1995 Ford Contour complaints

CONSUMER STATED DIDN'T RECEIVE A RECALL LETTER, AND MANUFACTURER STATED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS OVER 100,000 MILES, AND WAS NOT COVERED ANY LONGER UNDER THIS RECALL. VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE REAR COIL SPRING FAILED. THIS WAS THE SECOND FAILURE OF THE COIL SPRING AND IT APPEARED TO BE RUSTED. *AK *CB *NLM

THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY IS NOT PERFORMING. SIGNIFICANT HAZE ON THE LENSES HAS REDUCED LIGHT OUTPUT TO DANGEROUSLY LOW LEVELS. PARTS ARE INTEGRAL TO THE AUTOMOBILE [NOT CUSTOMER REPLACEABLE].*AK

ENGINE COOLING FAN CAUGHT FIRE IN 1999 - CAR UNDER WARRANTY AND REPAIRED BY DEALERSHIP. 2 MORE ENGINE COOLING PROBLEMS IN 1999 THE MOST SERIOUS PROBLEM WAS WHEN THE WATER PUMP FAILED. THE ENGINE HAD TO BE REPLACED. IN 2002 THE ENGINE BEGAN OVERHEATING AND WE HAD TO REPLACE THE THERMOSTAT, OTHER PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED WERE REPLACEMENT OF OXYGEN SENSOR AND FUEL PUMP DUE TO LEAKAGE. IN JUNE 2003 CAR OVERHEATING, THE COOLING FAN CONNECTION HAD BECOME DISCONNECTED. IN JULY 2003 CAR OVERHEATING, CHECKED BY MECHANIC WHO NOTED THAT THERE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING, RECOMMENDED DEALERSHIP REPAIR DUE TO COST. ON DAY ONE DEALERSHIP ESTIMATED COST OF WATER PUMP REPLACEMENT $380.00. DAY TWO DEALERSHIP CALLS - HEAD GASKET BLOWN AND FAN BELT WORN BILL NOW $1100.00. DAY THREE DEALERSHIP CALLS - ONE OF THE OXYGEN SENSORS AND ANOTHER PART NEEDS REPLACING AN ADDITIONAL $300-400.00. TOTAL BILL $1600.00. *JB

I HAVE A 1995 FORD CONTOUR AND RECENTLY HAD IT IN THE GARAGE TO HAVE SOME TRANSMISSION WORK DONE. WHEN I PICKED THE CAR UP THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE CAR WAS A SAFETY HAZARD AS MOST OF THE UNDER HOOD WIRING HARNESSES WERE FAULTY. THE INSULATION OM THE WIRES WERE CRACKING AND IN SOME CASES BARE WIRES WERE EXPOSED. I HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF ANY RECALL'S ON THE CONDITION HAVE I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE.*AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING VEHICLE WILL STALL, AND IT WILL BE HARD FOR THE CONSUMER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME THE DEFECT WITH ITS FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY AS STATED IN RECALL 94 V 203 000, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE VEHICLE IS LEAKING GAS FROM THE FUEL FILLER NECK. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK

MY CAR STALLED ON ME BACK IN MARCH OF THIS YEAR, AND WHEN IT WAS LOOKED AT A GARAGE, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A FAULTY ENGINE WIRING HARNESS ON MY 1995 FORD CONTOUR. I LOOKED AROUND ON THE INTERNET, AND SAW THAT THERE WAS INDEED A RECALL ON THIS SAME HARNESS. I NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE FROM FORD ABOUT IT. I CONTACTED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER, AND THEY VERIFIED THAT THERE WAS INDEED A RECALL ON IT, AND TO BRING IT IN TO HAVE THE WORK DONE. I THEN HAD THE CAR TOWED THERE TO HAVE IT FIXED. AFTER THEY HAD IT FOR ABOUT THREE OR FOUR DAYS, I WENT BACK TO CHECK ON IT, AND THEY SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T WORK ON IT, BECAUSE IT WAS FIVE THOUSAND MILES OVER THEIR "RECALL WARRANTY". I HAD THE CAR TOWED BACK HOME, AND CALLED FORD THEMSELVES. I GOT THE SAME RUNAROUND FROM THEM ALSO. I NOTIFIED THEM THAT I NEVER RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE ON IT, AND THEY BASICALLY TOLD ME SORRY, IT WASN'T THEIR FAULT. I HAVE FOUND SEVERAL MESSAGE BOARDS ON THE INTERNET, THAT PEOPLE COMPLAIN OF THE SAME PROBLEM, AND IT SEEMS THAT FORD, KNOWING THERE IS A SAFETY PROBLEM WITH IT, SHOULD FIX IT NO MATTER WHAT. THE WIRING HARNESS ON THE CAR IS COMPLETELY BURNED THROUGH, AND MOST ALL OF THE WIRES ARE BARE, AND EXPOSED. I WAS TOLD FROM A DEALERSHIP, THAT IF I WANTED TO HAVE THE WORK DONE MYSELF, THE HARNESS WOULD COST AROUND $1200, JUST FOR THE PART. I FOUND THIS WEBSITE, AND WAS HOPING, MAYBE I COULD GET SOMEONE TO HELP ME OUT IN GETTING FORD TO FIX A KNOWN PROBLEM ON THEIR VEHICLE. THANK YOU. *JB

