1996 Ford Contour

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATE WHEN DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE STARTED INTERMITTENTLY BUT PROGRESSIVELY BECAME WORSE OVER TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,000.

SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE PAST 3 MONTHS THE GAS PEDAL/ACCELERATOR SEEMED TO "STICK" OR RACE AND I COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO IDLE TO BACK DOWN UNTIL I PUT IT IN GEAR. JULY 3, WHILE DRIVING IN BUSY TRAFFIC, THE ACCELERATOR/GAS PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR AROUND A CORNER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE POLICE WERE ABLE TO PUSH THE CAR INTO A CAR REPAIR PLACE WHERE THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED I CALL FORD ABOUT A RECALL. THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE HAD JUST SNAPPED RIGHT OFF! I CALLED FROM THE REPAIR PLACE AND FORD SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY VIN VEHICLE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY HOME AS I WAS LEAVING TOWN THE NEXT DAY. I HAVE RETURNED NOW AND AFTER SEARCHING YOUR SITE HAVE FOUND WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE RECALL FOR THE VERY PROBLEM I HAVE WITH MY 1996 FORD CONTOUR. I CALLED A FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD MY VIN DID NOT HAVE THE RECALL PROBLEM. WHAT IS MY NEXT STEP, PLEASE? LUCY HOCKING LUCYHOCKING@YAHOO.COM 414-541-2326 414-520-8323 MAKE : FORD MODEL : CONTOUR YEAR : 1996 MANUFACTURER : FORD MOTOR COMPANY MFR'S REPORT DATE : DEC 03, 1997 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 97V225000 COMPONENT: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED : 38000 SUMMARY: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL OPTION. THE THROTTLE CABLES WERE DAMAGED DURING VEHICLE ASSEMBLY LEADING TO FRAYING OR SEPARATION OF THE THROTTLE CABLE. CONSEQUENCE: THIS CONDITION COULD PREVENT THE ENGINE FROM RETURNING TO IDLE. *TR

THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE DIDN'T STOP UNTIL IT IMPACTED A BUILDING. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS AT IDLE IN THE PARK GEAR FOR 5 MINUTES. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS CONTINUALLY BEING TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER FOR THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, THERE WAS NO WARNING. THE SERVICE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT THE THROTTLE SENSOR ,SOMEHOW, BECAME STUCK AND THE ENGINE OVERRODE THE BRAKES. *SCC *JB

WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATLEY 60 MPH ENGINE STARTED RUNNING AND RPMS WENT TO 8000. CONSUMER PUT TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND TURNED VEHICLE OFF. UPON START UP AFTER THE ENGINE HAD BEEN SHUT OFF, THE ENGINE BEGAN REVVING AGAIN. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE YET. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

MY 1996 FORD CONTOUR'S (W/V6 2.5L DURATEC MOTOR) ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON AROUND JAN 2 OF 2001. I SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT AT THE CLOSEST FORD DEALERSHIP IN MODESTO, CA. AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THE NEXT AVAILABLE APPOINTMENT WAS ON FRIDAY JAN 05, 2001, LATER ON THAT WEEK. ONCE I TOOK IT IN, THEY HAD DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS BEING MY (3) CATALYTIC CONVERTERS AND MY THROTTLE BODY. THE SERVICE ADVISOR THEN TOLD ME THAT HE HAD TO CHECK WITH FORD BECAUSE HE BELIEVED THAT THE WORK WAS COVERED UNDER A FORD RECALL 97E61. THE NEXT DAY HE RESPONDED TO ME AND TOLD ME THAT FORD HAD SAID THAT IT WASN'T COVERED AND THAT MY BILL WOULD BE $1,300.00. I THEN ASKED HIM WHY IT WASN'T COVERED AND HE TOLD ME BECAUSE MY VIN# DOESN'T SHOW IT. HE THEN ASKED ME TO TAKE IT UP WITH FORD THE ACTUALL COMPANY. SO I'VE BEEN DOING RESEARCH ON IT MYSELF AND HAVE COME UP WITH A LITTLE BIT OF INFO. FORD'S CUSTOMER SERVICE HAS TOLD ME THAT THE REASON MY CAR IS NOT COVERED IS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FALL UNDER THE 97E61 CRITERIA FOR RECALL. SO I ASKED WHAT ACTUALL PART DOES NOT FALL UNDEER THE CRITERIA. THEY ASKED ME TO TAKE IT UP WITH NHTSA AND THEY CAN GIVE ME THAT INFO. WHAT I HAVE FOUND IS THAT CARS THAT WERE BUILT AT 2 FORD PLANTS, CAUTLIN, AND KANSAS CITY PLANTS ARE THE ONES THAT ARE AFFECTED. WELL MY CAR WAS BUILT AT THE KANSAS CITY PLANT. THE OTHER CRITERIA I KNOW ABOUT IS IF THE CAR WAS BUILT WITHIN MARCH OF 95 THRU MARCH OF 96. WELL MY CAR WAS FIRST SOLD IN FEB. 96 AND IT'S A 96 MODEL SO IT WOULD HAVE TO FALL WITHIN THAT TIME FRAME. I AM CURRENTLY HAVING MY CAR FIXED AT A DIFFERENT FORD DEALERSHIP BUT MY COST IS STILL OVER $1,100.00. PLESAE HELP ME. CESAR GARCIA CALL ME ANY TIME AT 408-674-9315 TO LET ME KNOW YOU HAVE RECEIVED MY LETTER. I WOULD ALSO LIKE A COPY E-MAILED TO ME OF WHAT I HAVE WRITTEN SO I HAVE A RECORD AT CGARCIA1974@AOL.COM. *AK