1995 Ford Contour complaints

AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHING BUT DEALER CANNOT LOCATE SHORT.

FUEL TANK REPLACED DUE TO RECALL NOTICE (#95S30), HOWEVER REPLACEMENT TANK FAILED DUE TO SAME DEFECT.

THE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS (TSB) CONTAIN CODES (*TC, *TT ECT.) AT THE END OF EACH SUMMARY WITHOUT EXPLANATIONS. IS THERE A STANDARD FORMAT FOR THESE CODES, AND IF SO WHERE IS IT LOCATED? AND IS IT ACCESSABLE VIA THE INTERNET? I HAVE FOUND TWO TSB'S WHICH MATCH MY EXACT PROBLEM: NHTSA ITEM NUMBERS SB51042 & SB051396, BOTH WITH THE CODE OF *JD AT THE END OF THE SUMMARY. PLEASE ADVISE. THANK YOU.

THE POWER STEERING BELT SLIPS AND LOSES POWER WHENEVER THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN OVER A WATER PUDDLE.

THE PARKING BRAKE STICK AND CAUSES THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS TO FAIL WHEN THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS ARE RESET BY RE-STARTING THE VEHICLE, ON TWO OCCASIONS THE TRACTION CONTROL HAS ACTIVATED, CAUSING SHARP APPLICATION OF THE BRAKES DURING ACCELERATION FOR NO REASON. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURED AT 45 MPH ON THE FREEWAY DRUING A SNOW STORM AND THE SECOND OCCURED AT 25 MPH ON A SIDE ROAD DURING A SNOW STORM. PARKING BRAKE ONLY APPEARS TO STICK IN CASES WHERE THE CAR IS WARM AND SITS FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME IN BELOW FREEZING TEMPS. WITH THE PARKING BRAKE APPLIED. THERE SEEMS TO BE A DIRECT LINK BETWEEN THE PARKING BRAKE STICKING AND THE FAILURE OF THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL. THE FAILURE OF THE ABS AND TRACTION CONTROL HAS HAPPENED ON BETTER THAN THAN FIVE OCCASIONS, THE SLAMMING ON OF THE BRAKES CAUSED BY THE BRAKES STICKING HAS HAPPENED TWICE.

TRACTION CONTROL LIGHT REMAINS ON DESPITE REPLACEMENT OF COMPONENTS BY DEALER. THE LIGHT IS SUPPOSED TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE SYSTEM DOES NOT OPERATE. YET THE SYSTEM DOES OPERATE. THE DEALER RECCOMMENDED REPLACEMENT OF THE HCU UNIT, YET THE ANITLOCK BRAKES WORK OK.

TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 27,800 AND 46 MONTHS. NEITHER FORD OR BOB RIDINGS WILL STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT. I WILL HAVE TO PAY FULL $1,925 FOR NEW TRANSMISSION AND ALL FORD OR DEALER HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT IS SORRY ABOUT THAT.

FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE, MAKING IT HARD TO STEER THE VEHICLE. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN. *AK

TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED DURING NORMAL OPERATIONS. CAR TAKEN TO DEALER. DEALER REPORTED THAT REAR WHEEL ABS SENSORS AND TRACTION CONTROL SWITCH ON DASH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED BY DEALER. UPON RETURN OF CAR TO OWNER TRACTION CONTROL INOPERATIVE LIGHT CAME ON AND ABS INOPERATIVE LIGHT CAME ON. DEALER EXAMINED CAR AND SAID THAT HCU UNIT HAD TO BE REPLACED. CAR RETURNED TO CUSTOMER WHILE PARTS WERE ON ORDER. TRACTION CONTROL AND ABS LIGHTS SUBSEQUENTLY WENT OUT DURING NORMAL OPERATION. SIMILAR OCCURRENCES HAVE PREVIOUSLEY BEEN REPORTED TO NHTSA ON THIS YEAR MAKE AND MODEL

HEATER SWITCH AND WIRING MELTED. *AK

FORD HAS AGREED TO FIX (NOT A RECALL) CARS UNDER WARRANTY. IT'S EXPENSIVE TO FIX AND THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ON CONTOUR/MYSTIQUE AUTOMOBILES. NO DEFEC (S) MENTIONED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK

CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH STEERING AND BRAKES. DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER POWER STEERING GOES OUT AND THE POWER BRAKES FAIL. ALSO, THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATES. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *ML

