1997 Ford Contour

I HAVE 1997 FORD CONTOUR SE. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH IT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON CONSTANTLY, RADIATOR LIGHT COMES ON CONSTANTLY, RUNS POORLY. I HAD ALL CHECKED WHEN THEY HAPPEN ON MULTILPLE OCCASIONS. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND THAT THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I WAS TOLD BY A FREIND THAT HE HAD HEARD OF A PROBLEM LIKE THIS AND FORD WAS FIXING THEM, AND I SHOULD CALL THE DEALER. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY CONFIRMED THERE WAS A RECALL BUT BASED ON MY VIN I WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE AGE OF MY CAR. THIS WAS DONE AT BRANDON FORD AROUND THE JULY/AUGUST TIME FRAME. THINKING THAT I HAD TO DO THE REPAIR MYSELF, DUE TO THE COST AT THE DEALERSHIP (OVER $3000.00), I STARTED LOOKING FOR PARTS MYSELF ON THE INTERNET. THERE I FOUND THE RECALL/EXT. WARRANTY INFO. 99M03 AND IN THIS IT STATES 10 YEARS OR 100,000 MILE. I AGAIN GOT HOPE THAT MAYBE THEY HAD MISSREAD THE RECALL AT THE DEALER SHIP. I THEN RETURNED WITH VIN AND THE INFO 99M03 IN HAD AND ONE OF THEIR SERVICE ADVISERS CONFIRMED THAT IT SHOULD BE COVERED. I THEN MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE NEXT DAY TO DROP THE CAR OFF AT 8:30AM TO HAVE IT DONE. I CALL THAT SAME DAY AT 2:30PM TO CHECK TO SEE IF AND FOR HOW LONG I WOUNLD NEED A RENTAL CAR. I WAS TOLD AT THAT TIME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED DUE TO IT'S AGE AND THAT IT RAN OUT ON 10/26/06. HAD THE FIRST PERSON LOOKED THE INFO. UP PROPERLY BACK IN THE JULY/AUGUST TIME FRAME IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE REPAIR WOULD TAKE THEM APPROX. 3 DAYS TO DO, AND FOR ONLY GIVES THEM 6-7 HRS TO DO IT, SO THEY LOSE MONEY TO DO THESE REPAIRS. BASED ON THE 99M03 INFO I SHOULD HAVE RECIEVED A LETTER STATING THE EXT. WARRANTY WHICH I DID NOT, BUT HAD RECIEVED OTHER RECALL INFO. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT 1997 FORD CONTOUR WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTS AND THE TAIL LIGHTS. THE CONSUMER BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED, AND FORD TOLD HER THAT THE TAILLIGHTS WERE ON RECALL 99V133000 AND WAS ALREADY FIXED. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT FIX THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THE CONSUMER DID NOT WANT TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS, AND SHE WANTED SOME ONE TO FIX IT. THE CONSUMER HAS ONLY OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR ONE MONTH. THE CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP RIGHT NOW BEING CHECKED.*AK

DT: 01S22 FORD RECALL. CONSUMER HAD RECALL WORK DONE . DEALER SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE HEATER BLOWER SWITCH AND A WIRE JUMPER HARNESS. DEALER COMPLETED WORK ON MARCH 15, 2002. DEALER IWAS MIKE SHAD FORD IN JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA. LAST TUESDAY JULY 12, 2005 THE WIRE JUMPER HARNESS CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE ON SIDE STREET, GLENWOOD AVE., AT NIGHT. FLAMES SHOT UP FROM WHERE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WERE LOCATED. FLAME LASTED A COUPLE SECONDS THEN WERE GONE. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, CONTACTED FIRE DEPARTMENT, AND HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP. DEALER DON JENKINS FORD IN SUQUAY, NORTH CAROLINA. CONSUMER CONTACTED INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEY SAID IT WAS A DEFECT SO THEY WOULD NOT PAY. CONSUMER FOUND ON NHTSA WEBSITE THAT FORD OFFERED A WARRANTY ON THIS RECALL OF 10 YEARS FROM ORIGINAL DATE OF SALE OR 150,000 MILES. WHEN SHE CONTACTED FORD THEY TOLD HER THAT WARRANTY WAS ONLY 100,000 MILES AND NHTSA WEBSITE INFORMATION WAS INCORRECT. FORD WILL NOT FIX VEHICLE FOR CONSUMER. *AK

22 YR. OLD SON MATT CRASHED HIS 1997 FORD CONTOUR INTO UTILITY POLE-FEELS BEARINGS CAUSED HIM TO LOSE CONTROL OF STEERING. INNER WINDSHIELD DRIVER'S SIDE POST AT CORNER CAME APART, PLASTIC ON INTERIOR-WHICH STOPPED AT TOP OF POST AND WASN'T CONNECTED TO ANYTHING ON INSIDE OF ROOF-POPPED OUT AND LACERATED HIS LEFT EYEBALL. THE EYEBALL INTERIOR WAS PROTRUDING AND SURGERY WAS NECESSARY TO STITCH THE EYEBALL BACK TOGETHER. HE WILL EVENTUALLY NEED A CORNEA TRANSPLANT TO GET DECENT VISION FROM THAT EYE. THE RIGHT EYE SUSTAINED BLUNT TRAUMA WHICH CAUSED A HEMATOMA TO DEVELOP WHICH CAUSED BLINDNESS UNTIL IT'S RECENT REMOVAL. RESTORATION OF EYESIGHT IN THE RIGHT EYE IS A SLOW PROGRESS.*AK