1995 Ford Contour

IN 2002, REAR SPRING BROKE ON HER 1995 FORD CONTOUR. WE WERE UNAWARE OF THE BREAKAGE, UNTIL A REPAIR SHOP FIXING THE CAR FOR ANOTHER PROBLEM INFORMED US. WE TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL TIRE SHOP AND THEY REPLACED THE REAR SPRING. NOW, SEPT. 8, 2004 WHEN TAKING OUR 1995 FORD CONTOUR TO THE SHOP FOR NOISE AND DIFFICULTY DRIVING, WE FIND THAT THE FRONT SPRING HAD BROKEN. WE WERE ADVISED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED, NOT DRIVEN TO A LOCAL TIRE/FRONT END SHOP FOR REPLACEMENT. AFTER GETTING SUSPICIOUS, I CHECKED THE INTERNET AND FOUND OUT THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH SPRINGS BREAKING ON THEIR FORD CONTOUR. THIS FORD CONTOUR HAD LESS THAN 60,000 MILES. I CALLED THE LOCAL FORD SHOP AND WAS INFORMED THAT WE COULD BRING THE VEHICLE TO THEM FOR REPLACEMENT. AT THAT POINT, OUR CAR HAD ALREADY BEEN DISASSEMBLED AND THE BAD SPRING REPLACED. WE HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION OF A POSSIBLE FAILURE OF SPRINGS, LET A LONE TWO SPRINGS TO BREAK UNDER 60,000 MILES AND TWO YEARS APART. SO FAR FORD HAS NOT RESPONDED TO MY REQUEST TO REIMBURSE US FOR ANY OF THE CHARGES FROM THE TIRE/FRONT END SHOP. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS FAILURE OF A SPRING IN THE BACK AND FRONT OF THIS FORD CONTOUR. NOW WE HAVE THREE NEW SPRINGS (REPLACED TWO IN FRONT AND ONE IN BACK), BUT STILL HAVE ONE OLD SPRING ON THE BACK WHICH HASN'T BEEN REPLACED. THIS SHOULD BE A SERIOUS RECALL, NOT A PROGRAM, AND EVERYONE SHOULD BE NOTIFIED. WE ACTUALLY HAD THE CAR IN TO THE SHOP IN 2001 FOR ANOTHER RECALL, SO I CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY FORD DID NOT NOTIFY US ABOUT THE SPRING PROBLEM. FORD NEEDS TO REPLACE ALL THEIR SPRINGS ON THIS VEHICLE. THIS CAR HAS HAD ENORMOUS REPAIRS FROM AIRCONDITIONING, TIMING BELTS, STEERING PROBLEMS, ETC., BUT THIS SPRING SITUATION COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. MY GUESS IS THERE ARE MANY MORE VEHICLES OUT THERE UNAWARE THAT THIS WAS A "CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM". IT SHOULD BE A RECALL.*AK

WHILE DRIVING, SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE STARTED IDLING ROUGH. THE CONSUMER TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF, AND TOWED IT TO A MECHANIC. THE <A " WIRE HARNESS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURE IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THIS PART. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AC AND HEATING CONTROLS. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S SPEEDOMETER CONTROL BEGAN TO HAVE PROBLEMS. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR WAS THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. *TC

SEVERAL INSTANCES OF THE CAR SHUTTING OFF WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. I FOUND OUT THAT FORD MOTOR COMPANY USED THE WRONG WIRING IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE WIRING THAT WAS USED CAN NOT WITHSTAND THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS THAT IT IS EXPOSED TO HEAT. FORD MOTOR IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ENGINEERING DEFICIENCY AND ISSUED A "CAMPAIGN", NOT A RECALL ON THE WIRING, THAT WILL COVER CONSUMERS FOR 10 YEARS FROM THE DATE OF ORIGINAL OWNERS PURCHASE OR 100000 MILES. FORD INFORMED ME THAT EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE AWARE THEY WILL NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM UNLESS COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE WIRING OR RELATED SYMPTONS ARE MADE. THIS IS MALICIOUS ACT ON BEHALF OF THE FORD CO TO THEIR CONSUMERS. POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF NOT ISSUING A TRUE RECALL COULD RESULT IN BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING BRIEF LISTING: 1) FIRE RESULTING IN SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH OF OCCUPANTS FROM ARCING WIRES DUES DUE TO BROKEN, CRACKED, AND DAMAGED INSULATION. 2) CRASH RESULTING IN DEATH TO THE OCCUPANTS OF THE VEHICLE AND/OR OTHER VEHICLE(S) INVOLVED DUE TO UNEXPECTED STALLING OF VEHICLE ON ROADWAY. 3) CRASH RESULTING IN SEVERE INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE DUE TO UNEXPECTED STALLING OF VEHICLE WHILE BEING OPERATED. TO SUMMARIZE PEOPLE CAN DIE, BE PARALYZED OR SEVERLY INJURED BECAUSE OF FORD'S DESIRE TO SAVE MONEY AND DENY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR MANUFACTURING/ ENGINEERING FLAWS. A SIMPLE "CAMPAIGN" IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AND SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL TO PROTECT THE CONSUMER WHICH COULD EVENTUALLY BECOME INNOCENT VICTIMS. FORD INSTALLED THE INCORRECT WIRING ON THE ASSEMBLY LINE AND TNE AFTER BECOMING AWARE OF THE DEFECT DID THE VERY MINIMUM TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS DEFICIENCY FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR. AUTOMOBILE WIRING SPECIFICATIONS IS NOT NEW TECHNOLOGY AND TO MAKE A MISTAKE OF THAT MAGNITUDE CAN NOT BE OVERLOOKED. *AK

AIR BAG MODULE (DRIVER SIDE) COMPLETELY DETACHED FROM STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE TAKEN CAR TO THREE DEALERSHIPS (FORD) AND NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHAT CAUSE THE VIBRATION INSIDE (FRONT) OF CAR. ON 4-17-04 THE CENTER OF THE AIR MODULE POPPED OUT WHILE DRIVING. LUCKILY THE AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY.TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND THE SCREWS HAD WORK THEIR WAY LOOSE BECAUSE OF THE VIBRATION PROBLEM. SPEAKERS IN CAR SAME SHAPE, PLAY ONE SIDE TODAY AND VICE VERUS.PLEASE ADVICE ON THIS MATTER. THANKS, KATHY HUNDLEY. *AK