RECALL PROBLEM WITH FORD/CONTOUR, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V367000. *AK

THE VEHICLES SHIFT INDICATOR WAS NOT VISIBLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *NLM

THE VEHICLES GAS TANK WAS LEAKING FUEL. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL WAS SEEPING FROM THE WELD AT THE FILLER PIPE OPENING. RELATED RECALLS 94V203000, 95V228000 AND 94V184000, CONSUMER'S V.I.N. IS NOT INCLUDED. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL SPEED, THE ENGINE OVER HEATED AND THE PLASTIC WATER PUMP DISINTEGRATED. *JB

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SEVERE STEERING PROBLEM DUE TO A BROKEN SPRING. MECHANIC FOUND ALL FOUR SPRINGS WERE BROKEN. THE MECHANIC STATED ALL FOUR SPRINGS APPEARED TO HAVE BEEN BROKEN FOR A LONG TIME. THE CAR IS ONLY USED ON PAVED ROADS. *JB

I OWN A 1995 FORD CONTOUR THAT QUITS WITH NO WARNING, MY SON HAS HAD IT STALL ON THE EXPRESSWAY 8 TO 10 TIMES AND THE FORD DEALERS KEEP REPLACING THINGS, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO HAVE A CAR THAT WILL JUST STALL OUT AT ANY TIME. WHAT CAN I DO. *NLM

SEAT BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT. ESPECIALLY THE ONES IN THE BACK SEAT. *NLM

CAR IDLES VERY ROUGHLY. HAD THE IDLER PULLEY REPLACED 3 TIMES WITHIN 1 1/2 YEARS. *NLM

GAS TANK LEVER INSIDE THE CAR DOES NOT OPERATE. *NLM

TRANSMISSIONS FREEZES AND STOPS THE CAR IMMEDIATELY. *NLM

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AS STATED IN RECALL #98V23300 POWER TRAIN, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. *JB

WHEN THE GEAR WAS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE. *JB

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SYMPTOMS OF THE RECALL ON THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR BECAUSE VIN# WAS NOT INCLUDED. *NLM

THE PROBLEM IS IN THE WIRING HARNESS UNDER THE HOOD. THE OUTER COATING CRACKED CAUSING THE WIRES TO MELT. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM BY FORD MOTOR COMPANY THEY DID A RECALL ON IT --THE RECALL NUMBER IS 99M03. FORD WILL NOT HONOR THE RECALL DUE TO THE FACT THE CAR WAS LISTED AS SALVAGE BUT THE REASONS FOR SALVAGE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE RECALL ISSUE. THE WIRES HAVE WORKED FINE FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS AND THEY ARE THE ORIGINAL WIRES AND HARNESS. *JB

THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED SIMULTANEOUSLY.*JB

CONSUMER SIMULTANEOUSLY PRESSED ON THE GAS AND BRAKE PEDAL.*JB

I HAVE A FORD CONTOUR 1995 MANUFACTURED IN 12/94 I HAVE SOME COMPLAINTS ABOUT MY CAR. THERE ARE SOME RECALLS OUT ON THIS VEHICLE. BUT THERE ARE NOT LIST FOR MY CONTOUR VIN # BUT I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS. MY CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE ROBINS FORD DELERSHIP IN GLENOLDEN,PA FOR NOT STARTING. AFTER THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE THEY CALLED ME AND TOLD ME THAT I HAVE A WIRING HARNESS DEFECT THAT CAUSED IT TO SHORT CIRCUIT MY SPARK PLUGS. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE WIRES FOR THIS VEHICLE IS OUT DATED AND FOR HAVE BEEN REPLACING THEM WITH UPDATED WIRES. BUT THEY HAVE NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR MY VIN# BUT IT IS A KNOWN MANUFACTURER DEFECT WITH THIS CAR. I ALSO HAVE SOME PROBLEMS THAT HAVE JUST STARTED THAT FORD HAVE RECALLS ON BUT AGAIN NOT MY SO CALLED VIN#. MY SEAT BELTS ON THIS CAR HAVE BEEN BREAKING OFF AT THE CONNECTION TAB AS WELL AS MY DEFROSTER NOT WORKING. BOTH HAVE RECALLS ON THEM. I ALSO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT OTHER RECALLS THEY HAVE OPEN ON THIS CAR THAT ARE SAFTY HASZERDS ONE FOR WHICH IS A FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY FILLER THAT CAN CAUSE A FLASH FIRE AND A FUEL TANK LEAKAGE THAT CAN CAUSE A FIRE THEY ALSO HAVE A RECALL FOR THEIR AIR BAGS. I HAVE CHILDREN THAT MAKES ME VERY CONCERED ABOUT THEIR SAFTY IN THIS CAR. AND THE LACK OF CONCERN BY THEIR FORD MANUFACTURER. HOW CAN I GET THIS THINGS FIX SO THEIR WILL BE NO ACCIDENTS.

MAKE : FORD MODEL : CONTOUR YEAR : 1995 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 00V367000 RECALL DATE : NOV 03, 2000 COMPONENT: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED : 262559 TERRE HAUTE FORD DEALER(IN) SAYS THEY DON'T KNOW ABOUT THIS, AND WILL NOT PERFORM THIS RECALL.

MECHANIC STATED THAT THEY ARE GETTING SEVERAL VEHICLES WHERE THE WIRING HARNESS INSULATION IS BEING COMPROMISED DUE TO HEAT FROM THE EXHAUST. THE HARNESS IS TOO CLOSE TO THE HEAT SIDE OF MOTOR. ALSO, THE WIRE COATING IS NOT MEETING SPECIFICATIONS AND IS CRUMBLING. TS

CONSUMER NOTICE GAS TANK VENT TUBE BROKE CAUSING A GAS LEAK. REPLACED A YEAR LATER PROBLEM RECCURRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL NOT ENGAGE SECOND GEAR OR OVERDRIVE. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 89000 MILES.

ABRUPT LOSS OF STEERING POWER WHEN DRIVING THROUGH PUDDLES, RECURRING ISSUE. FOUND DESCRIPTION AFTER INTERNET SEARCH (TSB 97-11-2). DATE CITED IS MOST RECENT EVENT. DEALER AND FORD ACKNOWLEDGE ISSUE BUT WILL NOT INSTALL KIT TO PREVENT RECURRENCE AT THEIR EXPENSE.

CAR OVERHEATED. PLASTIC PART ON WATER PUMP BROKE AND MELTED. MECHANICS SAID THEY NEVER HEARD OF A PLASTIC IMPELLER FOR THE WATER PUMP.

WHILE IN MOTION GOING HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WILL DECELERATE AND JERK BACK AND FORTH. *JG *JB

THE WIRE HARNESS HAS EXPOSE WIRES UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. PLEASE FURNISH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. PH

THE WIRE HARNESS HAS EXPOSE WIRES UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. PLEASE FURNISH ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. PH

HAD RECEIVED A NOTICE (00V367000) AND TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. THE MECHANIC REFUSE TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR AND INDICATED NO PARTS WERE AVAILABLE. CONTACTED FORD AND A REPRESENTATIVE WAS SENT. MECHANIC FINALLY INDICATED HAD PARTS FOR REPAIR. ONCE RECALL WAS REPAIRED AND WAS DRIVING, STARTED SMELLING SMOKE. HAD PARKED AND LEFT VEHICLE. NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. RAMEY FORD TAZEWELL VA 24651 PHONE #276 988 2572 TS

