1998 Ford Contour

THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS WHICH CONNECTS TO THE VEHICLE'S MAIN POWER SUPPLY BOX HAS WIRING FOR WHICH THE INSULATION COMES OFF EXPOSING LIVE, BARE WIRES. THIS LEADS TO SHORTS IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WHICH AFFECTS DRIVABILITY (ENGINE RUNS ERRATICALLY AND AFFECTS THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMPS OPERATION) AND COULD LEAD TO A VEHICLE FIRE IF THE WIRING SUFFERS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT IF THE CAR'S FUEL SUPPLY OR ENGINE CONTROL SYSTEMS FAIL, THE DRIVER MAY LOSE CONTROL AND BECOME INVOLVED IN A CRASH OR COLLISION. FORD DOES NOT SALE REPLACEMENT PARTS NOR ARE PARTS AVAILABLE ON THE SECONDARY MARKET. THE PART NUMBER FOR THE WIRING HARNESS ON MY CAR IS F8RZ14289CA. FORD SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REPLACE THESE DEFECTIVE HARNESSES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DISPENSING FUEL INTO THE FUEL TANK, THE AUTOMATIC FUEL NOZZLE WOULD SHUT OFF AT ANY FUEL CAPACITY LEVEL. THE FAILURE WAS A CONTINUOUS OCCURRENCE WHEN DISPENSING FUEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FUEL PIPE FLAPPER VALVE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A MANUFACTURERS VOLUNTARY RECALL (MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER: 01M04) YET THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200.

FUEL SPIT-BACK WHILE REFUELING. TOOK TO FORD DEALERSHIP AND SINCE THE EXTENDED COVERAGE FOR THE FUEL PIPE FLAPPER VALVE EXPIRED 5 MONTHS AGO THEY WILL NOT REPAIR. FORD WANTS $300 TO REPAIR. MY CAR ONLY HAS APPROXIMATELY 88,800 MILES AND I DO NOT HAVE $300 TO REPAIR. I CALLED FORD IN MICHIGAN AND THEY SAID THE SAME THING AND EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING CAR TO FORD DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. I TOOK CAR TO FORD IN MISSISSIPPI IN 2002 AND NO MENTION OF RECALL WAS MADE. FORD, IN MY OPINION, SEEMS TO BE OF THE MIND "DO NOT FIX IT IF IT IS NOT BROKE". WELL IT IS BROKE NOW AND IF COVERAGE EXPIRED 5 MONTHS AGO THAT IS NOT A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND FORD SHOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIR OF THE FUEL PIPE FLAPPER VALVE AS THEY KNOW IT IS DEFECTIVE. WHEN I GET GAS THE FUEL SPILLS ON THE GROUND CAUSING HARM TO MY FAMILY, PASSENGERS IN THE CAR, THE GENERAL PUBLIC AND MYSELF. *TR

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE OF AN OBSTRUCTION IN THE FLOW OF FUEL TO THE ENGINE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS SERVICED THE VEHICLE 5 TIMES. THEY HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP, THE FILTER AND THE OXYGEN SENSOR. THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. THE DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE ANYMORE BECAUSE THEY INDICATED THEY HAVE DONE ALL THEY COULD DO TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. *NM THE VEHICLE LEAKED OIL OVER THE ENTIRE ENGINE, THE FUEL PRESSURE DROPPED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN ON MOUNTAINOUS AREAS, A SHORT WAS FOUND, AND WIRES WERE FOUND CHAFFED. *SC *JB

