1999 Ford Contour

THE TAIL LIGHTS BECAME INOPERABLE AFTER FOUR REPLACEMENTS. ALSO, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS DID NOT WORK IN LOW GEAR, AND THE RUNNING LIGHTS MALFUNCTIONED. *AK THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR SPLICE FROM THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH OPENED. (THE RIGHT SIDE TAIL LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE) THE TAIL LIGHTS, FRONT RUNNING LAMPS WERE OUT AGAIN, A FUSE WAS BAD AND FOUND SOME MORE WIRES IN THE TRUNK WIRED INCORRECTLY, THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS AND THE LICENSE PLATE TAIL LIGHTS WORKED INTERMITTENTLY, THERE WAS A WIRING SHORT IN THE HARNESS IN THE COWL AREA, THERE WAS A BLOWN FUSE IN THE EXTERIOR LIGHTING, ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE #33 FUSE WAS FOUND OPEN, THE SUNROOF WAS INOPERATIVE DUE TO A SHORTED MOTOR, BAD DRIVE GEAR AND TWO CABLES. *SC *JB

I RECENTLY BECAME AWARE OF A RECALL THAT OCCURRED IN 2001 ON 1995-1999 FORD CONTOURS, MERCURY MYSTIQUES, AND COUGARS. THE DASHBOARD IN MY 1999 FORD CONTOUR IS TEARING AND A FRIEND OF MINE TOLD ME THERE WAS A RECALL ON IT. SO I DECIDED TO CHECK THE RECALL INFORMATION ON NHTSA'S WEBSITE. INSTEAD I FOUND OTHER DISTURBING INFORMATION. ACCORDING TO A REPORT LISTED, THE BLOWER SWITCH / RESISTOR OVERHEATS AND STARTS OR COULD START A FIRE. IT ALSO STATES THAT "FAILURE OF THE BLOWER SWITCH CAUSES LOSS OF ONE OR MORE BLOWER SPEEDS". HOWEVER, I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED ABOUT NEITHER RECALL. IN JULY 2003, I HAD TO HAVE MY 1999 FORD CONTOUR (BOUGHT BRAND NEW) REPAIRED BECAUSE MY A/C STOPPED WORKING. THE REPAIRS INVOLVED THE WIRING IN THE FUSE PANEL (REPAIRED) AND THE BLOWER / RESISTOR WAS REPLACED. THE COST: $60.00 (TECHNICIAN HOOKED CAR TO A MACHINE TO DIAGNOSE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYING ON, PARTS & LABOR) AND $187.40 (A/C PROBLEM, PART $7.40 AND LABOR $180.00). I WAS NEVER INFORMED BY THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT (LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP) THAT THERE HAD EVEN BEEN A RECALL. WILL I BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS MISHAP? *JB

I BOUGHT A 1999 FORD CONTOUR ON 9-23-00 . I HAD THE ALTERNATOR REPLACED JUNE OF 2004 . NOW , EVERY TIME YOU LET OFF THE GAS , THE CAR STALLS OUT. DUE TO THIS PROBLEM I HAVE BEEN STALLED OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF VERY HEAVY TRAFFIC , LARGE INTERSECTIONS , RAILROAD CROSSINGS , AND MAKING LEFT TURNS WITH ON COMMING TRAFFIC . I MUST DRIVE THIS CAR , BECAUSE IT IS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. I HAVE PUT THIS CAR IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES SINCE LAST JUNE . ONE OF THE SHOPS WAS THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. THEY KEPT MY CAR FOR A MONTH , SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT , AND FOR ME TO COME GET IT. ALSO , I AM STILL MAKING PAYMENTS ON A CAR THAT I CAN NOT DRIVE, AND NO ONE IS ABLE TO REPAIR!

I HAVE NORMAL USE ON MY CAR AND ON JULY 26, 2004 MY AIR BAG LIGHT AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON. I READ MY OWNER'S GUIDE TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE AND IT STATED THAT IF THESES PROBLEMS WAS TO OCCUR THAT I NEED IT TO BE SERVICE BY A QUALIFIED TECHNICIAN. I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN ON JULY 27, 2004 TO GET IT SERVICED. I INFORMED FORD THAT I SMELLED A WIRE BURNING, AND THAT I SAW A LITTLE PUFF OF SMOKE ON JULY 26, 2004 THAT CAME FROM UNDER MY DASH BOARD. I WAS INFORMED MY THE FORD DEALERSHIP THAT THEY DID 3 DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON IT AND THEY STILL COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE AIRBAG SYSTEM. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM THAT COULD HAVE ENDED UP DEADLY IF I WAS TO GET INTO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTIONS IN THE CAR. AS FAR AS WHAT IS BEING DONE IS BEYOND ME BECAUSE THEY STILL CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS, AND WHAT PARTS ARE GOING TO BE NEEDED FOR THE REPAIRS ON MY CAR. I WOULD LIKE TO MATTER TO BE INVESTIGATED IMMEDIATELY BEFORE SOMEONE GET HURT, AND THEY DON'T HAVE THEIR AIR BAG SYSTEM NOR EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT SYSTEM WORKING. *AK

I OWN A 1999'CONTOUR THE DASHBOARD HAS CURLED UP AT THE VENT AREA NEAR WINDOW. HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR CO. AND THEY REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT ISSUE. I HAVE CONTACTED PREVIOUS OWNERS AND THEY KNEW NOTHING OF THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM PROVIDED BY FORD. FORD TELLS ME IT WAS A TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE TYPE OF THING . BUT I SEE THAT THEY HAVE ONLY TRIED TO AVOID TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR A FAULTY PRODUCT. I WILL SERIOUSLY CONSIDER NEVER PURCHASING ANOTHER FORD . THIS HAS BEEN MY 4TH FORD THAT I HAVE OWNED AND IT SADDENS ME TO SEE THE POOR RESPONSE FROM FORD ABOUT A POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS PROBLEM. *AK

THE DASH ON MY 1999 FORD CONTOUR GL BEGAN PEELING AWAY MORE THAN TWO YEARS AGO. DESPITE RECEIVING A RECALL LETTER FROM FORD ABOUT THE PROBLEM, I WAS UNABLE TO HAVE IT REPLACED/REPAIRED. ABOUT THE SAME TIME, I STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE RADIO CUTTING OUT. I COULD PUSH IN A CASSETTE THEN REMOVE IT TO GET THE RADIO TO COME BACK ON, BUT NOTHING ELSE WOULD WORK. JUST YESTERDAY I DROVE MY CAR WITH NO PROBLEM...UNTIL I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR, I WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. WHEN I TURN THE KEY TO THE FIRST STOP, THE ACCESSORY POSITION, THE RADIO, LIGHTS, ETC., ALL WORK FINE. WHEN I TURN THE KEY FURTHER, TO START THE CAR OR TO THE SECOND STOP TO POWER OTHER DEVICES (AC, POWER WINDOWS, ETC), IT BEHAVES AS IF THE BATTERY IS DEAD. THE BUZZER (DOOR OPEN, KEYS IN IGNITION) IS VERY FAINT, RADIO DOESN'T WORK, WINDSHIELD WIPERS MOVE ONE VERY SLOW PASS (EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE TURNED OFF), CAN'T GET THE CAR OUT OF "PARK". I HAD THE CAR TOWED HOME, BUT CAN'T AFFORD TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. WILL CALL THE DEALERSHIP, BUT AM NOT HOPEFUL OF GETTING THE CAR FIXED. *AK