehicle started to make a loud noise on the highway. after having the vehicle towed, the wheel bearings on both sides failed again. the manufacturer offered no help. *jb

This complaint was sent via e-mail."i would like to report a problem with my car. for the second time since i have owned this automobile my dashboard has buckled at the windshield and vent popped out and wouldn't snap back into it's original location. the first time this happened, my car was still under warranty and the entire dashboard was replaced. shortly after the replacement, i received a notice of a recall for the contours for this exact problem. the dashboard is buckling again." *jb

Car is leased to me and the dashboard is puckering near the airbag. when i turn on the heat the airbag pops like it's going to pop out. i was told there was a recall on them , because the dashboards do pucker, but i didn't receive the recall note the previous people who leased/ owned this car received the note.

When the vehicle was being inspected,the consumer was informed the dashboard was separating from the structure extending 1/4 higher than normal. they also stated that recently they've seen at least nine vehicles with this same problem. please describe details. *jb

While driving, the dashboard panel became unattached from the console. please fill in additional information. *jb

Consumer noticed that the dashboard on passenger's side unexpectedly came apart. this could cause the passenger's side air bag to go off inadvertently. consumer drove the vehicle to dealer for inspection, and mechanic indicated that there was a recall on this vehicle. but at this time it expired due to fact that consumer was the second owner. time elapsed for this recall at this time. *ak

The instrument panel cover warped causing the defroster vent to pop out. the dealer consulted and stated that the entire dash needed to be replaced and cost is 750.0. *ak *sc updated 01/30/06. *jb

While backing out of the driveway driver's side front coil spring snapped. as a result, the tire was punctured. *ak

The consumer was able to remove the key while the vehicle was still running and in gear. the manufacturer rejected the claim. *jb

Consumer took the vehicle into the dealer on a recall for a cracking dashboard one year ago, and was told that the problem did not appear to be serious enough to be repaired. currently, the dashboard cracked again and lifted up, blocking heat and air. manufacturer was contacted, and stated that the date for the recall expired. however, consumer took vehicle back to the dealer to see if they would repair it at consumer's expense. however, dealer will not repair it. *ak

When backing out of the driveway there was a popping sound. left front tire went flat. vehicle was towed to the shop, and it was discovered that both struts broke. *ak

I have normal use on my car and on july 26, 2004 my air bag light and the emergency brake light came on. i read my owner's guide to see what the problem could be and it stated that if theses problems was to occur that i need it to be service by a qualified technician. i brought my vehicle in on july 27, 2004 to get it serviced. i informed ford that i smelled a wire burning, and that i saw a little puff of smoke on july 26, 2004 that came from under my dash board. i was informed my the ford dealership that they did 3 diagnostic test on it and they still could not figure out what the problem is with the airbag system. this is a safety problem that could have ended up deadly if i was to get into an accident because of the malfunctions in the car. as far as what is being done is beyond me because they still cannot figure out what the problem is, and what parts are going to be needed for the repairs on my car. i would like to matter to be investigated immediately before someone get hurt, and they don't have their air bag system nor emergency brake light system working. *ak

I own a 1999 ford contour. around thanksgiving 2003 i noticed that the defrost vent on my dash came lose. next the dash started to curl up. then the dash started to pull away from the frame. i can see the glue used to hold it to the frame. the dash is now curled so high i can't see the wipers & part of the hood. i am fearful passenger airbag will deploy. i called my local ford company in nv & was told about a recall but it expired. i had several estimates done & have been told parts alone are approx $800 & labor at least $1000. august 9th 2004 i called the worldwide service line at ford & was told there was not a recall but a customer satisfaction program #01b78 that ran from august 2001 thru august 31 2002. i never got anything. i told them i didn't feel i should have to pay for it when they know faulty equipment is in the vehicle. they told me the program had expired. when i told them in their eyes no one has died yet so it is not serious enough to issue an actual 'recall'. the rep acknowledged this statement saying i was correct, that it was not a safety issue. i told them they are wrong, it is a safety issue, the airbag is under that dash and could deploy. ford's only answer to me was to take it to a certified ford dealer in my area & have them inspect it. a tech will tell me the cost to fix. then it was repeated that the program has expired. ford is not going to do a recall for equipment they know is faulty & they are not going to pay for the repairs. i am left with an unsafe vehicle to pay for repairs that i feel i should not have to pay for in the first place. i don't know how many complaints need to be made in order for a recall to be issued but i hope it doesn't take someone actually getting seriously hurt or a fatality for them to do something about this, please let me know.. thanks ljr

1999 ford contour se - heater blower working only on high mode. burned out resistor. this was a recalled part for 96-98 contours. i suspect same problem in 1999 model. only 22,000 miles. part replaced by mechanic 8/4/04.*ak

While driving dashboard became unglued and popped up, causing poor visibility. dealer and manufacturer were contacted. *ak

I purchased a used 1999 ford contour from a private party on 6/21/04. when i had the required state of vermont inspection done on 6/30/04 a broken right front coil spring was discovered. this is a historic problem, and severe safety hazzard on the ford contour series, as sudden tire failure is commmon with this breakage. years 1995 through 1998 have been recalled for this issue. the problem for the 1998 model year was not discovered until 2001, and a recall was issued that same year. therefore, i believe that ford was still using the defective parts when my car was built in 9/98. this seems to be a prevalent problem as ford is backordered on replacement parts for over a month. it is my feeling at this time that the 1999 model should be subject to a safety recall for this problem.*ak

While vehicle was parked front coil springs snapped, and vehicle became inoperative. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

This is not an aesthetic complaint as classified by ford motor corporation. dashboard is peeling up from base of windshield and obstructing drivers view, defrost panel is now dislodged from dashboard and creating additional obstruction of driver's view and rendered non functional. the recession of the dashboard is now separating from the air bag deployment section of the dash. i purchased this vehicle new and have been the sole owner since its purchase in july 1999 and have been refused assistance. i contacted first the ford dealership from which i purchased the vehicle and was told there was in fact a recall on this item and had since expired and was directed to call ford motor corporation directly for further assistance. i was not notified of the recall. the three 'customer service' representatives that i have spoken to over the past 24-30 months each confirmed the recall and noted 1) since it was classified as an aesthetic problem it had an expiration date attached it and 2) it was sent to the dealerships to expedite on vehicles that came in for scheduled maintenance visits. again, i was not notified from either the dealership at the time of my service visits or ford motor corporation when the recall was initiated. i have requested second opinions from outside sources that are ford certified in body repair and each noted the ramifications of driving this vehicle without the manufacturer defect corrected is and not limited to a spontaneous deployment of the air bag and a result of a potentially fatal accident for the driver, passengers, and not excluding other drivers on the road that could inadvertently be involved. in my research of this situation i have found complaints of this nature with similar responses since 2001.*ak

The consumer noticed that dash board cover lifted up, exposing installation. the dealership and manufacturer were contacted. *ak the speedometer was replaced shortly after the dash began to come apart. the entire defroster cover was coming off and was pushing insulation out into the vent. *sc *jb

The dashboard of our 1999 ford contour has experienced a severe warpage and is now resting upward about 5 inches higher than its normal position. the defroster grill popped out earlier and in the winter the defrost function does not work properly on the windshield. the current position of the warped dashboard is obstructing our visibility of the roadway and a service technician at the local ford dealership admitted that it was a hazardous. there was a ford customer satisfaction program (#01b78) which was issued in august 2001 and effective until august 31, 2002 admitting to problems with dashboard (instrument panel) warpage on the 1999 & 2000 ford contour. i have contacted ford customer service on at least 4 occasions over the past year plus without any satisfaction and the problem is getting worse. the ford dealer (heritage ford in south burlington, vermont) indicates that this is a factory problem which is not being addressed. they were to notify a ford regional service technician over a month ago but i haven't heard from anyone. the local dealer estimates that it would cost me $1400 to $1800 to fix this problem. based on what i've outlined above, i feel that it should be completed at ford's cost. i feel that this a very serious problem, which is getting worse with the impaired visibility and could possibly cause an accident. i can't even see the hood from my sitting position in the driver's seat. also, if i were to try and sell the car, it would be basically non saleable because of this dangerous problem. there are a substantial number of complaints filed with your agency regarding this problem that i researched under the categories of other, visibility and visibility...defroster among others. how many complaints are required before you force ford to issue a recall for this very dangerous situation? ford has already admitted a flaw in the dashboard with their customer satisfaction program. any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

I own a 1999'contour the dashboard has curled up at the vent area near window. have contacted ford motor co. and they refused to do anything about issue. i have contacted previous owners and they knew nothing of the customer satisfaction program provided by ford. ford tells me it was a time is of the essence type of thing . but i see that they have only tried to avoid taking responsibility for a faulty product. i will seriously consider never purchasing another ford . this has been my 4th ford that i have owned and it saddens me to see the poor response from ford about a potentially hazardous problem. *ak