CONSUMER TOOK CAR TO FORD DEALER REGARDING RECALLS. DEALER REPAIRED 2 RECALLS BUT STATED THEY WOULD NOT FIX REMAINING BECAUSE CONSUMER HAS DRIVEN VEHICLE 105K MILES SINCE PURCHASE. CONSUMER STATES THE FOLLOWING RECALL REMEDIES WERE REFUSED 95V232000, 94V203000 AND 94V184000. TS

THE ENGINE MOUNT ON THE BELL HOUSING IS WEAKLY MADE, POSSIBLY FRACTURES CAN OCCUR IN THE ALUMINUM. IT WILL BREAK UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE BELL HOUSING IN MY PERSONAL VEHICLE BROKE AND CAUSED A DOMINO EFFECT OF OTHER PROBLEMS.

I PURCHASED CAR 1998 AND NOW I HAD TO GET A ENGINE PUT IN MY CAR. DT

WQHILE TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS

CONSUMER STATES THAT ALL ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WIRE ARE BURNED IN THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, CAUSING DASHBOARD DAMAGE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

THE CAR HAD JUST BEEN TURNED OFF, A FAINT ODOR OF SOMETHING HOT WAS NOTICED BUT FIGURED THE HEATING FAN MOTOR WAS MALFUNCTIONING. APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES LATER, THE BICKNELL FIRE DEPARTMENT AND POLICE DEPARTMENT NOTIFIED US THAT THE CAR'S ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. THE ENTIRE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS ENGULFED AND TOTALLY DESTROYED EVERY THING IN IT. ----DIMS 11 IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS------769736. *AK

CONTOURS HAVE A HISTORY OF HEATER RESISTOR DEFECTS AND I BELIEVE IN MY CAR THIS IS RELATED DAMAGE TO THAT DEFECT. DT

THIS IS THE THIRD SPRING TO BREAK ON THIS VEHICLE....NOT GOOD. MR

PROBLEMS WITH WIRING HARNESS. MR

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE HEAD LIGHTS COVER GETS FOGGED UP,RESULTING IN A DIM REFLECTION FROM THE LIGHTS. CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY.CONTACTED DEALER, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. NLM

CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED WHAT WAS DIAGNOSED AS TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE TRANSMISSION BE SERVICED, SOON AFTER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN PERFORMING POORLY AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS THEN REPLACED ENTIRELY, AFTER LESS THAT 500 MILES THE VEHICLE BEGAN EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, THE ALTERNATOR, BATTERY AND RELAY WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER THERE WAS NO IMPROVEMENT WITH THE VEHICLE, THE DEALER THEN INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE ACTUAL PROBLEM WAS THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS THAT WAS CAUSING ALL THE PROBLEMS AND THAT FORD HAD ISSUED A SECRET WARRANTY REGARDING THE PROBLEM, HOWEVER CONSUMER HAD MISSED THE DEADLINE.*JB

WHILE DRIVING AND WITH NO WARNING HEADLIGHT LENS WILL FOG UP, DISTRACTING CONSUMER'S VIEW, MAKING IT HARD FOR CONSUMER TO SEE DURING NIGHT HOURS. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK CONSUMER STATES BOTH HEADLIGHT LENSES ARE CLOUDED NOT FOGGED AND THE HEADLIGHTS DO NOT SHINE AS BRIGHT, THE HEADLIGHT IS MADE OF PLASTIC NOT GLASS.*JB

GEAR AND INDICATOR DO NOT MATCH. INDICATOR SAYS REVERSE WHEN REALLY DRIVE. ESPECIALLY PROBLEMATIC WHEN OTHERS DRIVE THE CAR! DEALER AND MANUFACTURER INFORMED VIN NOT COVERED UNDER PREVIOUS RECALL 98V-233. SEEMS TO BE AN AWFUL LOT OF VIN NOT COVERED, BUT WITH PROBLEM.*AK

DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR CANNOT BE OPENED FROM INSIDE OF VEHICLE. ALSO, DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW FAILS TO ROLL UP OR DOWN. DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR CAN ONLY BE OPENED FROM INSIDE. CONSUMER AFRAID IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION DRIVER'S SIDE OCCUPANT WOULD BECOME TRAPPED IN VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK