1994 Ford Aspire

AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE SPEEDOMETER SUDDENLY BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD, GRINDING NOISE. THE NEEDLE SHOT UP TO A SPEED FAR HIGHER THAN THE SPEED OF THE CAR. THE NEEDLED VIBRATED, THEN BROKE OFF. WE WERE PARTICULARLY CONCERNED BECAUSE THIS SPEEDOMETER FAILURE WAS ALMOST AN EXACT DUPLICATE OF THE SPEEDOMETER FAILURE ON OUR OTHER FORD ASPIRE (SEE CLAIM # 10018380). WE NOW HAVE TWO ASPIRES WITH NO SPEEDOMETERS. *JB

MY NAME IS [XXX], THE MOTHER OF [XXX]. I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW. THE FAN FAILED WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR I OWNED IT AND THE DEALERSHIP FIXED IT. [XXX] HAS OWNED THE CAR FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW, AND THE FAN WENT OUT AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME THE RELAY TO THE FAN MELTED. IN CHECKING WITH THE HAYNES BOOK ON THIS CAR, IT STATES TO WATCH FOR BURN HOLES IN THE CARPET AND SMOKING WIRING UNDER THE DASH BECAUSE OF THIS. OUR FEAR IS AFTER GETTING IT FIXED IT WILL DO IT AGAIN AND POSSIBLY CAUSE A FIRE. FORD IS NOT WILLING TO HELP US IN ANY WAY, AS THE WARRANTY IS UP AND THEY STATED THEY COULDN'T FIX IT PERMANENTLY ANYWAY. IT WOULD BE A LOST CAUSE. WE CAN FIX IT THROUGH FORD AND IF IT EVER IS RECALLED WE COULD BE REIMBURSED, BUT OUR FEAR IS THAT IT COULD CAUSE A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD IN THE FUTURE, JUST AS IT DID NOW AND MOST PROBABLY WHEN IT WAS FIXED THE FIRST TIME. MY HUSBAND IS CHECKING WITH FORD TO SEE IF THEY HAVE A RECORD OF THE FIRST TIME THE FAN WAS REPLACED AND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT THEN, ALTHOUGH THE SYMPTOMS WERE THE SAME THEN AS NOW. IT SEEMS THE OLDER THE CAR IS THE BETTER CHANCE THERE IS OF THIS THING CATCHING FIRE. PLEASE LOOK INTO IT FOR US AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. [XXX]. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE DEALER PUT COOPER COBRA TIRES (NO SPECIFIC TIRE INFORMATION MENTIONED) ON THE VEHICLE, WHICH WERE DEFECTIVE AND CAUSED THE FRONT END OF VEHICLE TO SHAKE, THE DEALER PUT DEFECTIVE TIRES ON THE REAR AXLE, BUT THE CONDITION STILL EXISTED, FINALLY, THE CONSUMER HAD ANOTHER DEALER REPLACE THE COOPER COBRA TIRES WITH ANOTHER BRAND AND THE CONDITION WAS RESOLVED. *TT ALSO THE THERMOSTAT WAS INSTALLED, BECAUSE THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO THERMOSTAT. *JB THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. REFER TO RECALL #'S 9V141000 AND 9V186000. *SCC JB *CB

I WAS ENTERING THE OUTERBELT AT CLEVELAND AVENUE & I-270W, AND AS I STARTED TO ACCELERATE THE CAR GOT UP TO ABOUT 45 MILES PER HOUR ON THE ENTRANCE RAMP AND THE SPEEDOMETER STARTED TO SLOW. I HAD MY TWO CHILDREN, WHITNEY AGE 8 AND BRITTANY AGE 15 IN THE CAR WITH ME. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT, BUT I REALIZED THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG. I SPENT ABOUT $1,600.00 ON A USED TRANSMISSION AND THE OWNER EXPLAINED TO ME THAT DEALERS MAKE THE TRANSMISSION TO ONLY LAST ABOUT 3 YEARS, SO THEY CAN EITHER CHARGE YOU TO REPLACE IT OR TAKE YOUR CAR FROM YOU IF IT IS FINANCED, BECAUSE FOR THE MOST PART IT IS DIFFICULT TO COME UP WITH THAT KIND OF MONEY ON SHORT NOTICE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS ABLE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS AND THE CAR WAS PAID OFF THE NEXT MONTH. I DO BELIEVE THAT THE FORD DEALERSHIP NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE TRANSMISSIONS. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THE WINDSTAR IS NOT THE ONLY TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. SOMEONE NEEDS TO LOOK AT ALL THE TRANSMISSIONS ON THE FORD CARS.*AK

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME I HAVE HAD A TRANSMISSION FAIL ON THIS CAR- THE THIRD IN A FORD VEHICLE I'VE OWNED. I ALSO HAVE A FRIEND WHO DRIVES A NEW ASPIRE AND HERS FAILED TOO. I TOOK IT TO GARAGES WHO REFUSED TO WORK ON IT BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSIONS IN ASPIRES ARE APPARENTLY NOTORIOUSLY BAD. MY CAR STOPPED DEAD- ONCE ON A HIGHWAY, ONCE ON A BUSY METROPOLITAN STREET, BUT CLEARLY IT COULD HAVE STOPPED ANYWHERE. I CONTACTED FORD AND THEY WERE VERY RUDE AND MADE NO ATTEMPT TO HELP. AND AT THIS STAGE IN THE GOODYEAR LITIGATION! PLEASE CONTACT ME AS I FEEL MY CAR IS DANGEROUSLY DEFECTIVE!*AK