1999 Ford Contour

DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR THAT HAD CRACKS IN THE FLYWHEEL ALONG THE REAR AREA OF THE MOTOR. THERE WAS A TICKING NOISE IN THE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT TRANSMISSION SHOP, WHO CONFIRMED THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE FLYWHEEL. THERE WAS NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THIS FAILURE OCCURRED. APPARENTLY, IT WAS CRACKING IT IS NEAR THE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE FLYWHEEL ONTO THE MOTOR. THIS HAPPENED FROM HOLE TO HOLE AS IF IT WAS AT A FATIGUED POINT. WAS REPLACED AT 40,000 KILOMETERS, AND THE SECOND FLYWHEEL NOW NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT 126,000 KILOMETERS. THERE WERE NO OTHER APPARENT PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE OTHER THEN THE SAME ISSUE OCCURRING ON BOTH THE ORIGINAL FLYWHEELS AND THE REPLACEMENT. *AK

I INADVERTENTLY FOUND THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO ROTATE THE IGNITION KEY IN MY CAR TO THE LOCK POSITION AND REMOVE THE KEY WITHOUT HAVING THE GEAR IN PARK AND JUST HAVING MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. AS I RELEASED THE BRAKE, MY CAR ROLLED A FEW FEET INTO MY GARAGE AND I REALIZED THE CAR WAS NOT IN PARK. THERE WERE NO DAMAGES. I CONTACTED MY REPAIR SHOP ABOUT THE IGNITION ISSUE. THEY INFORMED THERE WAS AN OLD RECALL ON MY VEHICLES' MAKE/MODEL. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND LOCATED NHTSA'S INFORMATION AS IT RELATES TO CAMPAIGN 99V060000. I CONTACTED FOR. THEY INFORMED ME MY VIN WAS NOT PART OF A RECALL, THAT THEY COULD NOT GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION WHETHER MY CAR'S MAKE/MODEL HAD EVER BEEN IN A RECALL AND THAT NO ON IN THE ENTIRE FORD MOTOR COMPANY COULD TELL ME, NOR DID THEY HAVE ANY REFERRAL SITES FOR ME TO FIND THIS INFORMATION. I STILL NEED TO GET THIS ISSUE FIXED. *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER COULD HEAR THE RADIATOR COMING ON/OVER AND OVER AGAIN. PREVIOUSLY IT OVERHEATED IN JUNE 2004. WHEN THE CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR REPAIRS THEY CHANGED THE THERMOSTAT, ADDED MORE WATER TO THE RADIATOR, AND SOMETHING ELSE IN THE TRANSMISSION AREA. WHEN THE CONSUMER PICKED UP THE VEHICLE THE PROBLEM RECURRED. AFTERWARDS, THERE WAS A RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THEY TOLD HER THAT IT WAS DUE TO A BRACKET THAT BROKE.. DEALER REPLACED THE RADIO. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS NO LONGER WORKING PROPERLY SINCE THEY REPLACED THE RADIO. ALSO, THE DASHBOARD WAS LOOSENING AND THERE WERE WIRES SHOWING. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW KNOB CAME OFF. THESE WERE THE ONLY KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. THERE HAD BEEN NO ACCIDENTS CONCERNING THESE ISSUES. *AK

DT: THE CONSUMER OWNS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONSUMER STATED THE DASHBOARD WAS WARPED, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO USE THE DEFROSTER. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THIS WOULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO DRIVE DURING THE WINTER BECAUSE THE DEFROSTER CAN NOT PROPERLY WORK. THE CONSUMER HAS NOT CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEALER OR THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT, BUT THE CONSUMER STATES THE DASHBOARD WAS DOING THIS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. *JB

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT DASH BOARD PROBLEM. THE DASHBOARD WARPED, CAUSING A VISUAL OBSTRUCTION. THIS WAS THE SECOND DASHBOARD INSTALLED, WHICH WAS DONE DURING A CUSTOMER'S COURTESY RECALL. THIS DASHBOARD WAS UNDER WARRANTY FOR 1 YEAR ONLY. CURRENTLY, VEHICLE NEEDED ANOTHER DASHBOARD. *AK THE DEALER REPLACED THE DASHBOARD AFTER THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER. *NM

I ALONG WITH MANY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH MY DASH BOARD PEELING BACK. I TOOK IT IN FOR THE RECALL INSTEAD OF REPAIRING IT THEY JUST REGLUED IT. A YEAR LATER IT CAME APART AGAIN AND THEY WOULD NOT FIX IT AGIN. I CALLED FORD THEY SAID THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED BUT SINCE I DID HAVE IT FIXED ONCE I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT UP WITH THE DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THE SAME THING AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF MY POCKET TO FIX IT. I DON'T HAVE THAT TYPE OF MONEY AND FEEL AS IF THERE SHOULD BE AN ADDITIONAL RECALL ON THIS ISSUE.

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR SE. THE DASHBOARD ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAS CURLED TO THE POINT TO WHERE THE AIR BAG IS BEGINNING TO BE EXPOSED. CONSUMER'S CONCERN IS THAT THE AIR BAG WILL DEPLOY WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT OR WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. FORD DEALERSHIP STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD ASSEMBLY REPAIR PARTS WOULD COST $771.00, LABOR $561.00 PLUS TAX. *AK *NM UPDATED 06/05/06 *JB UPDATED 06/05/2006 - *NM