1999 Ford Contour

THE DASHBOARD OF OUR 1999 FORD CONTOUR HAS EXPERIENCED A SEVERE WARPAGE AND IS NOW RESTING UPWARD ABOUT 5 INCHES HIGHER THAN ITS NORMAL POSITION. THE DEFROSTER GRILL POPPED OUT EARLIER AND IN THE WINTER THE DEFROST FUNCTION DOES NOT WORK PROPERLY ON THE WINDSHIELD. THE CURRENT POSITION OF THE WARPED DASHBOARD IS OBSTRUCTING OUR VISIBILITY OF THE ROADWAY AND A SERVICE TECHNICIAN AT THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP ADMITTED THAT IT WAS A HAZARDOUS. THERE WAS A FORD CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM (#01B78) WHICH WAS ISSUED IN AUGUST 2001 AND EFFECTIVE UNTIL AUGUST 31, 2002 ADMITTING TO PROBLEMS WITH DASHBOARD (INSTRUMENT PANEL) WARPAGE ON THE 1999 & 2000 FORD CONTOUR. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE ON AT LEAST 4 OCCASIONS OVER THE PAST YEAR PLUS WITHOUT ANY SATISFACTION AND THE PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE. THE FORD DEALER (HERITAGE FORD IN SOUTH BURLINGTON, VERMONT) INDICATES THAT THIS IS A FACTORY PROBLEM WHICH IS NOT BEING ADDRESSED. THEY WERE TO NOTIFY A FORD REGIONAL SERVICE TECHNICIAN OVER A MONTH AGO BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD FROM ANYONE. THE LOCAL DEALER ESTIMATES THAT IT WOULD COST ME $1400 TO $1800 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. BASED ON WHAT I'VE OUTLINED ABOVE, I FEEL THAT IT SHOULD BE COMPLETED AT FORD'S COST. I FEEL THAT THIS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM, WHICH IS GETTING WORSE WITH THE IMPAIRED VISIBILITY AND COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I CAN'T EVEN SEE THE HOOD FROM MY SITTING POSITION IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT. ALSO, IF I WERE TO TRY AND SELL THE CAR, IT WOULD BE BASICALLY NON SALEABLE BECAUSE OF THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. THERE ARE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FILED WITH YOUR AGENCY REGARDING THIS PROBLEM THAT I RESEARCHED UNDER THE CATEGORIES OF OTHER, VISIBILITY AND VISIBILITY...DEFROSTER AMONG OTHERS. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS ARE REQUIRED BEFORE YOU FORCE FORD TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION? FORD HAS ALREADY ADMITTED A FLAW IN THE DASHBOARD WITH THEIR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM. ANY ASSISTANCE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED.

I OWN A 1999 FORD CONTOUR, IN WHICH THE DASH COVER (VINYL AND FOAM) ARE SEPARATING FROM THE METAL SHELL UNDERNEATH. IT IS APPROACHING THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG (SRS), AND MY CONCERN IS IT MY EITHER CAUSE AN UNEXPECTED DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIRBAG RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT, OR IT MAY PREVENT THE AIRBAG FROM DEPLOYING IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD AND THEIR ANSWER WAS THEY WOULD SUBMIT IT TO THE ENGINEERS TO DETERMINE IF A RECALL WAS IN ORDER. UNLESS THERE ARE ENOUGH PEOPLE REPORTING THIS PROBLEM, I FEEL THEY WILL TAKE NO CORRECTIVE ACTION. I HAVE PERSONALLY OBSERVED TO OTHER '99 CONTOURS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. UNFORTUNATELY, I WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT THE OWNERS AND ASK THEM TO MAKE COMPLAINTS AS WELL. *LA

I AM AN ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1999 FORD CONTOUR SE SPORT. ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO THERE WAS A MAINTENANCE RECALL FOR THE CONTOUR'S DASH COMING UP DUE TO BAD GLUE. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIP AND FOUND THAT MY DASH WAS SO BAD IT HAD TO BE REPLACED. MY CAR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AT THIS TIME ALSO. NOW MY DASH IS COMMING UP JUST LIKE IT DID BEFORE, EVIDENTLY THE DASH THEY REPLACED IT WITH STILL HAD THE DEFECTIVE GLUE IN IT. I CONTACTED FORD EXPLAINING THIS TO THEM AND FINDING OUT THAT THE MAINTENANCE ORDER HAD ENDED LAST YEAR. I TOLD THEM ABOUT IT BEING REPLACED AND DOING THE SAME THING IT DONE BEFORE WHILE ALSO EXPLAINING MY CONCERN ABOUT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG RELEASING AT ANY GIVEN TIME. THIS COULD VERY WELL HURT SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF WHO HAS HAD OPEN HEART SURGERY AND THEN HAD TO HAVE MY CHEST REWIRED DUE TO MY STERNUM NOT FUSING BACK TOGETHER CORRECTLY NOT TO MENTION WHAT THIS COULD DO TO ONE OF MY CHILDREN. THEY REFUSE TO REPAIR MY DASH EVEN THOUGH I DID WHAT THE LETTER TOLD ME AND COULDN'T HAVE AVOIDED THIS PROBLEM FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. I DIDN'T MAKE THE DASH NOR DID I MAKE THE GLUE, BUT I UPHELD MY RESPONSABILITIES. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED BY FORD AT THERE EXPENSE NOT MINE. *JB

I JUST BOUGHT A FORD CONTOUR AND THE DASHBOARD IS COMING UP AND IT COULD DEPLOY THE AIRBAG, SO WHAT IF ANYTHING IS SOMEONE GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS, AS YOU CAN SEE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM, I HAD NO IDEA THAT THERE WAS A PROGRAM FOR THE DASHBOARD. IF IT IS A RECURRING PROBLEM THEN IT SHOULD BE A RECALL ON IT. *NLM