THIS VEHICLE WAS SUBJECT OF RECALL FOR THROTTLE LINK CABLE. IGNITION/PLUG CABLES ALSO FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER CABLE THAT FAILED FAILED BECAUSE OF A LINK. THIS LEADS TO A QUESTION ABOUT THE OVERALL FITNESS OF CABLES THAT FORD IS USING ON THIS VEHICLE. I'VE NEVER BEFORE HEARD OF A NON-TRAUMATIC FAILURE OF A SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER CABLE AT UNDER 100,000 MILES. I AM NOT SURE OF DATES OR MILEAGE AS SUBMITTED. THIS HAPPENED A WHILE AGO, AND I ONLY SAW NOTIFICATION OF YOUR WEBSITE ON A PUBLIC BUS THIS EVENING (8 FEB). PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND LET ME KNOW IF THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. I'VE LONG SINCE REPLACED THE SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER CABLE AND HAVE LEARNED MY LESSON. NEVER AGAIN WILL I BUY A FORD MOTOR COMPANY PRODUCT. *AK

AIR BAG SYSTEM HAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THEY CANNOT FIND THE PROBLEM, AND IS WAITING FOR THE SYSTEM TO RECODE ITSELF. *AK

RECALL 98V233000.GEAR SHIFT LEVER DOES NOT REGISTER WHICH GEAR VEHICLE WAS IN. DEALER CONTACTED, AND VEHCILE DOES NOT COMPLY TO RECALL. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. REPAIRWORK TO BE DONE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ENGINE BEARING FAILED RESULTING IN COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE.

WHEN TAKEN IN TO DEALERSHIP IT WILL BE 2 WEEKS BEFORE THEY CAN FIX WE HAVE SNOW AND ICE WHICH MAKE DRIVING HAZARDOUS ENOUGH WITHOUT ABS BRAKE SYSTEM LOCKING

THE FRAME UNDERNEATH, BY THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE, IS SHAKING AND RATTLING. DEALER SAYS HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

EACH TIME DEALER WAS CONTACTED, HE INFORMED ME, "THERE WAS NO POINT IN CONTACTING ANYONE BECAUSE THE PROBLEMS WERE 'NO BIG DEAL' ". IT SEEMS AS THOUGH WE HAVE REPLACED A RATHER SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PARTS FOR A CAR THAT IS ONLY THREE YEARS OLD. WHEN WE HAD THE FRONT COIL SPRING REPLACED, THE MECHANIC TOLD US HE'D NEVER SEEN SO MUCH RUST UNDER A 3 YEAR OLD CAR. HE ALSO SAID NEW STRUTS WOULD BE NEEDED ALREADY NEXT YEAR TOO.

AT 37,000 MILES THE HEAD GASKETS ARE BLOWN, CAUSING THE WATER PUMP TO LEAK/ENGINE NOT COOL. HEATER ALSO FAILED TO WORK, HEATER MOTOR REPLACED AT 3,000 MILES. *AK *ML

1: IN COLD WEATHER, PARKING BRAKE WILLN'T RELEASE THUS DRAGS TIRES. 2: CALIPERS DON'T FULLY DISENGAGE; NOTICABLE DRAGGING (WEATHER NOT FACTOR) 3: DEALER RELUCTANT TO ASSIST.

WHEN DRIVING ON WET PAVEMENT AND WATER SPLASHES UNDER THE VEHICLE, THE PULLEY ON THE POWER STEERING SLIPS, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY. WHILE DRIVING AND PARKED SMELLED GAS FUMES. IN ADDITION, THE CONSUMER WENT TO THE GAS STATION TO FILL UP VEHICLE AND THE GAS PUMP CUTS OFF AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS FULL, EVEN WHEN IT WAS NOT. THE DEFECTS DESCRIBED COMPLY WITH RECALL NUMBERS 94V203000 AND 94V184000. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

FRONT AND REAR BRAKE MAKING EXCESSIVE GROANING NOISE. REPEATED REPAIRS HAVE BEEN NESSARY YET THE PROBLEM REMAINS. YH *MJS

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES, THERE IS A NOISE AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DEALER REPLACED BRAKES 5 TIMES. CAUSE UNKNOWN. ALSO PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION, AND THE PASSENGER REAR SEATBELT BUCKLE IS BROKEN WHICH WONT PROTECT THE OCCUPANT IN EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. DAVID RANDOLPH CALLED ON BEHALF OF HIS SISTER MARY HATZELL. PLEASE DIRECT ANY QUESTIONS TO HIM. *AK

CAR WILL NOT START AT ALL I HAVE TAKEN IT TO TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS AND THEY HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT WHAT IS WRONG YET.