A recall was issued for the dashboard buckling. however, the problem recurred. consumer contacted the manufacturer and dealer, and their response was sorry, there was nothing they could do. *ak

Vehicle hesitates and jerks violently on acceleration, feels like it wants to stall.dashboard curled up in front by windshield, obstructing view and popped out vent trim. dealer wouln't fix it because they said the recall on it had expired. had to try to glue it down ourself.*ak

The dash on my 1999 ford contour gl began peeling away more than two years ago. despite receiving a recall letter from ford about the problem, i was unable to have it replaced/repaired. about the same time, i started having problems with the radio cutting out. i could push in a cassette then remove it to get the radio to come back on, but nothing else would work. just yesterday i drove my car with no problem...until i turned off the ignition. when i attempted to restart the car, i was unable to do so. when i turn the key to the first stop, the accessory position, the radio, lights, etc., all work fine. when i turn the key further, to start the car or to the second stop to power other devices (ac, power windows, etc), it behaves as if the battery is dead. the buzzer (door open, keys in ignition) is very faint, radio doesn't work, windshield wipers move one very slow pass (even though they are turned off), can't get the car out of "park". i had the car towed home, but can't afford to have it checked out. will call the dealership, but am not hopeful of getting the car fixed. *ak

Vehicle was idling too high. when the vehicle idled too high it also shut off. consumer took vehicle to several different dealers, and vehicle was diagnosed 2-3 times. each dealer indicated that it was the cam sensor. consumer had a new cam sensor installed on 04/19/2004, and it was still doing the same thing, vehicle continued to idle high and then stall. *ak

Since i took the ownership of my 99 ford contour svt, it has been nothing but trouble. i want to keep this short, so i will breifly tell you of the problems i have encountered. in less than 2 years this has all happened. fog lights have gone out, twice. cv axis boot had to be replaced due to flawed manufacturing. abs system failure, rear window defroster went out. its on its 3rd fuel pump. very tough starts when its cold, stock alarm malufuction, right rear tail light went out, left front speaker went out, drivers door handle malufuction, the dash came up from the windshield back about 6". honestly there is more, i am trying to pull all this from memory. to conclude i would like to say that i will never own a ford again. ever.

My ford contour only has 69000 miles. already, brakes have had to be replaced twice, dashboard curling up about 6 inches and defrost cover has come loose blocking view, now the timing belt is going bad, had to replace to motor mount. fuel pump also went out.*ak

The car is a 1999 ford contour. i had my 4 year old daughter buckled in the rear seat. we were driving when she reached over and thought she was pulling for the window. she grabbed for the door handle instead, and to my surprise opened it. the door flew open,,she was buckled in and not one was hurt..just upset. i check the chikd door locks....and to my surprise the label is backwards. it points in the lock direction, but this is the open direction. i looked at a friends contour, all the labels are incorrect!!!!!*ak

My 1999 ford contour clear paint is bubble up. i have a red car. i want to know if it's been in a wreack could that be the reason or it's just bad paint. i bought my car in september 2000.

Low coolant light has came on , coolant ok seceral months ago. now the check engine light has came on. how can i get the fuse box checked without costing alot. only have 64645 miles on car. can't believe there is problems already.

Consumer was able to rotate the ignition key to the lock position and remove it without the shift lever and transmission being in park. *ph *nm

My dashboard is warping. i bought this car used and it appears to be the second dashboard put in. this is a dangerous issue. it does obstruct the view. the dashboard is curling toward the inside of the car.*ak

Purchased car in sept. 99; no dashboard warpage' received a printout of tsb# 01b78 for warpage on 8/24/01; no warpage yet. 01/07/04 received a printout from dealer of no active tsb#01b78. dashboard warpage severe after winter of 2004. brought into service the tsb. the dealer and ford company failed to fix the problem. they quote the sent letters to consumers of the car. i never received a letter. the blame the us post office for the fault. liability falls into the mfg., which is ford not the usps. dashboard is warped and defroster fails to defrost the windshield in the winter due to warpage. the defrost vanes no longer fits in the dash to direct flow to windshield which causes a visual hazard to driving in foggy, wintered environments. i would like the tsb serviced due to hazard. i am orig. owner of the car. i found all the information on my own through the internet and printouts. no official notification was served to me. the liability should to service this tsb.*ak

As soon as i exited the freeway (almost a full circle exit), my car started choking and finally stopped. no fuel seemed to be reaching the engine. i had aaa tow it home since i was close to home. the engine cranked but wouldn't start. this choking happened once before when i entered the freeway on a similar full-circle ramp, and then stepped on the gas to pickup speed. it coughed a bit but then ran fine. seems like the spin causes something to choke. other contour owners have experienced this before. it supposedly happens when the fuel is less than a quarter of the tank. ford had recalled the ford focus for fuel delivery system problems and my car exhibits the exact same symptoms. when i talked to ford customer service, they asked me to take it to a dealer, have it fixed at my expense and then they would consider re-imbursing the expenses, but they also said that i shouldn't count on a reimbursement. i explained to them that this could be very dangerous since it can happen while entering a freeway. i've seen a few more complaints like this on this site (www.nhtsa.org) but no solutions. some say that the dealer cannot figure out the cause. the solution should be the same as the ford focus recall solution and should be fixed at ford's expense.

Timing belt idler pulley is broken after only 60,000 miles. it has shredded a bit of the lower timing belt cover and causes a whirring noise while the engine is on. this has happened even though the car has been maintained well and driven carefully.

Stalls and won't restart. i had the alternator changed and the fuse behind the head light switch by goodyear. they did a complete diagnostics test and said the only thing it could be was the alternator and maybe the fuse. i got the car back and it ran fine for about 3 hour's then stalled. i had to take it back 3 more times after the initial visit and still had the same problem. good year could not figure out the problem and had my car towed to a ford dealer ship where i had to pay again for a diagnostic test which came back clean, so they suggested a new battery and fuse. the car was working fine until exactly one year later when the same exact thing happened, it stalled yet again. i can barely open the door's with my key and it takes about three times to do so. i went to walmart and bought some fuse's and for now is working. i have taken the car to 2 place's one a ford dealer ship and have the same problem as last year, if both place's could not find the problem then, then why should i waste my money again. there is a defect some where in the electrical system and i should not have to change the fuse so often. *ak

The driver was able to remove the key from the ignition switch. the mechanic replaced the ignition cylinder. please provide further details. *jb

Consumer complained about dash board problem. the dashboard warped, causing a visual obstruction. this was the second dashboard installed, which was done during a customer's courtesy recall. this dashboard was under warranty for 1 year only. currently, vehicle needed another dashboard. *ak the dealer replaced the dashboard after the consumer contacted the manufacturer. *nm

Dashboard is peeling up from windshield, defrost panel is now free floating on the dash. at this time the dash is peeling up near the air bag and i have concerns of it deploying while driving. i have contact ford there was a recall on this very item which has now expired. i was not notified (i am the only owner). they have refuse to extend the recall to cover this defect. i have been told that it will be $1500.00 to replace the dash. i was told by ford that i indeed was not notified and that the dealerships were aware of this problem and should have noticed it. my cat was in the shop for 3 months during the recall time and the dealership never checked my vehicle for this defect. i feel that ford should at their cost replace my dash. this is a extreme safety hazard.*ak

The consumer was able to rotate the ignition key to the lock position and remove the key without the shift lever and transmission being in park. *ak on three separate occasions, the vehicle rolled while parked, because the key was removed from the ignition while the gear was still in drive. *jb

Consumer is able to take the key out of the ignition switch when the vehicle is not in park. dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *ak

After 22k miles i have to replace the original tires 185/70/r14 on my ford contour se '99. i contacted general tire (the tires have 70k miles warranty). i was surprised to find out that "general tire was not contracted by ford co to put tires 185/70/r14 on ford contour se". i contacted tire dealers, check websites and found that the only size 205/60/r15 is listed as an original equipment. the size 185/70/r14 is downsize tires, and tire manufactures will not honor the tire warranty if i put these tires on my contour se. this is one problem. the biggest issue is safety: do the tires 185/70/r14 provide the same safety features as 205/60/r15? i found that r15 tires could hold 400 lb more than r14 tires, provide better tracking control. and, i already know that, the r14 tires lasted only 22k miles. i try to convince ford co that because of the production defect my car - contour se '99 -was equipped with incorrect tires (185/70/r14 instead of 205/60/r15), and as a result of that the safety level of the car is less than it should be, and tire warranty is denied by tire manufacturers. the only fix is to replace the wheels (rim and tires). thank you.