WE HAVE A 1998 FORD CONTOUR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON. IT FIRST CAME ON IN OCT 01 WE TOOK IT TO THE FORD GARAGE IN DELHI. THEY SAID IT NEEDED A CAM SENSOR/ SOLENOID SPROCKETS ETC. SINCE THAT WAS A LOT OF MONEY WE DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO CANADIAN TIRE TO SEE WHAT THEY THOUGHT. THEY THOUGHT IT WAS A CAM SENSOR. WE HAD THEM PUT THAT IN. $58. MILEAGE 111346. IT WORKED FINE FOR A COUPLE WEEKS. WE COMPLAINED TO FORD AND FOUND OUT ABOUT THE AWA.. AFTER WARRANTY ADJUSTMENT. THIS HAD NOT BEEN MENTIONED EARLIER. SO WE A NEW SOLENOID SPROCKET ETC. PUT IN BY FORD,, (JAN /02) . HOW IT CAME TO THAT MILEAGE WHEN CTC HAD IT BACK IN NOV/ 01 AND THEN IT WAS* 11134*???? THEY ALSO HAD IT IN DEC AND THE MILEAGE WAS 112279.) THAT BAFFLES ME. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS TO SURFACE AGAIN. MY DAUGHTER HAD THE CAR AT SCHOOL SO SHE WAS FINALLY ABLE TO TAKE IT TO OUR GARAGE IN MAY/28/02 AT THAT TIME THE GARAGE CHECKED #3 CYLINDER CAUSE OF OUR CHECK ENGINE CONCERNS.. COST 39.10. NOTHING WAS DONE AT THAT TIME. THE ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUED TO STAY ON. FINALLY WE TOOK IT IN AGAIN ON OCT 24TH AND ANOTHER CAM SENSOR WAS PUT ON. $144.46. MILEAGE 130776. ON NOV,.5TH /02 TOOK IT IN AGAIN AND THEY SAID IT WOULD REQUIRE AN EXHAUST CAMSHAFT AND SOLENOID GASKETS AND SEALS. WE AGAIN ASKED ABOUT THE AWA AND THEY SAID NO IT WAS NO LONGER COVERED. THEY SAID THAT THE LAST SOLENOID WAS ONLY COVERED FOR 20,000 KM. HAD THEY DETECTED THE PROBLEM BACK IN MAY WHEN WE BROUGHT IT IN AND HAD THEY WRITTEN DOWN THE CORRECT MILEAGE THEN IT WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. SINCE WE DID NOT REALLY FEEL THAT THE SOLENOID ( AND REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO PAY $1000 FOR FIXING IT AND THEN FINDING OUT THAT THERE MIGHT BE ANOTHER PROBLEM) WAS THE PROBLEM, SINCE WE HAD ALREADY HAD THAT REPLACED ONCE WE CONSIDERED TAKING IT TO A GUY THAT USED TO WORK AT FORD. (HIS WIFE DRIVES A CONTOUR) HE CHECKED THE CAR FOR SURGES. SCAN TESTED IT TRIED VARIOUS COMPUTER PARTS RECHECKED VALVE. ETC,, BUT IT ALL PROVED NEGATIVE.

WHEN FILLING GAS TANK, THE GASOLINE SHUTS OFF AFTER ONLY A FEW CENTS. IT TAKES 10 MINUTES TO GET 3 GALLONS OF FUEL. I NOTICED AN AIR LINE THAT EXITS TO THE RIGHT OF THE GAS FILLER TUBE. I SPRAYED PRESSURIZED AIR AND IT WORKED ENOUGH TO GET ME HOME, BUT AFTER 3-4 FILL UPS LATER, IT STARTED AGAIN. THE PRESSURIZED AIR DOES NOT HELP ANYMORE. *JB

AFTER GOING THROUGH TWO FUEL PUMPS, FIRST PUMP WENT AT 32000 MILES AND THE SECOND AROUND 62000, I HAVE HAD EXTREME PROBLEMS WITH THE FUEL PUMP. NOW, MY CAR DOESN'T START ON ITS OWN VERY OFTEN. I HAVE TO WIGGLE THE FUEL PUMP UNDER THE BACKSEAT IN ORDER TO START THE CAR. I HAVE, ON OCCASION, HAD THE ENGINE DIE WHILE TRAVELING DOWN THE FREEWAY OR IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION. ONCE THE FUEL PUMP WAS WIGGLED, THE CAR STARTED AGAIN AND I WAS ON MY WAY. I TOOK MY CAR TO A WELL TRUSTED MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THAT FORD DOESN'T HAVE ANY PARTS TO FIX THE VERY LOOSE PIPE THAT RUNS INTO THE FUEL PUMP. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS ISSUE AND FEEL THAT MY CAR MAY STALL AND CAUSE MYSELF AND OTHERS GREAT DANGER. PLEASE HELP.*AK