WHENEVER VEHICLE IS DRIVEN IN WET CONDITIONS ,WATER WOULD GET ONTO POWER STEERING BELT, CAUSING THE BELT TO SLIP ON THE PULLEY, RESULTING IN POWER STEERING FAILURE. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND MFR IS AWEAR OF DEFECT AND HAS A CORRECTIVE KIT. DEALER REFUSES TO DO REPAIRS UNLESS COST GOES TO CONSUMER.

CAR HAS HAD MULTIPLE RECALLS. EVERYTIME I WENT IN COMPLAINING ABOUT THE CARS COMPLETE SHUTDOWN WHEN WET, I WAS TREATED AS IF I WERE IMAGINING THINGS. EVENTUALLY, A RECALL WAS INITIATED AND THAT PROBLEM WAS FIXED - SEVERAL TIMES. NOW, AT 62000 MILES, ONE DAY I HAVE A TRANSMISSION AND THE NEXT DAY I DON'T. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, WAS COMMISERATED WITH, REASSURED THAT REPAIRS WERE COVERED AS I HAD PURCHASED A 60000 MILE EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH THEY TOLD ME WAS ADDED ON TO THE 6000+ MILES ON THE CAR, WHEN I PURCHASED IT. YET, WHEN I RESEARCH YOUR DATABASE I AM OVERWHELMED BY THE NUMBER OF RECALLS ISSUED ON THIS CAR, SOME OF WHICH I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT, AS WELL AS THE VAST NUMBER OF ENTRIES IN THE DEFECTS INV. DATABASE CONCERNING TRANSMISSIONS, AS WELL AS THE VAST NUMBER OF TRANSMISSION ENTRIES IN YOUR OTHER DATABASES. ADDITIONALLY, WHEN I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, INITIALLY VERY HELPFUL, HAD CAR TOWED...MADE APPOINTMENT, COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY, NOW THEY REFUSE TO HONOR THEIR WORD, STATE CAR "OUT OF WARRANTY" AND IT'S MY PROBLEM. SEEMS AWFUL CONVENIENT TO ME. PLEASE HELP. I AM 100% DISABLED WITH LEFT ANTERIOR FRONTAL LOBE BRAIN DAMAGE FROM AN AUTO ACCIDENT IN 1995. WHEN I PURCHASED THIS CAR(1ST AUTO PURCHASE EVER-IN 1996)THE SALESMAN(WHO WAS LET GO APPROX.3 WEEKS LATER)WALKED ME THROUGH THE PAPERWORK,TOLD ME WHERE TO SIGN & TOLD ME OF HUGE SELLING BONUS FOR HIM. I AM THE VICTIM OF A FAULTY TRANSMISSION, FALSE & MISLEADING SALES TACTICS AS WELL AS T

MADE A LITTLE NOISE AT START-UP/HAD WOBBLY ROUGH FEEL/ CAR HAS BEEN IN SERVICE DEPT. SINCE OCT.21/REQUESTS TO SEE VEHICLE WERE DENIED /SNEAKED IN BEHIND DEALERSHIP TONIGHT AFTER WORK/CAR WAS SUPPOSEDLY BROKEN DOWN FOR INSPECTION &REBUILD /I CRAWLED UNDERNEATH WITH SPOTLIGHT AND THE OILPAN HAS BEEN REMOVED/PHANTOM PARTS CAN'T BE LOCATED ANYWHERE IN U.S. ACCORDING TO SERVICE DEPT./AM TOLD A DIFFERENT STORY EACH WEEK/ CAN ANYONE HELP ME?

THE CONSUMER HAS EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH FRONT AND REAR COIL SPRINGS. FOUR COIL SPRINGS BROKE OFF VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

SENSOR HAS GONE OUT TWICE AND CAR STILL DOES NOT RUN PROPERLY, WAS INFORMED BY SOME MECHANICS THAT THERE'S A PROBLEM WITH EXHAUST, OR MAYBE TRANSMISSION, BECAUSE THERE'S A DELAY IN CHANGING SPEED IF I ACCELERATE OR DECREASE SPEED

HAVE NOT RECIEVED OFTEN REQUESTED TECHNICIANS REPORT ON MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN COSTS AND REPAIR AND ESTIMATED TIME FOR PICKUP

EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT RELEASE, CAUSING THE REAR BRAKES TO PREMATURELY WEAR.*AK *JB

AT AROUND 50,000 MILES, DURING NORMAL USE BY CHILDREN, PLASTIC HOUSING OF CENTER REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE BROKE IN HALF AND INTERNAL BUCKLE COMPONENTS FELL APART. AROUND 59,000 MILES LEFT REAR SEAT BELT BUCKLE ALSO FELL APART IN THE SAME MANNER AS PREVIOUSLY STATED. IF SEAT BELT BUCKLES FALL APART DURING NORMAL USE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN AN ACCIDENT?