Ford motor corp is aware of a defective valve in it's ford contours with 6 cyl 2.5l engines that causes an oil out and over-pressurized condition. my vehicle experienced this and my mechanic contacted a ford service manager and was told that they are having a silent recall, and each case will be handled on a case by case basis. when i took the car to ford and after keeping it for a week they determined that they would not rectify the problem because i had not received my oil change from them. i had previously taken my vehicle to ford and spent so much money for all problems and i have well documented service records on my vehicle. i also have a college son that i purchased the same vehicle for and am afraid that his will experience the same problem while he is out on the highway. i have had to replace the engine because of this. the vehicle only has 38,000 miles and has always been well maintained. i think that this is a safety hazard to many consumers and that ford should step up and service this problem for it's loyal customers and for the safety of so many individuals. *jb

The dashboard curled causing the vent to come out. *ph *mr

When driving at night it is very difficult to see the road due to poor headlights. consumer contacted the dealership. *ak the condensation inside the head lights made it difficult for the head lamps to properly illuminate the roads surface. *nm

While sitting at a stop sign another vehicle rear ended the consumer's vehicle. in return, the consumer's vehicle rear ended a bus. upon impact, none of the airbags deployed.*ak *jb

Dashboard on 1999 ford contour has buckled and there was a customer satisifaction recall for the work and was never told there was an expiration and i want to have it fixed and ford will not. the vehicle is not safe to drive because the view is blocked.*ak

I own a 1999 ford contour with a horribly warped dashboard. there was never a recall, only a courtesy call to come to ford and have it fixed. i brought it into my local dealer, who did not have another dash to replace. they had to order it. when i called back several months later, they told me that time had expired and they sent the dash back to ford and there was nothing i can do. this warped dash is dangerous, interferes with my field of vision, the defroster won't work properly and now is interfering with the passenger side airbag. i want you to know about this early in case of an accident. this car was bought new in 1999 by me and only has 35k miles on it. *ak

Dash was replaced, but it was installed improperly. also, air conditioning system has leak, and will be replaced next spring. *la vehicle has had the following repairs or replacements: wheel bearings, brakes, tie rods, dashboard, intake manifold, passenger rear struts, left front dome lamp switch, left front speakers, and oygen sensor.*mr

A new battery was installed. it was discovered that there was a constant strain of 32 amps being discharged, causing the battery to drain, and not being charged. *ak the key could be turned off with the ignition in the lock position and the transmission in park. when the drivers side door was opened, the buzzer that reminds the consumer that the key was still in the ignition had gone off even when the key was not in the ignition. *sc

Driver fell asleep at the wheel while driving and hit a house pole then a telephone pole. upon impact, both air bags failed to deploy. the driver sustained head and back injuries and was transported by ambulance to the hospital. vehicle was totaled. *ak

Car just stalls while driving on the road. has happened atleast three times.

Instrument panel and dashboard warped on a 1999 ford contour.*mr the dealer was suppose to replace the instrument panel again but they refused to and the consumer needs repairs because it's defective. *cb *jb

Airbags did not deploy when rear ended. my car was pushed into intersection. damage to car was bumper, had to replace mud guards and attaching hardware. contacted ford about my concern they said that the force probably wasn't great enough. everyone i spoke with asked about the airbags and were suprised when they didn't deploy as the force was greater than 20 miles an hour. *ak

In summer, 2003, the dashboard warped which caused the defroster grill to separate and resulted in poor visibility at the lower portion of the windshield. *nlm

The consumer noticed that the dashboard was warped. this allowed big pieces of plastic to fly through. some of the plastic pieces were sharp and came in contact with the occupants. the dashboard warping is due to the sunrays and heater blower. *nlm

Vehicle's dashboard is curled up and the air vent has popped out. *mr the consumer also stated the windows did not defrost properly and the air condition fogged the window because the dashboard curled up to the point it touched the windshield. *jb *nm

The consumer complained about a dashboard problem which affected the use of the defroster. there was no air movement.*ak

Product defect, loss of rear brake lights and turn signals due to water leak from lenses which caused a short circuit.*mr (nar) *cb *jb

Ford contours and alike experience problems with the dashboard warping. ford should fix this defect at no charge. the warped dash causes obstruction of view out of the front windshield. *la

Dashboard has delaminated at the windshield. it is blocking the view and redirected the defroster so that it will take much longer to clear windshield, but not completely. it has peeled back so far that it is now in the area of the passenger side airbag, which i felt it's a safety issue. dealer has consistently blown me off. finally, has answered about this after nearly a year, that i will have to pay for repair myself, minus 10% ford safety warranty. i felt it should be paid in full by ford. i know that i would not get full trade in value from them due to this issue. *la

I own a 1999 ford contour, in which the dash cover (vinyl and foam) are separating from the metal shell underneath. it is approaching the passenger's side airbag (srs), and my concern is it my either cause an unexpected deployment of the airbag resulting in an accident, or it may prevent the airbag from deploying in the event of an accident. i have contacted ford and their answer was they would submit it to the engineers to determine if a recall was in order. unless there are enough people reporting this problem, i feel they will take no corrective action. i have personally observed to other '99 contours with the same problem. unfortunately, i was unable to contact the owners and ask them to make complaints as well. *la

Consumer stated that the dashboard was detaching from the grill, and it was unsafe to drive. dealer had been notified. *ak ford developed a customer satisfaction program so consumer's affected by this problem could get the vehicle repaired at no cost to them. *ph *nlm

Dash board is warping near the windshield. i was told the warranty to fix that part was expired. the cost to fix it would be $300. this problem has been going on for a couple of years and i fixed it myself. ford never sent me a recall notice and now they are claiming they did. *la

Consumer stated that dashboard was detaching from the grill, and it was unsafe to drive. dealer has been notified.*ak

Consumer stated that dashboard was detaching from the grill, and it was unsafe to drive. dealer had been notified. *ak

Consumer stated that dashboard was detaching from the grill, and it was unsafe to drive. dealer had been notified. *ak

Dashboard was curling up. the consumer is concerned that air bag will be defective. *ak the dashboard was curled so badly that an air vent popped out. the windows do not defrost properly and the air conditioner fogs the windows because the dashboard curled to the point that it touched the windshield. the consumer is concerned that this curling may affect the deployment of the air bags. *nlm

Warpage of instrument panel (dash) near the windshield is severe. *la

Consumer states that while driving vehicle it shut down twice. she was afraid that someday it would cause an accident. dealer/mechanic could not duplicate the problem or fix it. *ak

Consumer called complaining about dashboard problems on passanger's side.*ak

The dashboard is blistering and flaking. consumer is barely able to see over the dashboard because of the warping.*ak

Dashboard has wrapped and separated from the structure. this is reducing driver's visibility because the dashboard has lifted upwards infront of the windshield. an owners notification letter was sent out prior , but the failure had not occurred, so it wasn't repaired. *ak

Problems with vehicle's dashboard.*mr *cb *jb

Consumer stated he was afraid to drive the vehicle because the material that covered the dashboard was peeling badly. he is afraid the air bag will prematurely deploy, and cause him harm. *ak *jb

The dashboard separated from the windshield and caused the defroster to fail. the dealer was notified. *ak *scc *jb

The dashboard warped which caused the defroster grill to separate and resulted in poor visibility at the lower portion of the windshield. *ak *ts

On may 11, 2003 i was injured in a car accident in my 1999 ford contour. my airbags did not deploy.*ak

1999 ford contour. dasboard is coming apart from the windsheild and at the bottom where the light switches are located. *ak

I bought a 1999 ford contour, and when i bought it i was informed that the dash was coming up, but they were on recall. then about a week ago i found out that my car is not on that recall list. ever since i did buy it in january 2003 the dash has come up even more.the entire top of the dash is warped.i have tried epoxy, but the whole dash just needs to be replaced,it's so bad. i don't agree with that because it is a default on the makers end. i think that it is a big safety hazard since there are airbags under the dash. why is this not on a recall list? cause this is a safety hazard for my children and i. please call me with information. [xxx] vin# [xxx]. *ak information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

The dashboard separated from the windshield which caused the defroster vent to malfunction and blocked the driver's vision. ak the defroster vents popped out of the dash. the dash slid up into the windshield and caused a sizeable gap between the two which restricted the drivers view. the problem may cause the passenger side air bag to deploy. owner of the vehicle/daniel vires *scc *jb

Since the summer of 2002 dashboard curls up which causes poor visibility through the windshield. vehicle was taken to the dealer on 7/3/2003. dealer stated the vehicle was not on recall, and could be fixed at owners expense. *ak

I have had problems with the seat belts in my car for about a year. both seat belts in the front don't seem to retract and get tangeled and twisted all the time. i have manually adjusted them everytime i drove. just 5 months ago i was involved in a car accident, i was stopped in traffic at a light and was rear ended causing me to hit the car infront of me. i hit my head on the steering wheel causing me a concusion. my seat belt did not retract to hold me back and the air bag did not deploy. i have called ford and they told me that i should pay for the seat belts to be fixed and they did not metion anything about the airbag. i managed to untangle the seat belts on my car and i have noticed that the buckles are facing the wrong way. this i compared to other cars and fords as well. *ak

