1999 Ford Contour

NHTSA WEBSITE CONFIRMS 79 SIMILAR COMPLAINTS OF FORD'S KNOWN MANUFACTURE DEFECTS IN DASHBOARD ASSEMBLY IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT COMPROMISES THE OCCUPANT/PEDESTRIAN SAFTEY: WARPED DASH PANEL AND SPRUNG OUT FRONT DEFROST GRILL OBSTRUCTS DRIVER'S VIEW; LOOSE GRILL STRIKES WINDSHIELD WHILE CAR IN MOTION AND COULD BREAK IT; DEFLECTS PROPER AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT; PROPER AIRFLOW OF DEFROST IS DEFLECTED; FORD KNOWINGLY MANUFACTURES AND SELLS DEFECTIVE VEHICLES. THEN IMMEDIATELY ISSUES A "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM" NOTICE (IN THIS CASE CPS # 01B78) THAT HAS AN EXPIRATION DATE DESIGNED TO PREEMPT MANIFESTATION OF THE DEFECTS BY THE CUSTOMER. ON MY 1999 FORD CONTOUR SE, THE DEFROSTER GRILL HAS SPRUNG OUT AND JUTS OUT OF ALIGNMENT SO THAT THE AIRFLOW FROM DEFROST MECHANISM IS OBSTRUCTED. DASHBOARD WARPED AND SEPARATED FROM WINDSHIELD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WITH THE FISSURE SPREADING TOWARD THE PASSENGER SIDE. FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE DECLINED TO DO REPAIRS/REPLACEMENT AT NO CHARGE, STATING FORD IS NO LONGER LIABLE BECAUSE THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PROGRAM EXPIRED AUGUST 2002. INSTEAD, THE FORD DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT OFFERED ME THE LOYAL CUSTOMER SERVICE DEAL OF MAKING THE REPAIR FOR COST OF ONLY $1638.12. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE NEW IN FEBRUARY 1999 FOR $18077.16 (FINANCED PRICE OF $24318.40)!!! MY CAR LOAN HAS BEEN PAID IN FULL FEBRUARY 2004 WITH NO LATE PAYMENTS. MY VEHICLE'S ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WAS DONE BY THE FORD DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I AM A SECOND TIME FORD OWNER; MY PREVIOUS VEHICLE WAS A 1992 FORD TEMPO. HOWEVER, LORD WILLING, THE 1999 CONTOUR WILL BE MY LAST. THESE ARE JUST SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES I INCURRED SELDOM USED A/C REPAIR $275 FAULTY ENGINE LIGHT 02 SENSORS REPLACE $500 DEALER CUT BRAKE ROTERS TOO LOW $800. *NM

AUGUST 2001 FORD NOTIFIED US OF A DEFECT IN THE COVER OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THAT THE PANEL MAY WARP AND COME UNDONE FIRST AROUND THE DEFROSTER GRILL OPENING. FORD IDENTIFIED PROGRAM #01B78 TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. WE BROUGHT VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AS INSTRUCTED BY LETTER AND SERVICE WAS DENIED AS THE GAP IN THE WARPAGE WAS ONLY 1.75 AND NEEDED TO BE 2 IN ORDER TO BE REPLACED. NOW, IN 2005 THE DASHBOARD PANEL HAS COMPLETELY WARPED UP AND OFF. IT OBSTRUCTS DRIVER'S FIELD OF VISION THROUGH WINDSHIELD AND PREVENTS THE DEFROSTER FROM WORKING PROPERLY. THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE. FORD REFUSES TO COVER KNOWN DEFECT NOW. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE DASHBOARD WARPED. IT TOUCHED THE WINDSHIELD, AND WAS PULLING THE PASSENGER'S AIR BAG PIECE. THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO. THE LIGHT HAS NOT BEEN ON SINCE. HE STATED NOW THAT HE WAS USING THE DEFROSTER, IT WAS COMING UP MORE. OFTEN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED TO SEE WHY THIS WAS OCCURRING. *AK

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL OF THE DOOR HANDLES DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY. THIS PROBLEM BEGAN INTERMITTENTLY, AND NOW RESULTED IN A COMPLETE FAILURE ON TWO OF THE DOOR LATCHES. THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR HANDLE MUST HAVE BOTH THE INSIDE AND THE OUTSIDE DOOR LATCH PULLED TO GAIN ENTRY INTO THE VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALER SUGGESTED THIS WAS A DESIGN FLAW. THE DEALER WAS REPLACING THE DOOR LATCHES AT THIS TIME. *AK

THE DASHBOARD OF MY 1999 FORD CONTOUR IS WARPED BEYOND REPAIR. THE DASHBOARD IS PEELING BACK FROM THE WINDSHIELD. THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT HAS CAUSED MY DEFROST TO WORK IMPROPERLY, MAKING VISIBILITY POOR WHENEVER THE DEFROST WOULD BE NEEDED. FORD HAS REFUSED TO HELP FIX IT ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT IT IS A PROBLEM WITH A "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM" THAT EXPIRED AROUND THE TIME THAT I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE FOR ALL CONTOUR OWNERS AS WELL AS ALL ON THE ROAD. *JB