1996 Ford Contour

RIGHT REAR LIGHT CONTINUED TO GO OUT. REPLACE BULB FEW TIMES. RIGHT WHEEL BEARING HAD TO BE REPLACED. MAJOR FAN BELT REPLACED. ALTERNATOR REPLACED. LIGHT ON RADIO GOES OFF WHEN HEAD LIGHTS TURNED ON. THIS HAPPENED AFTER THEY FIXED MY RECALL FOR LIGHTS. GAS CAP COVER IS VERY HARD TO OPEN. TAKES SEVERAL TIMES TO TRY AND OPEN. WHEN AIR IS ON SMELLS COME THROUGH REALLY STRONG FROM OTHER CARS. OWNER NOTIFICATION RECALLS ARE NOT TAKEN CARE OF UNTIL THEY ACTUALLY HAPPEN. THESE ARE COIL CAN BREAK AND CAR GO DOWN BLOW OUT TIRES. ALSO ELECTRICAL HARNESS CAN BREAK AND WIRES WILL CONNECT WITH OTHER PARTS OF THE CAR AND CAUSE A FIRE. I HAVE SENT A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF FORD AND EXPLAINED HOW I FELT THIS CAR WAS UNSAFE AND IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO ME OR MY FAMILY THEY WOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. I NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM ANYONE. THEY SHOULD BE MADE TO TAKE BACK ALL CONTOURS AND GIVE US A SAFER CAR FOR US AND OUR FAMILIES TO DRIVE. I AM A SINGLE PARENT AND CANNOT AFFORD TO FINANCE ANOTHER CAR. THEY NEED TO PROVIDE A LOAN AND NEW CAR FOR US. I WILL BE CONTACTING FORD AGAIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO SEE IF THEY WILL HELP WITH TAKING MY CAR BACK AND GIVING ME ANOTHER CAR/LOAN. AS I TOLD THEM IN THE LETTER THEY JUST WANTED TO SELL AND MAKE MONEY THEY DIDN'T THINK OF THE FAMILY AND OR FAMILIES THAT THIS CAR AS IT FELL APART WOULD EFFECT. I APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE THIS WEB SITE THAT I CAN VOICE MY CONCERNS,PROBLEMS WITH THE FORD AND FEEL SOMEONE MAY PAY ATTENTION BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT IN THESE CARS AS HAVE BEEN MANY WITH THE TIRE SITUATION. I WILL HELP YOU IN ANY WAY I CAN TO CLEAR UP ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS. I KEEP THE LETTER I SENT FORD IN MY CAR IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS SOMEONE WILL BE ABLE TO READ IT AND KNOW I DID TRY TO GET THIS PROBLEM DISSOLVED BEFORE IT WAS TO LATE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP. DEBBIE JENNINGS HEWITT

MY CAR WAS IN THE SHOP 5 TIMES IN ONE MONTH - ALL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, STARTER, WIRING HARNESS, SPEED SENSOR AND OXYGEN SENSOR WERE ALL CHANGED. THE FORD DEALERSHIP DOES NOT UNDERSTAND WHY I AM HAVING ALL THESE PROBLEMS. IT WAS ALSO IN A GARAGE FIRE AT THE DEALERSHIP IN THIS TIME AND I HAD SMOKE DAMAGE TO MY CAR ON TOP OF THE ENGINE PROBLEMS. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I LOSS MONEY ON THE TRADE IN. THIS IS THE WORSE CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED AND WILL NEVER OWN ANOTHER FORD CAR OR TRUCK AGAIN. *AK

WHAT EXACTLY ARE THEY RECALLING ON THE 1996-1998 FORD CONTOUR? IS IT THE WHOLE CAR OR JUST THE ELECTRIC SYSTEM? IS THAT CONSIDERED THE WIRING HARNESS? THE REASON WE'RE SO INTERESTED IS BECAUSE WE'VE HAD MANY MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH OUR 1996 FORD CONTOUR. WE SENT OUR CAR TO THE FORD OF OCALA,FL FOR THE WIRING HARNESS RECALL, AND THEY GAVE US A VERY HARD TIME ABOUT FIXING IT. THEY WERE TRYING TO GET US TO REPLACE PARTS THAT WEREN'T EVEN BAD, AT THE COST OF $400.00 FOR ONE PART. BUT THEN THEY SAID THERE WAS A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS THAT WERE WRONG WITH IT, AND AFTER THEY FIXED EACH OF THESE PARTS, IF OUR CAR STILL DIDN'T START, THEN THEY'D GET TO FIXING THE WIRING HARNESS. WE HAD 2 MECHANICS CHECK THESE PARTS AND THEY WEREN'T BAD AT ALL. IT TOOK THEM 2 AND A HALF WEEKS BEFORE THEY GAVE US OUR CAR BACK.THEN WHEN WE GOT IT BACK, WE HAD TO TAKE IT TO OUR REGULAR MECHANIC WHO SAID THEY WIRED IT WRONG, AND LEFT THE WIRING TO THE AIR-CONDITIONING AND THE ALTERNATOR UNDONE. THAT WAS 2 MONTHS AGO, AND WE JUST HAD TO REPLACE OUR ALTERNATOR. THE MECHANIC THAT FIXED THE ALTERNATOR SAID THEY DID A LOUSY JOB, BECAUSE HALF THE WIRING WASN'T EVEN DONE RIGHT. THERE IS WIRING IN OUR CAR THAT IS BARE, AND HE SAID IT COULD CAUSE OUR CAR TO CATCH ON FIRE. ALSO, THE WIRING LEADING TO THE ALTERNATOR IS BARE, WHICH HE SAID MOST LIKELY SHORTED OUT THE ALTERNATOR. SO NOW WE NEED TO HAVE THE WIRING REDONE, AND ALL OF THIS HAS COST US HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS. THIS CAR IS THE WORST CAR EVER MADE, WE'VE HAD NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS WITH IT FROM THE DAY WE GOTIT! WE HAD THE AIR FIXED, AND AFTER THEY DID THE RECALL, THE AIR NO LONGER WORKED ANYMORE. ALSO, AFTER THEY WORKED ON THE RECALL, THERE ARE MANY WIRES THAT ARE STILL CRACKED AND BRITTLE, AND LEFT BARE. THE WIRING TO THE BATTERY IS COMPLETELY BARE, ALSO, AND WE'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE BATTERY 3 TIMES SINCE WE'VE HAD THE CAR. THE SEATBELT LOCKS UP WHILE DRIVING WHERE IT IS SO TIGHT I CAN'T MOVE AT ALL.WE'RE AFRAID IT WILL CATCH FIRE! ALSO MORE PROBLEMS!