1997 Ford Probe

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED, WHICH REQUIRED CONSUMER TO STEER WITHOUT POWER, VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOT ONLY WAS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THE TIMING BELT, BUT THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER AS WELL, APPARENTLY AN EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER BROKE OFF AND GOT CAUGHT IN THE TIMING BELT, CONSUMER STATES IN FEBURARY 1999 HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION (98S30) IN WHICH HE COMPLIED FOR THE SAME MECHANICAL FAILURE, AND TWO YEARS LATER THE PROBLEM OCCURS AGAIN, CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE WORK WAS NEVER PERFORMED AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE CHARGES HE HAS INCURRED.*JB

FORD (HQ AND DEALER) HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY CONTACTED ON THESE ISSUES. FORD'S INTERNAL REVIEW BOARD ISSUED ARULING STATING THAT NO COMPENSATORY ACTION IS APPROPRIATE. FORD ISSUED AN OFFER TO HAVE A DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE OVERSEE A REPRESENTATIVE WITHIN FOURTEEN DAYS OF THEIR RULING, WHICH I DID NOT RECEIVE UNTIL THE OFFER HAD EXPIRED. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER FORD GARAGE WITH SIMILAR DENIAL OF ANYTHING WRONG BEING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THEIR IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES - THEY SQUEAL ALMOST CONTINUOUSLY. ALSO, THE ENGINE / TRANSMISSION POWER LOSS, VIBRATIONS, AND INTERMITTENT HESITATIONS HAVE INCREASED SINCE MY OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE. I AM INTERESTED TO SEE IF OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND HOW THESE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN RECTIFIED. THE ISSUE WITH THE BAR IN THE SEAT DEVELOPED WITHIN SIX MONTHS, I HAVE SIMPLY DEALT WITH IT, UNTIL NOW AS I HAVE READ ON YOUR SITE THAT OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. I REQUEST THAT I BE CONTACTED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, AT THIS TIME, BY THE NHTSA, AS I DO NOT WISH TO DEAL WITH FORD OR THE INDICATED DEALER(S) ANY LONGER. ALSO, THE PA. ATTY GENERAL'S OFFICE - CONSUMER AFFAIRS, WAS CONTACTED WITH NO ACTION OTHER THAN "DOCUMENTATION OF THE INCIDENT".AT. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

BACK IN BEGINNING OF JANUARY I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD ON MY 1997 PROBE. THEY SAID THERE WAS A POSSIBLE DEFECT IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER. THEIR RECALL NUMBER IS 98S30. THE LETTER SAID TO CALL FORD AND TELL THEM WHAT DEALERSHIP I WANTED TO TAKE MY CAR TO AND THEY WOULD SEND THE PART TO THAT DEALERSHIP AND HAVE THE DEALERSHIP CONTACT ME. SO I CALLED THE NUMBER IN THE LETTER AND FORD GOT MY HOME AND WORK NUMBERS AS WELL AS THE DEALERSHIP THAT I WANTED TO GO TO, AND SAID THAT I SHOULD HEAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP WITHIN 5 DAYS, BUT THAT IF I DIDN'T I SHOULD CALL THE DEALERSHIP AND SCHEDULE A TIME TO TAKE MY CAR IN. I DID NOT HEAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP SO I CALLED AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO TAKE MY CAR IN. THEY LOOKED AT THE CAR AND TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T CHECK IT BECAUSE THEY HADN'T RECEIVED THE KIT FROM FORD. SO I CALLED FORD BACK AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PART ORDERS HAD BEEN LOST AND THAT THEY WOULD RESUBMIT IT. SO I WAITED A WHILE AND STILL NEVER HEARD ANYTHING. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND THEY STILL DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I HAVE CALLED FORD SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT IT AND THEY DON'T SEEM TO WANT TO DO ANYTHING. I CALLED THEM MOST RECENTLY ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO AND TOLD THEM I WAS GOING OUT OF TOWN IN 3 WEEKS, AND WANTED IT CHECKED BEFORE THEN. I WAS ASSURED THAT IT WOULD BE. THAT TIME HAS PASSED AND I STILL HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING. WHEN A MANUFACTURER PUTS OUT A RECALL ON A CAR AREN'T THEY REQUIRED TO FIX IT? I CAN'T SEEM TO GET THEM TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT MINE. SO I HAVE TAKEN THIS ACTION TO TRY AND GET MY CAR CHECKED OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS IN GOOD RUNNING ORDER. *AK