While traveling on the highway and without prior warning, a fog of mist leaked through the vents. the vehicle caught on fire in the engine compartment. *ak per inspection; a short was found in the main wiring loom. the vehicle was totaled. *scc *jb

Ac does not blow cold. third time for this repair. car has only 35,000 miles. *jb

Nar 06/19/2003. *mr the consumer had his vehicle towed to vista ford approx 3 times in one month for a broken fuel pump that needed to be replaced.the vehicle had a b roken radio antenna and a vibration which was coming from the tires. in addition to all the other problems the dashboard was coming apart and the floor material under the hood of the driver and passenger seat was coming apart. ford has not offered any assistance in expediting fees and cost of repairs. please assist in resolving matters. *cb *jb

Several items first the dash bowed in from both sides,a month after picking the car up the air conditioner went out the dealership said my problem, the tires were bad we replaced them they are bad all the time have to be replaced more then a normal tire should , the car broke down last year on the highway again my problem the rotors and other things were bad somthing i as a consumer would not have known about , cannot get car inspected because the horn does not work and cannot be fixed due to airbag again my problem o yes was in a finder binder airbag did not work minor injries , the drivers seat rocks the rear seat belt will not work more problems this car is worth nothing i on;y drive to and from work in it and the way it is falling apart youd think i travel across country in it ...this is not a good car to ever purchase will never buy from ford again!!! srb this prblems have been on going from 2000-2003. *ak

Instrument panel warpage - unsafe, blocking forward view of vehicle.ford will not honor recall 01b78 because it expired in august of 2002.this is not a cosmetic issue, an accident could easily occur if not properly repaired.*ak the panel was already repaired once under warrenty and was not repaired properly.

Dashboard has warped upward and rigid air plastic gril popped out of location. warping has become progressively worse over time and is beginning to obstruct lower edge of windshield at center of dash. dealer says they are aware of problem but service bulletin authorizing repair under warranty has expired. they say customer must pay $1,400 to replace entire dahboard to effect repair. car is 40 months old and has only 28,000 miles.*ak

The dash board on my 1999 contour has curled back and the vent mechanism has come out. now, the defroster is obstructed and does not defrost my windshield properly. my windshield has now cracked. the dealer said this was the subject of a recall, but the recall is now "expired".other problems with the car: the radio speakers have failed. the driver's side were replace under my warranty, but now that i am out of the warranty, the passenger side speakers are shot; the dome light does not turn on when i open the driver's door but it does when the other doors are opened; my blower motor stopped working and i had to have it replaced, and it now smells like it is burning when i use it.*ak

The fuel gauge needle floated erratically. the dealer diagnosed the problem as a defective fuel flow meter inside the fuel tank.*ak *jb

Engine light stays on; air conditioner will only work on high; will not work on low; relative has same car 2000 model - - having same problem.

Over the past three years, the defroster panel in my 1999 ford contour has warped and become loose. the dealer has fixed the complaint 5 times, but the recurrence leads me to believe, there is essentially a flaw in the design. when the panel warps, the air from the defroster is not directed properly and does not defrost the windshield efficiently, thus leading to a visibility hazard. *jb

Front spring broke which punctured the tire. dealer notified. please provide additional information.*ak

I am an original owner of a 1999 ford contour se sport. about 2 years ago there was a maintenance recall for the contour's dash coming up due to bad glue. i took my vehicle to the nearest ford dealership and found that my dash was so bad it had to be replaced. my car was still under warranty at this time also. now my dash is comming up just like it did before, evidently the dash they replaced it with still had the defective glue in it. i contacted ford explaining this to them and finding out that the maintenance order had ended last year. i told them about it being replaced and doing the same thing it done before while also explaining my concern about the passenger side airbag releasing at any given time. this could very well hurt someone like myself who has had open heart surgery and then had to have my chest rewired due to my sternum not fusing back together correctly not to mention what this could do to one of my children. they refuse to repair my dash even though i did what the letter told me and couldn't have avoided this problem from happening again. i didn't make the dash nor did i make the glue, but i upheld my responsabilities. this is a safety concern and should be repaired by ford at there expense not mine. *jb

The vehicle had poor gas mileage. the drivers window jammed. the rubber piece around the frame of the right side rear passenger's seat constantly came off. the shoulder harness on driver's side and in the rear seats twisted and jammed. the dashboard cover came loose. the radio operated poorly. the trunk latch often required multiple pulls to open the trunk. the air bag light intermittently came on. while driving there was a whining/grinding noise. *ak *nlm

The vehicle was involved in a frontal collision, and the air bags failed to deploy. *jb

I just bought a ford contour and the dashboard is coming up and it could deploy the airbag, so what if anything is someone going to do about this, as you can see i am not the only one with this problem, i had no idea that there was a program for the dashboard. if it is a recurring problem then it should be a recall on it. *nlm

Electrical system - blinkers will not work, a/c will not come on, lighted switches on the doors will not light, and will not come out of park. have been told possible electrical harness is bad. was told by ford service manager that this is a known problem but ford will not make any recalls on it.*jb

1999 ford contour w/ 2 lit. engine and factory installed/authorized 8" brake system. safety hazard: potential loss of control due to improperly designed and/or factory installed brakes. trying to steer the car through evasive maneuvers while applying brakes is causing the car to shudder excessively. on apx april 7 i was in the left lane traveling northbound on i-71 apx 1 mile north of i-270. accident apx 1/4 of a mile ahead forced everyone to slam on brakes. car began to shudder excessively. had another car close on my tail and began to position myself to the left to bail out into median if necessary and any steering action other than perfectly straight ahead caused the shuddering to become even more extreme. haven't experimented with radical maneuvers while applying the brakes but i don't think it would be pretty. starting in march, 2003 i had noticed slight vibration driving. took car in to firestone for routine balance, alignment and rotation. after work done the car shuddered noticeably whenever brakes applied, particularly slowing down through 45 mph to 30 mph. returned car to shop and they worked on rotors and drums. there was no improvement. took car to 2nd firestone and had senior mechanic inspect. replaced rear drums with new but problem persisted, so he put old drums back on and suggested taking to ford dealer. took car to krieger ford. they repeated experiment with new drums with same result. they called ford hotline and were told that this was a known problem with 8" brakes. the only way to fix this is to install factory authorized 9" brake system per ford service bulletin 0009007. in other words ford knows it has a problem with the 8" brakes as designed and installed by ford but wants me to pay to eliminate this safety hazard. also this problem appears to have caused all of my rims to become somewhat warped, with one excessively warped. total cost is $523 for parts, $323 for labor, $100 for new rim. *nlm

When the consumer tried to apply the brakes the pedal went to the floor and caused extended stopping distance. *nlm

The dash board came apart which resulted in poor visibility through the windshield. *jb

The vehicle has not worked properly in a year, the vehicle had 5 new fuel pumps put on within a 8 month period, towed 3 times and periodically jerks and dies . the dealers service department can not find the cause of the problem. *jb

Both passenger front and rear tires blew out at the sidewall, the vehicle left the road way and flipped over. one tire blew while the vehicle was sitting and the other while pulling into a parking lot. the consumer had the second failed tire in their possession. *jb *ph

Dashboard is curling up from the windshield. since this has started the vent for the defogging systems has popped completely out, the warning bell for the lights left on and key in ignition have stopped working and the radio cuts in and out. i took it to my auto repair shop who contacted my extended warranty company (who supposedly cover me bumper to bumper according to the dealer i bought the car from) who state if it is not safety related they don't cover it. i then went to a local dealership with the problem as the car is a 1999 with barely 40,000 miles and expressed my concern about the things that have stopped working as well as the fact that as the dash rolls back it will deploy the passenger side air bag. the dealer stated it was not their problem even though they stated that the earlier models had the same problem which apparently was never fixed and gave me ford customer service. i then contacted ford who after 5 days informed me that they felt it was not their problem, that i should take it to my local dealer and pay approximately $1800 to $2000 for a new dash to be installed but that i should save my paperwork after the repairs are done in case of any further trouble. since the dash is in perfect condition aside from the curling, no cracks, discoloration or drying out i don't feel i should pay to have this problem resolved. if you can assist please let me know. *nlm

The front seat belts constantly get twisted and locked up. you have to stop and undo it to get it fixed. also interior light will just come on. at 4 am on morning i just happened to look out and it was on.?????? ts

The vehicle stalled, and did not restart.*jb

I was in an accident and the seat belt on my three year old son's car seat came undone. it was the belt that goes from the car to the car seat. the car flipped and his seat went flying around in the car. the air bags never deployed when the car flipped and hit a dirt embankment. *jb

