2000 Ford Contour

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER IN 2002 IN RESPONSE TO FORD CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 01B78 TO ADDRESS POTENTIAL INSTRUMENT PANEL WARPING. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE WARPING AT THE TIME. THE DEALER ADVISED THERE WAS NO ISSUE AND NO SERVICE WAS REQUIRED. THROUGHOUT THE LAST YEAR, THE WARPING STARTED TO BECOME VISIBLE. EARLIER IN THE MONTH, THE WARPING APPLIED SO MUCH STRESS ON THE VENT COVER THAT THE COVER SNAPPED OUT AND LANDED IN THE FRONT SEATS. THE WARPING INCREASED GREATLY AND VISIBILITY IS REDUCED ON OBJECTS CLOSE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR. *TR

MY 2000 FORD CONTOUR SE STARTING ACTING LIKE THERE WAS NO GAS AT AROUND 1/4 TANK. THIS CONTINUED EVERY TIME MY CAR GOT TO 1/4 TANK. MECHANIC REPLACED FUEL FILTER $54.90 FOR FILTER AND DIAGNOSTIC ON 3/13/07. IT STILL STUTTERING, HESITATED AND NOW WAS STALLING. MECHANIC REPLACED FUEL PUMP $297.22 ON 3/28/07. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AND NOW IT WAS HAPPENING AT 1/2 TANK. ONCE SUMMER HIT, IT WAS WORSE WITH THE A/C. BETWEEN MARCH AND JUNE 2007, MECHANIC REPLACED PUMP ONCE AND FILTER TWICE. ON 6/27/07, CAR STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART, TANK WAS AT 1/2. MECHANIC REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD RUNNER CONTROL UNIT AND THE PROBLEM REMAINED. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED WITH HESITATING AND STALLING ESPECIALLY UPHILL. ON 8/21/07 REPLACED ALL THE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES $234.90. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. MY MECHANIC IS AT HIS WITS END. THE CODE ON THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ALWAYS THE SAME. ON 10/26/07, TOOK THE CAR BACK TO MY MECHANIC WHO HAD TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD RUNNER CONTROL UNIT AGAIN. DECIDED TO TAKE MY CAR TO A DIFFERENT MECHANIC DUE TO MY CURRENT ONE NOT FINDING THE PROBLEM. REPLACED 2 OXYGEN SENSORS THIS WEEK (11/7 AND 11/9) ONE UPSTREAM AND ONE DOWNSTREAM. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME BACK ON ONCE AGAIN. IF THIS IS AN INTAKE MANIFOLD RUNNER CONTROL UNIT PROBLEM THEN EVERYONE THAT HAS HAD FUEL PUMPS REPLACED WILL HAVE TO HAVE THEM REPLACED AGAIN. THIS IS NOT ENJOYABLE SINCE I DRIVE 40 MILES A DAY TO WORK AND HALFWAY THERE I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND WAIT FOR THE CAR TO IDLE DOWN BEFORE I CAN DRIVE AGAIN OR IT WILL STALL. THIS IS NOT SAFE AS THIS HAPPENS WHILE PEOPLE ARE DRIVING AND FOR NO REASON THE CAR STALLS IN MID DRIVE. SOMEONE WILL GET HURT AND THEN THERE WILL BE A RECALL. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE EXCEPT FOR TAKING MY CAR FOR INSPECTION WHICH IT PASSED. TWO DAYS LATER MY CAR STARTS STALLING AND LOSING POWER. IN 9 MONTHS I HAVE SPENT CLOSE TO $1000 TO TRY AND FIX A PROBLEM THAT STILL IS NOT FIXED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD CONTOUR. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH THE STARTER OF THE VEHICLE ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. A FIRE WAS STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP; THEY WERE UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO MALFUNCTION. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 186,887. UPDATED 09/19/07 *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD CONTOUR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 134,112. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,112. WHILE DRIVING 70MPH THE VEHICLE HESITATED A FEW TIMES AND THEN THE ENGINE DIED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AFTER 15 MINUTES. THE DEALER STATED THE FUEL TANK HAD FAILED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 00V350000 (FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER: STORAGE: TANK ASSEMBLY).

THE DASH BOARD IS CURLED UP. THE PROBLEM STARTED IN 2002 AND HAS SLOWLY CONTINUED TO GET WORSE. WE CONTACTED FORD AND THEY SAID THAT THERE WAS A RECALL BUT THAT THE TIME FRAME FOR MAKING A CLAIM HAD EXPIRED. WE DIDN'T PROCEED FURTHER BECAUSE THEY TOLD US IT WOULD COST US $1000 TO FIX. OUR WARRANTY SAID THEY WOULDN'T COVER IT BECAUSE THEY CONSIDERED IT "UPHOLSTERY." WE HAVE JUST LEFT IT. IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IT MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE OVER THE CURLED DASH BOARD. PLUS, IN THE WINTER, THE WINDOW DOESN'T DEFROST PROPERLY, AGAIN MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE. I JUST SAW YOUR WEBSITE ON LINE TODAY, WHICH IS WHY WE DIDN'T CONTACT YOU EARLIER. *TR