1998 Ford Contour

DT: THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 01V230000 . THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY DID NOT WANT TO FIX THE RECALL AT THIS TIME BECAUSE THERE WAS NO PROBLEM, AND IT REQUIRED THEM TO REMOVE THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD. SHE DID NOT START EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM UNTIL 2005. THE BLOWER DID NOT WORK ALL THE TIME. THE NEW OWNER OF THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT WANT TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER SAID THAT THE VINE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, HOWEVER IT EXPIRED. THEY SAID THAT THE TIME FRAME FOR THE RECALL WAS EITHER THE FIRST SIX YEARS AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED OR 72,000 MILES. THEREFORE, THE REPAIRS HAVE NOT BEEN DONE BECAUSE OF THE TIME LIMIT. *AK

MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED ON 5/15/97 BUT IS TITLED AS A 1998 VEHICLE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS ISSUED A RECALL ON 1995-1997 FORD CONTOUR VEHICLES FOR A PROBLEM WHERE THE INSULATION FALLS OFF THE UNDERHOOD WIRING. MY VEHICLE HAS THIS PROBLEM TO THE EXTENT THAT BARE COPPER WIRING IS EXPOSED AT EVERY CONNECTOR UNDER THE HOOD AND I AM SURE IN PLACES THAT ARE NOT VISIBLE AS WELL. IF THESE WIRES CONTACT EACH OTHER, POSSIBLE ENGINE STALLING, LOSS OF LIGHTING, COOLING AND EVEN ENGINE FIRES ARE POSSIBLE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS REFUSING TO MAKE THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS TITLED AS A 1998 EVEN THOUGH IT WWAS MANUFACTURED IN 1997 WITH THE SAME PARTS AS THE VEHICLES THEY ARE OFFERING TO REPAIR. I AM REFERING TO THEIR WARRANTY EXTENSION 99M03 WHICH CALLS FOR ALL WIRING HARNESSES TO BE REPLACED AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. MY LOCAL FORD EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND AGREED THAT THE REPAIRS WERE NECESSARY FOR THE ONTINUED SAFE OPERATION OF THIS VEHICLE BUT WHEN HE LOOKED UP THE VIN IN HIS SYSTEM, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED BECAUSE OF THE TITLE YEAR, (1998 BUT BUILT IN 1997 WITH 1997 PARTS). THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON ARE REFUSING TO MAKE GOOD ON MY VEHICLE. *NM

VEHICLE WAS PURHASED IN JAN OF 1998. VEHICLE CURRENTLY HAS 70,000 MILES. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A GOODYEAR FOR TUNE UP. WHEN PICKING UP THE VEHICLE GOODYEAR INFORMED ME OF A FAUTLY WIRE HARNESS. THEY ALSO INCLUDED THAT THE WIRE HARNESS WAS FLAKING OFF ALMOST AS IF IT WAS ROTTEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER IN A FIRE OR AN ACCIDENT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC FOR A SECOND OPPINION. THEY STATED THAT VEHICLES WIRE HARNESS WAS OF POOR QUALITY AND THAT DUE TO THE PROTECTIVE LAYER OVER THE METAL WIRES FLAKING OFF IT CAUSED A SHORT ONCE THE EXPOSED WIRES TOUCHED METAL BURNING THE COMPUTER. THEY ALSO INCLUDED THAT IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE AND OR WORSE WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. I CONTACTED FORD AND EVEN TOOK THE CAR TO THEM AND THEY REFUSED TO EVEN LOOK AT THE VEHICLE CLAIMING THAT GOODYEAR DAMAGED IT. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS CAR AND THE SISTER VEHICLE MERCURY MYSTIC ON THE NET AND THEY BOTH HAVE HAD THE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS AS FAR AS THE MANUFACTURER USING A DECECTIVE WIRE HARNESS CAUSE SHORTS AND OR SOMETIMES FIRES. I HAVE CONTACTED A LAWYER AND THEY CONTACTED FORD WITH NO RESOLUTION. FORD DOES NOT WANT TO LOOK AT THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT'S OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVE CONTACTED MANY SPECIALIST IN FIELD AND ACCORDING TO THEM A WIRE HARNESS SHOULD LAST AS LONG AS THE VEHICLE. PLEASE HELP!

DT: CRACKED WIRING IN THE ENGINE DEPARTMENT. ALL WIRES LEADING TO THE ENGINE, BATTERY, COIL AND POSSIBLE FUEL INJECTORS ARE CRACKED AND EXPOSED. LITTLE OR NO INSALATION ARE LEFT ON THE WIRES. WIRE HARNESS THAT LEADS TO THE ECU IS CRACKED AND EXPOSED. THIS HAS NOT CAUSED A FIRE, BUT ALL THIS IS CAUSING MORE DAMAGE EVERYTIME THE CAR IS SERVICED. *AK

DEALER TOLD ME ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD A SHORT. O2 SENSOR & COMPUTER IN CAR. THE CAR HAS HAD TO HAVE THE O2 SENSOR REPLACED 3 TIMES ($1200.00 CHARGED BY TO ME BY DEALER EACH TIME) AND THE COMPUTER RESET. *AK MY COMPLAINT IS THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE ELECTRICAL FIXED AND THE O2 CENSOR REPLACED AGAIN (4 TIME!!)... THE TURN SIGNALS WORK AND THAN DO NOT .. I HAVE BEEN TOLD A SHORT IS IN THE CAR BUT FORD WILL NOT FIND FOR FREE.. I AM TIRED OF FIXING THIS CAR PLEASE PLEASE HELP

THE CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE ACCELERATOR CABLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER TAKES HIS FOOT OFF THE PEDAL THE ENGINE DOES NOT RETURN TO IT'S LOWER IDLING SPEED. THE CONSUMER IS ALSO EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS FLASHING. OWNER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER AND BECAUSE OF THE VIN, THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS RELATING TO THE DEFECTS OF THIS VEHICLE. *TT

1.ABS BRAKE FUSE AND BLOWER MOTOR FUSE ARE ONE AND THE SAME, DARN COLD IN MINNESOTA, AND HARD TO GET TOO TO REPLACE. MUST PULL OUT BATTERY FIRST. TO REPLACE THE HYDRAULIC PUMP FOR ABS BRAKES TO FIX PROBLEM...$3000.00, MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH FOR TRADE IN OR RESALE VALUE. I FOUND THIS OUT AFTER HITTING A DEER ON NOV. 26 2004. AND DOES NOT INCLUDE COSMETIC DAMAGE. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY EITHER. 2.FRONT AND BACK WINDOW MOLDING IS SHRINKING AND FORCING WINDOWS OUT, VERY DRAFTY. 3.SHIFT MODULE FAILED, TOOK TO FORD DEALER TO REPLACE, WHEN REPLACED THE DASH BOARD STARTED SMOKING. THE NEIGHBOR MODULE BURNT UP, AND ALL THE DASH BOARD WIRING. TOTAL COST TO REPAIR $1200.00, BUT THE DEALERSHIP TOOK OFF $200.00 OF THE LABOR COSTS. 4. I CALLED FORD ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS TO COMPLAIN. THEY WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. I HAVE DEALERS THAT WILL NOT TAKE IT ON A TRADE IN, BECAUSE IT'S A CONTOUR.*AK