While wearing my seat belt which i always check to be sure it is fastened i fell asleep at the wheel. i hit the left barrier and jerked the wheel. that is all i remember. when i woke up the car was upside down and i was laying on the roof on my stomach facing forward. the seat belt came unbuckled and the air bag did not deploy. it appears i was thrown into the empty passenger seat as it was broken. i am upset the belt came unbuckled. the car was a 1999 ford contour se. i had no buckle problems in the past. *jb

When i go to start the car sometimes it just makes a whining noise and wont start, that happens two or three times a month, also the dash board is comming up.*jb

Something in my wiring has burnt and shorted out wires in my car from trunk to under hood. car is being repaired as i write and is going to be very expensive. this is a 1999 ford contour se. a new wiring harness is being ordered and all wiring needs replacement. the car just stalled riding down road, had to have it towed. have been without car for approx. 1 week now. *jb

Consumer stated that the hood flew up and broke the front windshield. ph collision shop advised that the hood latch and safety latch seized open. other vehicles were recall due to this defect, however consumer's vehicle was not one of them. *tt

Consumer stated the vehicle dashboard is coming unglued. the dealership indicated that there was a consumer service campaign for the problem, however it ended in september 2002.*jb

Consumer called complaining about having problems with the dashboard which is inoperable obstructing the driver's view dealer has inspected the vehicle but is not longer under guarantee. please provide further information. ts

Dashboard is coming unglued and buckling, obstructing consumer's view out of front windshield while driving.*jb

Consumer states of having the fuel pump tank change several times.dealer was contacted. mr

Only 17,000 miles on my car & the tires need to be replaced already

Firestone firehawk lta p205/60r15 m+s 25213 ur bm06368. has knot on front tire.

Consumer stated that while driving the seat belt on the driver's side broke. ts

Consumer states that while driving and no warning the dashboard disconnected from the windshield causing a distraction to the consumer. dealer notified ts

Vehicle instrumental panel is whopping. consumer had vehicle serviced, dealership informed them at that their was a recall for this part, but the recall has expired. consumer was never notified of recall. ts

Nhtsa recall 99 v 060 000/manufacturer's recall 99s06, fmvss 114: ignition switch is able to turn while driving. dealer was contacted,and informed consumer that this vehicle was not covered under recall due to vin. feel free to provide any further information.*ak

Consumer states of having problems with the engine and is also having a strong smell of burn rubber. there is a recall out on the engine but does not cover their vin #.dealer was notified about this matter. nlm

When vehicle was involved in a frontal collision air bags did not deploy. dealer notified.*ak

Consumer states that the wires in the air conditioner has melted which is causing the defroster to stop working. ts

Consumer states that the dashboard is warping, consumer states that dash is rising up into the window and obstructing drivers vision. consumer states the defroster vent has popped out of the mechanism. nlm

Consumer states that while trying to slow down the consumer stepped on the brakes and ended up stepping on the accelerator also. contacted dealer mr

Consumer states her dashborad is warped and when she turns on her defrogger the air does not hit the windshield, causing the windshield to take longer to become clear. mr

The instrument panel is delaminating. there is a recall but per manufacturer this vehicle is not affected. nlm

While at a complete stop a car moving about 20mph hit consumer's vehicle from behind, and air bags did not deploy, causing injuries.*ak

While vehicle was parked it started on it own without keys being in ignition. had to remove battery cable.*ak

While shifting vehicle from park into reverse vehicle will shift itself into neutral, and not allow consumer to move.*ak when coming to a sudden stop, the vehicle shifts itself into neutral. the vehicle vibrates when going at speeds between 50 and 65 miles per hour. a leak was found in the transmission that caused damage after driving around with low fluid. *jg

One piece vent on dashboard has popped out. dashboard has rolled itself upward, locking approximately 2 1/2 inches of front windshield. vehicle has a tehnical service bulletin listed. dealer was contacted. please provide more information.*ak

Consumer heard a rattling sound under the hood, dealer stated all engine mounts broke.*ak

Water leakage through the driver's door and through the trunk. vehicle has been in dealership for repairs (14) times, replacing different components with no change in condition. please describe details.*ak

Vehicle vibrated at 10 mph. took to dealer, and they stated there was vibration, but it was normal for these cars. at 6000 miles front passenger and drivers side tire were wearing out. at 17000 miles all 4 tire were worn. dealer willingly replaced all 4. please provide any further information.*ak

Vehicle is making clunking noise that was coming from underneath hood. back lights were not working. o dealership was aware of problem.*ak

Transmission shifts from drive to neutral and into any gear while driving at any speed. vehicle has not been inspected by dealer.*ak

While driving at any speed car cut off without any indication, and will not start back up. dealer contacted, fixed problem 3 times, but didn't inform consumer of what part. problem still reoccurring.*ak

While traveling on highway transmission locked up. then had it repaired, but later found out that it was not completely repaired. also, after about 2 weeks found out that it was a technical error that caused transmission to leak fluid.*ak

Dashboard is coming up, and defroster does not work properly. also, there are bubbles on dashboard.*ak

When accelerating after a stop vehicle stalls. this happens intermittently. took vehicle to dealer ,and can't find cause of problem.*ak *yd

While another vehicle was backing out of a parking space, consumer attempted to use his horn, however it was inoperable, dealer stated the air bag assembly at the top of the steering column was the faulty part. *jb

Driver was traveling at 30 mph when another driver crossed in front of consumer, consumer hit the brakes, and rear of vehicle hydroplaned and flipped ovedr 3 times. took vehicle to dealer, and they stated that the pcv was defective. please provide any further information.*ak

Windshield wipers will come on intermittently, and air bag light illuminates while driving, causing vehicle to stall and die. dealer has been notified. car was on fire which burned up fuse box. *ak

Consumer received a recalll notice relating to front vent right below the windshield. consumer is disatisfied with the kit because it takes away form the car. consumer please attach a copy of the recall letter . *ak

Dt: the contact owns a 1999 ford contour se. the dashboard on the passenger side has curled to the point to where the air bag is beginning to be exposed. consumer's concern is that the air bag will deploy without an accident or will not deploy in an accident. ford dealership stated that the dashboard assembly repair parts would cost $771.00, labor $561.00 plus tax. *ak *nm updated 06/05/06 *jb updated 06/05/2006 - *nm

Vehicle will shutdown without prior notice. dealership is aware of problem.*ak

Roads were wet and consumer was traveling about 55mph on highway.he felt vibration inside of steering wheel. without prior warning vehicle flipped twice and landed on top of roof of vehicle. dealership was aware of problem.*ak

Rear driver's side seatbelt is stuck in locked position . dealer has not been contacted. please provide further details.*ak

While driving and attemping to make a right or left turn front wheels locked up, causing loss of vehicle control, cause unknown. please give any further details.*ak

While driving 65-70 mph vehicle pulled to the right, resulting in vehicle being extremely hard to control, cause unknown. please give any further details.*ak

When applying brakes pedal goes to floor, causing extended stopping distance, cause unknown. please give any further details.*ak

Rear of fuse box overheated, and one of the plugs melted. consumer has contacted ford, and they have refused to look at it because it was out of warranty. please provide any further information.*ak

Entire air bag system failed to deploy upon a full frontal impact. consumer noted that ford stated that vehicle's air bags are specified to deploy at 8 to 14 mph. consumer cannot start vehicle until moving steering wheel up and down with the key in ignition. consumer has contacted dealer. *ak seat belt failed also. *nlm

Pushed clutch in and engine revved up to 4000 rmps. it could be idling, and for no reason it just revved up. contact dealer, and dealer replaced sensor light.*ak dealer has also replaced the throttle cable, throttle position sensor, and the throttle body assembly, however problem still continues. *slc

While driving would step on t brakes pedal and brakes will vibrate. front rotors had to be replaced, and deffect is still there. *ak

There was a bad oil leak that could cause a fire, took vehicle to dealer, and they said it was crankshaft shield. *ak consumer states she contacted the dispute settlement board and was denied her any type of assistance. *jb

Whenever turning on air conditioner car hesitates and on highway, it won't pick up speed.*ak

Engine will stall while traveling at any given speed/temperature. dealership has examined vehicle and cannot determine a cause for this defect. please provide any additional information/attachments.*ak

Vinyl is rolling up on the vehicle's dashboard. it's getting close to passenger's side air bag, which may or may not deploy. consumer has yet to contact dealer. *ak consumer has contacted dealer and several others who refused to do anything. *slc

Dashboard is curving up and its is progressivly getting worse, causing poor visibility. dealer is aware of defect, and states defect is common problem. *ak

Was driving vehicle when it suddenly stalled out for no reason. had no prior warning of any problems. vehicle can be restarted after waiting for a while. has taken vehicle to dealership at least 6 times for stalling, but cause of problem could never be located. *ak

Vehicle was involved in a frontal collision with another vehicle, speed was undetermined in which both air bags did not deploy. dealer / manufacturer were notified. feel free to provide any further details on this matter. *ak

Recall 00 v 075 001brake /rear check valve: recall repairs was done in oct 2000. on above incident date vehicle experienced a rear wheel lock up while applying brakes at highway speed of 65 mph,. this forced vehicle into an embankment. manufacturer notified, and informed consumer that a representative will be sent out. *ak *slc

Cover over screw on windshield wiper came off. consumer has a bumper to bumper warranty, and dealer wants her to pay for it. consumer said it came from manufacturer that way.*ak

Consumers has been to dealer for the same brake problem 7 times before and after recall 00v075001/manufacturer's recall 00s03/ rear brake valves was done. brakes sqeual when coming to a stop. dealer couldn't find a remedy.*ak consumer states brakes squeal and sometimes they feel like there is air in them, dealer has replaced rear brake drums, problem still continues. *slc

Front end vibrates/ shakes when applying brakes. pads and rotors have been replaced more than once, and the problem is still exists. dealership is aware of problem. *ak

Engine will surge forward either while driving or sitting still, consumer has many close calls due to vehicle surging forward, delaer has attempted to remedy the problem 5 times, however has not been successful. *slc

While traveling at slower speeds driver heard a 'rubbing' sound, consequently had rotors turned and then replaced. *ak

Vehicle was making spitting and sputtering noises, and then it stalled. while consumer went inside to call dealer, about a half hour later, went back out and found vehicle on fire consumer did not know why vehicle caught on fire.*ak

Intermittently vehicle would crank, but will not start. dealer notified, and unable to locate cause. please provide any further details on this matter. *ak

When vehicle was driven through a small amount of standing water at low speed, all power steering was lost. vehicle was taken to dealership. owner was told that vehicle was operating correctly. *ak

In the rear seat there is a belt that doesn't release. the belt had to be cut after consumer's child got her head caught in the belt. it locked & there was no way to release it. dealer is looking to see if this is a defect problem. dealer can fix it, but the consumer doesn't want it fixed until they can find out how to release the belt. *ak the child was caught in the belt strap and was chocking in a matter of seconds, but the parent cut the strap with knife and rescued the child. *yh

While driving down the road consumer could hear noise from the tires, and front tires were spliting accross the middle of the tread and some of the steel belts are sticking out. the tires in question are firestone firehawks gta's made in mexico p205/60r15 90t m+s and dot # v6un1ph298 *ak

Intermittently ignition switch malfunctioned, and the vehicle would not start. dealer has replaced ignition switch, however, problem has reoccurred.*ak

Brakes were not operable when applied. pedal went all the way down to floor and there was a sqeaking noise. dealership was aware of the noise. *ak

Vehicle cuts off while making turns and hesitates in heavy traffic. vehicle has been to the dealership 5 times in the last two weeks for this problem. dealership was not able to determine what was causing this problem. please provide any further information.*ak

Ongoing problem with horn unable to operate properly when needed. been in / out of dealer shop on two occasions, and problem could not be resolved. dealer refused to do anything more. *ak

On july 8, vehicle was vibrating. took to dealer they said it was a known problem. consumer noticed problem again on july 11 when backing out of drveway and coming up to a stop sign. consumer let off brake, and car was bouncing and vibrating. entire tire was flipping around. towed to dealer, and they said tie rod was broken. *ak

Pe-00-020; original equipement on a 1999, ford vehicle, tire size is believed to be 15 inches wide, band tires, dot number not available, tires have 7,873 miles on them. when driving in bad weather conditions on ice and snow, consumer noticed no tire traction, which caused poor vehicle contorl. *ak

Vehicle was parked, and one of the doors was opened while talking for approximately 15 minutes. courtesy light fell down due to fixture overheating and burning off the fastener. dealer notified, and informed consumer to bring vehicle in. please feel free to provide further details. *ak

While driving consumer would feel brakes rubbing and grinding. took vehicle to dealer, and they turned the rotors. but, problem has reoccurred. *ak

When driving at any time vehicle cuts off without prior warning, causing loss of all power. consumer has contacted the dealer, dealer unable to determine cause of the problem. please provide any further details.*ak

When consumer steered to the left vehicle pulled more than intended. dealer inspected the vehicle & found nothing wrong.*ak the steering problem is caused by bad front end alignment. the transmission failed. broken motor mount was found. the heater failed too. *yh

Vehicle was involved in a head-on collision in which both air bags failed to deploy. estimated speed was not determined at that time. manufacturer notified.*ak

While driving vehicle will accelerate unexpectedly without the owner pressing the gas pedal. dealer cannot determine the cause of the problem. please provide further information. *ak

Steering wheel vibrated when consumer approached a speed of 60 to 70 mph.also, vehicle idled high when removing foot from brake. *ak

Horn has not worked properly. vehicle has been taken to the dealer on 3 different occasions. dealer has not been able to remedy the problem. horn has been replaced by dealer, but problem still occurs. *ak

While driving on highway travelling 70mph, exited off the freeway and began to brake when engine cut off. also, instrument lights came on, and the steering wheel locked up and was unable to turn. engine turned back on, and was able to regain control of vehicle. *ak

When brakes are applied over 30mph there is severe vibration in the front of the car. contacted dealer , and they replaced wheels, and turned the rotors and drums in the rear. car has been repaired 7 times for this problem. *ak *ml

Both front seat belts would get tangled up and would not retract. dealer notified, had both belts replaced on two occasions, problem still reoccurring. *ak *ml

Vehicle has been in repair shop five times. when traveling vehicle would cut off at any speed. the first time at repair shop they told consumer that it was the fuel pump. second time, consumer was informed, that they had no idea what was wrong with vehicle. however, the third time consumer was told it was fuel pump sensor. vehicle is currently in repair shop. *ak

Low beam headlight has poor and insufficient lighting, causing poor visibility. *ak

In order to use the horn excessive pressure has to be applied to make it work. sometimes it does not work at all. dealer has replaced the contacts and problem still exists. *ak

Ongoing / intermittent problem with vehicle experiencing stalling while driving at highway speed of 65-70 mph. vehicle been in/out of dealer shop on three occasions, and problem still reocurring. *ak

While driving at 35 mph the vehicle was hit by another vehicle. however, during the collision the passenger side shoulder belt broke causing passenger to hit the windshield. the passenger side airbag deployed, causing airbag to hit passenger in the face. *yc

When the brakes are applied vehicle vibrates. dealer has replaced the rotors.*ak

Intermittent stalling; this was the fourth time this has happened. contacted dealer , and he was not able to determine the cause. *ak

Horn is inoperable. the dealer has inspected the vehicle. *ak

Going approx 30mph & swerved to avoid hitting a cat. left front wheel hit curb & both air bagss popped out & quickly deflated. broke windshield. was able to stuff air bags back in. will be taking vehicle to dealer to check & correct air bags.

While driving at approximately 55mp rear side driver's window shattered. nothing hit the windshield.contacted the dealer. *ak

Brakes would make grinding noises when applied. the tires are going bald. steering wheel feels real loose whn going over bumps or turning. the front end suspension would jerk & pull to the left. will be contacting dealer to have vehicle checked. *ak

Whenever brake are applied they cause a cracking sound. dealer notified and nformed consumer that it was normal for that vehicle. seeking help or additional informaton from nhtsa in this matter. *ak

While sitting in the vehicle at a light another vehicle rear ended consumer's vehicle, and diver's/ passenger's seat belts broke. *ak

Driver's side and passenger's side automatic shoulder belts will not retract and lock, causing loss of protection. *ak

Front seat belt retractors do not retract for use or after use. would be very limp in lap. belts get twisted while retracting, but not completely. taking vehicle to dealer to check belts out. *ak

While driving down the road steering column just locked up.consumer has contacted dealer. *ak

Jack that comes equipped with vehicle is too short , will not pick up vehicle enough to actually take off the tire, causing vehicle to slip off jack. *ak

Ongoing problem with vibration whenever brakes are applied. vehicle been inspected / repaired on three occasions. also, replaced rotors/pads, and rear drums. but problem still reoccurring. seeking help from nhtsa in this matter. *ak

When brakes were applied vehicle made a grinding noise. dealer said vehicle needed new brake pads. *ak

The brakes make a constant grinding noise and mostly when the car is heated, the dealer states this is normal. *mjs

The consumer has to constantly unjam or untwist the seatbelts to be able to pull out or retact properly to buckle or unbuckle. *mjs

Seat belt fails to retract when unbuckling the belt and exiting the vehicle, consumer states it's happened daily for 2 months. *slc

Do to improper locating the rubber on the brake line unusual wear to rubber brake line. have picture. dt

Refund down payment and keep the car. mr

Engine mounts on both sides are broken.*ak

The front dash on my 99 ford contour has pulled away from the front windshield causing the defroster panel to pop out while driving. the defroster panel has popped out and blocked my view causing me to have two near incidents involving other vehicles. i called ford motor company (ref# 900850990) and was told by their representative that ford did have a customer satisfaction program on this part, but that the program had expired. i recieved no notice and now ford motor company is refusing to repair my vehicle due to the program expiring. please investigate and advise me if i have any other recourse. dt

The dash is curled up in the front. the interior trim peice that goes around the defroster vent has popped out of place. mr

I took car back the next morning after purchase, dealer claims there is nothing he can do, the engine light has been on since day one and i have taken it back twice, they replaced the differential sensor, it went off for about 10 mins and has been on ever since. now everything else seems to be going wrong with this car.