WHILE DRIVING AND PRESSING ON THE ACCELERATOR THE VEHICLE DIDN'T FEEL AS THOUGH IT WAS ENGAGING, TRANSMISSION FAILED. CONSUMER PAID $650 FOR REPAIRS. *AK

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND APPLYING THE BRAKE OR GAS PEDAL THE VEHICLE WILL PULL TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE PART THAT HOLDS THE LOWER BALL JOINTS ONTO THE CONTROL ARM BROKE APART. *AK

GOING 40-45MPH TOWARDS A CURB. APPLIED BRAKES, VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP. STEERED TO SIDE OF ROAD. STEERING HARD TO CONTROL. CROSSED MEDIAN & HIT METAL FENCE POLE. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. *AK

ONLY WHEN TURNING RIGHT OVER BUMPY ROAD. 10-20 MPH. THE SUSPENSION(?) MAKES A GRINDING/CHAFFING NOISE.

ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED,FORD DEALER SPENT 2.2 HOURS DIAGNOSTIC TIME, CHARGING $139.00 TO ADVISE ABS MODULE FAILED DUE TO WATER INTRUSION. DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE RECEIVED SEVERAL SIMILAIR COMPAINTS AND EVEN A TECHNICAL BULLETIN ON MANUFACTURING DEFECT. DEALER ADVISED THEY WOULD CHARGE ME ONLY $1277.00, PARTS AND LABOR TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE ABS MODULE. I FEEL THIS TOTALLY THE MANUFACTURERS FAILURE TO DESIGN THE ABS MODULE PROPERLY, TO WITHSTAND NORMAL UNDERHOOD CONDITIONS.PLEASE HELP!

CONSUMER WAS TRYING TO GET THE VEHICLE OUT OF PARK AND THE GEAR WON'T GO INTO DRIVE. HAD TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO NEUTRAL AND PUSH THE VEHICLE BACK SO THAT HE COULD DRIVE THE VEHICLE. DEALER SAID THE GEAR HAD FAILED AND DAMAGED THE TRANSMISSION. TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK *ML

VEHICLE WAS HAVING PROBLEM WITH THE BATTERY. ALSO, THE WIRE THAT IS ATTACHED TO THE HOOD RELEASE CAME APART. CONTACTED DEALER FOR REPAIR, TO REPLACE HOOD CABLE. *AK

ACCELERATOR CABLE FRAYED AT FIRE WALL ALLOWING ACCELERATOR TO SUDDENLY STICK AT FULL THROTTLE.

FRONT COIL SPRING BROKEN.

TIRE WENT FLAT, AND WHILE TRYING TO CHANGE THE TIRE THE PANEL IN WHICH THE JACK PAD IS LOCATED PULLED OUT OF THE BODY WHEN CAR WAS JACKED UP RESULTING IN THE VEHICLE FALLING. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

AFTER TAKING CAR TO TRANSMISSION MECHANIC WE WERE TOLD OF A SEVICE BULLETIN PRETAINING TO THIS PATICULAR FAILED PART. IN BREIF THE BULITEN STATED THAT THE FORWARD GEAR DRUM HAD A FAULTY WELD. WHEN I CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO SERVICE BULLETINS ON THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE.

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING/FAILING TO ENGAGE IN OVERDRIVE. ALSO, LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN IT RAINS.

CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO OPERATE, AND HORN WOULD BLOW WHENEVER CONSUMER MAKES A RIGHT TURN. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

CRUISE CONTROL IS FAILING TO OPERATE, AND WHENEVER CONSUMER MAKES A RIGHT TURN THE HORN WOULD BLOW OUT. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

AIR CONDITIONER'S HIGH LEVEL SWITCH FAILS TO OPERATE; A/C IS SET ON LOW/ MEDIUM SETTING. DEALER NOTIFIED AND REFUSED TO REPAIR UNLESS COST GOED TO CONSUMER. *AK

DRIVER WAS AT TRAFFIC TIE U WHEN A VEHICLE STRUCK THE DRIVER FROM BEHIND, THE TRUCK WAS MOVING AT A HIGHT RATE OF SPEED, PUSHED THE DRIVER INTO A VAN THAT WAS STOPPED IN FRONT AND INTO THE CENTER CEMENT DIVIDE. DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBACK FELL INTO A SEMI-RECLINE POSITION AND THE SEAT SLID BACK, AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, THE SEAT FALLING BACK CAUSED THE DRIVER'S LUMBAR SPINE TO BE INJURED.