I want to know if this is a recall. no safety defec tmentioned. *ak

Replacement brake rotors was only three weeks old. rotors separated, did not retreive broken item from repair shop.

The passenger side seat belt locked while i was driving on the interstate. the econd time, it just would not release, and i had to cut the seatbeat so the passenger could get out. air conditioner blower switch just went out one day. the air conditioner will only work if i keep the control turned to "high." i would like to have both of these items replaced by ford, if possible. "*ak

The dashboard is coming off. as it is coming off it is curling up and i am afraid it is going to get in the way of my vision as i am driving. it is a '1999 and i feel like it should not be coming apart like that.*ak

This tire was always properly maintained, and had not been abused. it failed with little warning. maybe 5 to 10 seconds of vibration prio to failing.*ak (dot number: unkown tiresize: p18570r14)

Our car has had problems since day one we have 2 different emblams on the fenders, window fell out, speakers busted, carpet ruined by leaks, fan switch only works on high setting, instrument panel smoked up as if burning, hood doesn't meet up with cowl, trunk stays soaked, and there are numerous other problems all happened within six months of original purchase. *ak

Said car had defects almost as soon as we purchased it, we noticed it had 2 different emblams on the fenders and they had to run the vin# so they could find out which it was. the car started leaking within 6 months of purchase, they worked on it 3 times to no prevail(still leaks) the dash has bowed up at the windshield and at the panel behind the steering wheel, instrument panel has smoked up, heater switch only works on high setting, pass. side front window fell out of door track while going down the highway, speaker busted, carpet ruined because of leaks. blancetts had all of these parts ordered for over 6 months and they still did not get all of them in, an d ford motor company has closed them down. i don't know the specifics of the reasons for closing them, but they had trouble once or twice with getting cars and trucks with mileage rollback problems.

Heater control switch will not work on normal setting but will only work if you put it on high and that is resulting in the loss of power or decreasing power in the alternator. *ak

Within 6 months of the purchase of my vehicle, the car started having problems with vibrations, shaking, and severe noise while driving. the engine idled rough and got more severe when the heating or cooling system was used. all tires have been replaced, a major brake job with rotors turned was completed, and the struts were replaced. regardless of this work, the shaking in the car has gotten progressively worse. i have taken my car to the dealership five times for the same problems. they have either said that it was "normal contour" or that it was the tires. finally, they indicate that there is a problem but they cannot determine what it is. my car makes a thumping noise and a squealing noise when i make slow right turns. on several occasions my foot has been on the brake pedal and my car surged forward. at one point i thought that the person behind me had hit me because the car jerked so hard and so unexpectedly. again, i am told that this is normal. this is the worst car that i have ever owned. *ak

In addition to the other defects i have listed on the questionaire, my vehicle occasionally does not go into forward gear, and then violently jerks into gear.*ak

My contour continues to stall while driving. i was first told by dealer service that it was the fuel pump, then the fuel filter, and finally that it was a sensor. this vehicle seems to stall when my gas gauge is close to a quarter tank of gas. i just got this car out of the service dept. 4 days ago, now it is still stalling and the engine light is on. *ak

The dealership admited that a technician left a wire loose when they installed a new motor in my car. they were repairing all damage due to the fire. they did not. my son had an accident 4 months later. when the airbags deployed, the passanger side airbag was burnt and melted, therefore never completely deploying.

Problems started at 119miles, dealers either don't confirm problem or say it's normal for this car. multiple repair attempts at 4 dealers. severe vibration and pull at highway speeds are the tires (confired with my winter tires-no problem), klunking from front end when going over bumps, all dash warning lights come on during winter at idle-go out after restart or engine acceleration, front seats wobble side to side-dealer says normal for car-wan't present when new, pulsing front end shimmy on highway-not tire related-possible cv shaft issue-dealers stated npf, engine spark knocks under light loads-no change with different gas grades or brands-dealers says npf, headlamps go dim at idle-dealers says normal-not present when new, poor low beam visibility from headlamps, aluminum wheels are too porous-lose abnormal air amounts-dealer says npf. most of these have been since new or started within 1st year of new- no dealers has yet "confirmed" problems when they are readily apparent to others. in shop for over 3 months total since new. *ak (tiresize: p205/60r15)( dot number: tire size: p205/60r15 )

We were driving (one mile from home) when it sounded like we had a flat tire. i pulled over and checked. tires were fine. heard thumping again. turned car around because of 87 year old father in vehicle. smoke came through the vents. i pulled into the driveway. smoke came out from under hood. husband was doing yard work. my son adam yelled that there were flames. my husband ran to the garage and got a fire extinguisher. put fire out. had to cut two wires to stop the smoking and sizzling. contacted state farm. a fire investigator said he believes that the way the wires were routed onto the fire wall, rubbed against a screw that was sticking out of the fire wall and over time wore the wire, causing a fire.*ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak

No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak (tiresize: 2056015t)( dot number: tire size: 2056015t )

I feel that there should be a recall on the standard transmissions by ford because there is defenitely something defective with this transmission.*ak

I have had this vibration as far back as the original tires. i paid for a balance and alignment due to unusual tire wear. the ford dealership charged me $87 for the service. i was informed in writing that i had defective tires and would not be able to fix the vibration until i replaced the tire. once i replaced the tires $339.96. i still had the vibration. i took the vehicle to the ford dealer and i was informed in writing that i had 2 defective tires. i took it back to the store that i purchased the tires from and ended up upgrading to a more expensive tire since the could not remedy the problem. (cost $67.52)i went back to the ford dealer and they rolled up 517 miles on my vehicle and informed me that i had a defect that could not be fixed. they showed me a service bulleting from ford that stated a procedure to follow and then stop even if the vibration was not eliminated. i contacted ford customer service and they asked me to return to the dealership for another try. another 400-500 miles were rolled up on my car and the problem still exists. i contacted ford service again and they are sending me back to the dealership. what the hell is going on? if my tires fail or i have another failure, who is going to cover my costs and be liable. who is going to cover the expenses have already incurred?*ak (tiresize: 205/60r15)( dot number: tire size: 205/60r15 )

My vehicle has a design flaw. the vehicles stalls after splashing through water. only 1-2 inches are necessary to cause a stall. also, the vehicle stall when turning in the rain. the engine will squeal, the alternator light will come on, and the vehicle will become very difficult to stop and steer due to loss of electrical power. this problem was identifed in ford's technical service bulletin # tsb 97-11-2. this design flaw is only supposed to affect 1995-1998 contours. however, it must be noted that my contour is an early 1999 (manufactured in september 1998). the tsb describes that the vehicles needs to have a splash guard installed. repeated requests to ford motor company have not lead to any action being taken. i believe that my vehicle is dangerous to drive through any amount of accumulated water. its tendency to stall forces me to drive through puddles very slowly which creates a dangerous situation for vehicles around me. i believe that ford should fix this design defect free of charge (labor and parts). i would greatly appreciate any assistance that your agency could provide.

Inside tire wall blew. noise like an explosion. no road hazard hit during history of car. manufacturer said damage had to be caused by road hazard since a defective tire never leaves their plant. they were not helpful.*ak (tiresize: 215/50zr16)( dot number: tire size: 215/50zr16 )

These tires are an accident waiting to happen. *ak

I wrote a letter to ford (dated august 18) letting them know that i was not happy about having to pay over $700 for an alternator (which was supposedly only 1 year old) and an air flow sensor. i bought the car used in june 1999 and didn't feel that i should be replacing either after only a year. please see letter attached. this morning (10/17/00), my car wouldn't start until i put it in neutral.*ak

Total steering loss,on slight curved rd. total right wheel and everything attached came off. even the collision repair shop said they never saw anything like that. i am susan canales and have my son's power of attorney he is in the navy and at sea right now thank you. *ak

Since 12-15-99 i had cougar in service 3 times for water leak/ 2 times shift lock ,locked down because of brake light failure have complained about rear brake elco noise when backing up/ car hesitating at 50+ miles an hour /pulling to right when passing and giving the car more acceleration/car idling real high and wanting to take off when you first release the brake/ the windows not going up and down / the battery exploded/ the service was terrible at gateway the noise is still in the rear wheels . there is more where this came from the cougar will fall apart/ the engine or transmission is a problem . *ak( dot number: tire size: p/215/s0r1 )

Repeated stalling, missing & loss of power appears mostly when it's very hot out & car has been driven a lot. rough idle even under no load in neutral. no indicators light except during stall which happens even with clutch depressed. missing is most noticeable during acceleration or steady highway speeds, even with cruise on. car sometimes shakes at high speed (70mph). multiple alignments never show same results. dealer can never duplicate, says i am dumping clutch to stall & loss of power is due to a/c. they also claim excessive tire wear is due to my driving habits. *ak( dot number: )

This car has been defective since the day i bought it 10-2-99 with o5 miles on it. i've had it in the dealers shop and they agree there is a problem they cannot solve,but noe they won't even work on it anymore and hav made the statement" we have put too much money in it already" i've spoken to managers and contacted ford motor company twice by phone the response was to give the dealer two bussiness days to let me know what they are going to do.my loaner car and appointment for the ford motor company to review my car is 7-27-00. this car is a lemon i feel should be taken off the road, im afraid it could endanger someone not knowing what is even wrong with it ,what system or anything. can you have any input in this situation, i have a disabled child in a wheelchair and depend solely on this car for his health and specialist appts. this car is a nessesssity not a luxury. thankyou sincerely, virginia smith. no safety defect discussed in summary. *ak

Drivers side door glass exploded for no apparent reason. not hit by any object. air conditioning on. outside temperature 80f. last driven 3 hours before. letter sent to ford (copy available on request) stating my belief that glass was defective. ford responded that they weren't responsible for exploding glass, that it was between me & my insurance co. this was an almost new car which was not exposed to repeated cycles of hot weather nor was it hit by anything. i believe a potential product defect exists.

Car has been in shop 1/2 of time owned for numerous problems. brake system had to be replaced in first two weeks and took company 4 weeks to "order" pads and rotors. alignment is constantly off, since day car was picked up. tires have been replaced once suppossedly,one is again wearing incorrectly and has very loud road noise. paint was bubbly, carpet laid wrong, now power window makes horrible noises going up and down. car has been more of a pain than anything i ever bought. *ak

Local ford dealer replaced transmission line and installed it wrong and damaged it. had to be replaced again. have receipt to prove it

It took three tries to my dealer to get this fixed. i have a receipt in there handwriting stating this fact.

Front end defect causes car to eat tires, unable to align or fix problem, currently dealer is attempting solutions but so far none found. *ak

I have had car in shop 4 different times,they changed to rotors and brakes the first time at 3,000 miles.they claim the rotors were warped from the factory. the next 2 times they claim the car is fine,the last time ( car is still in the shop since 2/15/00 this is written to you 3-09-00) they are replacing the front rotors and brakes again, they say they are replacing the defrost switch and a wiring harness,the engine drivetrain they don't know???. i have lost time at work and i don't fell safe in the car. i refuse to take my "family" anywhere in this car!!!!!.

Both front seat belt mechanisms frequently jam and non-functional. on several occasions i have managed to free them with time and effort. the last time, i was unable to unjam the belt and had to leave it at the dealership to be repaired. dealer says ford does not warranty seatbelts and i will have to pay the inevitable next time this happens. *ak

Full frontal collision with a larger vehicle; reported to ford litigation; no response from manufacturer. no safety defect listed in summary. *ak

While driving; radio & interior lights will shut off when blinker, door & or other electronic component used or for no reason at all. also have had problems w/ alarm system. dealer unable to locate sorce of problem, changed radio twice, alarm & fuse box once.

Ignore this message...testing the server. *ak

I recently rented a 1999 mercury contour and drove it through rural western mass, vermont and new hampshire between dusk and dark, on interstate highways. just after dusk i stopped to refuel the car. at that point the overhead dome light turned on, and would not turn off. i drove to the next rest area and stopped to read the owner's manual. it provided no useful information on turning off the light. however, while i was alone in the rest area reading the manual in a car lit up like a spotlight(and i am female), a strange man approached my car from behind with what i assume were bad intentions. i then drove another 50 miles to a total of 7 gas stations before i found one with an attendant. he also had no idea how to turn off the dome light. i then had to choose between spending the night in a rental car in a parking light near the interstate, or drivng home with a lit dome light and close to zero visibility. as my life insurance is paid up, i chose option (b.) and drove home. it seems to me that nhtsa should require car manufacturers, and especially this car manufacturer, to supply all interior lights with a positive on-off switch. either that, or supply large sledge hammers and a promise of indemnity from car rental agencies. please let me know what you will do about this unsafe design flaw.

Fortunately i was able to extinguish fire before it was serious. ford's concern regarding the incident is minimal

A potentially leathal condition exists with regard to the cruise control.this system has not worked properly since purchase of the vehicle, despite numerous repairs. on 9/10/99, during heavy acceleration(left turn), the throttle stuck wide open, on investigation i found the cruise control cable caught on the throttle arm. apparently on wot conditions, the clip holding the cable to the throttle makes contact with its housing disconnecting the cable from the throttle arm. the cable then hangs loose in the engine compartment, causing the afore mentioned problem. fortunately, this is a manual trans. vehicle and i was able to rapidly disengage the clutch, avoiding any serious injury (although creating an over-rev condition).this vehicle is equiped with traction control. please contact me for additional information. *ak

No summary

Air bags failed to deploy upon hard frontal impact with other vehicle. *ak

Seat belt retractors consistently jam. this makes them useless in the event of an accident. the design of the front seatbelt mechanism (regardless of how far up or back the seat is adjusted) cause the belts to twist and jam. in order to unjam them, you must stop the car and fight with the seatbelts. any movement loosens them and they do not retract. if there is an accident, the seatbelts are likely to cause more harm than protection.

Consumer states transmission failed without no warning that anything was wrong, and that manufacturer should be responsible for the expenses that consumer incurred due to the fact that vehicle had only 37,000 miles and is only two years old.*jb

The decorative plastic piece came off the dashboard shortly after the vehicle was purchased. the dealer put it back,but the piece continued coming off and it was put back again. the manufacture was not helpful to correct the defect. *yh *cb

Consumer states dashboard was completely replaced due to falling apart, rear seatbelt broke and is coming out of the sockets. *slc

Consumer states all four tires were replaced within only 6 months of purchase, no specific tire information given. *slc

Consumer states engine light illuminates at all times, it has been reset several times. *slc

Consumer states that vehicle went into reverse without any notice. *slc

Consumer states while driving, vehicle lunged forward. *slc

While pulling into garage the consumer could not get the brakes to stop the vehicle resulting in the vehicle hitting a fence and damaging the front of the vehicle, consumer recieved recall 00v-075 regarding pcrv corrosion, consumer request that dealer look at brakes but they refused to check them unless she paid although vehicle was still under warranty. nlm

Lost control of vehicle and crash. vehicle was totalled. not sure if problem related to recall (00v-075). *cj

Tires rotated, right front tire plugged at 18,000 because of slow leak. *cj

The electrical system was replaced. *cj

Vehicle started smoking, consumer took the problem to the dealer who found that some wires had melted and must have shorted something out. *slc

Vehicle is stalling while consumer is driving in heavy traffic. *slc

During recall repair the vehicle was damaged with a broken brake line and grease was remaining all over the vehicle, consumer is not satisfied with the dealership and the recall repair (00v-075). *mjs

Possible steering failure, vehicle swerved from side to side out of control causing injury to consumer, consumer also suspects possible firestone tire failure could have caused loss of control. *slc

During vehicle collision neither passenger nor drivers side air bag deployed. nlm

High performance tires purchased with the vehicle slip and slide in the snow because it is made for dry pavement. yh

Engine continually stalling and experiences rough idle, not able to determine problem. *mjs

Brakes failed and replaced within the first month, after repair accident occurred due to lack of braking ability, during collision no deployment of the air bag and the seat belt came loose. *mjs

Vehicle fire due to possible engine failure. *mjs

The vehicle stalls over and over again while driving. yh

Automatic gear shift lever does not perform as stated in the manual, the thumb button does not need to be pressed to change gears, the gear moved from drive to neutral with just a brushing movement forward while driving. mjs

No deployment of air bag during vehicle collision, resulting in back injury to consumer. mjs

Headlights illuminate driving surface poorly causing poor visibility.

Vehicle experiences continued electrical power failures causing vehicle to loose all electrical power while driving in excess of 50 mph, unable to rectify failures.

Ongoing/intermittent problem wit brake system failing to operate properly. when applying the brakes vehi;le would experience extended stopping distance. vehicle has been in repair shop 11 on occasions, and nothing could be found.can nhtsa help in this matter. *ak

When braking intermittently vehicle will hear a metal to metal grinding noise. manufacturer claims it is a normal characteristic of vehicle. cause is unknown.*ak