1999 Ford Contour complaints

POSSIBLE STEERING FAILURE, VEHICLE SWERVED FROM SIDE TO SIDE OUT OF CONTROL CAUSING INJURY TO CONSUMER, CONSUMER ALSO SUSPECTS POSSIBLE FIRESTONE TIRE FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL. *SLC

PE-00-020; ORIGINAL EQUIPEMENT ON A 1999, FORD VEHICLE, TIRE SIZE IS BELIEVED TO BE 15 INCHES WIDE, BAND TIRES, DOT NUMBER NOT AVAILABLE, TIRES HAVE 7,873 MILES ON THEM. WHEN DRIVING IN BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS ON ICE AND SNOW, CONSUMER NOTICED NO TIRE TRACTION, WHICH CAUSED POOR VEHICLE CONTORL. *AK

VEHICLE WAS PARKED, AND ONE OF THE DOORS WAS OPENED WHILE TALKING FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES. COURTESY LIGHT FELL DOWN DUE TO FIXTURE OVERHEATING AND BURNING OFF THE FASTENER. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER TO BRING VEHICLE IN. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

BRAKES WERE NOT OPERABLE WHEN APPLIED. PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO FLOOR AND THERE WAS A SQEAKING NOISE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE NOISE. *AK

TOTAL STEERING LOSS,ON SLIGHT CURVED RD. TOTAL RIGHT WHEEL AND EVERYTHING ATTACHED CAME OFF. EVEN THE COLLISION REPAIR SHOP SAID THEY NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I AM SUSAN CANALES AND HAVE MY SON'S POWER OF ATTORNEY HE IS IN THE NAVY AND AT SEA RIGHT NOW THANK YOU. *AK

WHEN BRAKING INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WILL HEAR A METAL TO METAL GRINDING NOISE. MANUFACTURER CLAIMS IT IS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF VEHICLE. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN.*AK

IN THE REAR SEAT THERE IS A BELT THAT DOESN'T RELEASE. THE BELT HAD TO BE CUT AFTER CONSUMER'S CHILD GOT HER HEAD CAUGHT IN THE BELT. IT LOCKED & THERE WAS NO WAY TO RELEASE IT. DEALER IS LOOKING TO SEE IF THIS IS A DEFECT PROBLEM. DEALER CAN FIX IT, BUT THE CONSUMER DOESN'T WANT IT FIXED UNTIL THEY CAN FIND OUT HOW TO RELEASE THE BELT. *AK THE CHILD WAS CAUGHT IN THE BELT STRAP AND WAS CHOCKING IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, BUT THE PARENT CUT THE STRAP WITH KNIFE AND RESCUED THE CHILD. *YH

VEHICLE CUTS OFF WHILE MAKING TURNS AND HESITATES IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

INTERMITTENTLY IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. DEALER HAS REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH, HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED.*AK

SINCE 12-15-99 I HAD COUGAR IN SERVICE 3 TIMES FOR WATER LEAK/ 2 TIMES SHIFT LOCK ,LOCKED DOWN BECAUSE OF BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT REAR BRAKE ELCO NOISE WHEN BACKING UP/ CAR HESITATING AT 50+ MILES AN HOUR /PULLING TO RIGHT WHEN PASSING AND GIVING THE CAR MORE ACCELERATION/CAR IDLING REAL HIGH AND WANTING TO TAKE OFF WHEN YOU FIRST RELEASE THE BRAKE/ THE WINDOWS NOT GOING UP AND DOWN / THE BATTERY EXPLODED/ THE SERVICE WAS TERRIBLE AT GATEWAY THE NOISE IS STILL IN THE REAR WHEELS . THERE IS MORE WHERE THIS CAME FROM THE COUGAR WILL FALL APART/ THE ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION IS A PROBLEM . *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P/215/S0R1 )

DURING VEHICLE COLLISION NEITHER PASSENGER NOR DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. NLM

ON JULY 8, VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING. TOOK TO DEALER THEY SAID IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM. CONSUMER NOTICED PROBLEM AGAIN ON JULY 11 WHEN BACKING OUT OF DRVEWAY AND COMING UP TO A STOP SIGN. CONSUMER LET OFF BRAKE, AND CAR WAS BOUNCING AND VIBRATING. ENTIRE TIRE WAS FLIPPING AROUND. TOWED TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID TIE ROD WAS BROKEN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD CONSUMER COULD HEAR NOISE FROM THE TIRES, AND FRONT TIRES WERE SPLITING ACCROSS THE MIDDLE OF THE TREAD AND SOME OF THE STEEL BELTS ARE STICKING OUT. THE TIRES IN QUESTION ARE FIRESTONE FIREHAWKS GTA'S MADE IN MEXICO P205/60R15 90T M+S AND DOT # V6UN1PH298 *AK

REPEATED STALLING, MISSING & LOSS OF POWER APPEARS MOSTLY WHEN IT'S VERY HOT OUT & CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN A LOT. ROUGH IDLE EVEN UNDER NO LOAD IN NEUTRAL. NO INDICATORS LIGHT EXCEPT DURING STALL WHICH HAPPENS EVEN WITH CLUTCH DEPRESSED. MISSING IS MOST NOTICEABLE DURING ACCELERATION OR STEADY HIGHWAY SPEEDS, EVEN WITH CRUISE ON. CAR SOMETIMES SHAKES AT HIGH SPEED (70MPH). MULTIPLE ALIGNMENTS NEVER SHOW SAME RESULTS. DEALER CAN NEVER DUPLICATE, SAYS I AM DUMPING CLUTCH TO STALL & LOSS OF POWER IS DUE TO A/C. THEY ALSO CLAIM EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR IS DUE TO MY DRIVING HABITS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )

WHEN CONSUMER STEERED TO THE LEFT VEHICLE PULLED MORE THAN INTENDED. DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE & FOUND NOTHING WRONG.*AK THE STEERING PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY BAD FRONT END ALIGNMENT. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. BROKEN MOTOR MOUNT WAS FOUND. THE HEATER FAILED TOO. *YH

THIS CAR HAS BEEN DEFECTIVE SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT 10-2-99 WITH O5 MILES ON IT. I'VE HAD IT IN THE DEALERS SHOP AND THEY AGREE THERE IS A PROBLEM THEY CANNOT SOLVE,BUT NOE THEY WON'T EVEN WORK ON IT ANYMORE AND HAV MADE THE STATEMENT" WE HAVE PUT TOO MUCH MONEY IN IT ALREADY" I'VE SPOKEN TO MANAGERS AND CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY TWICE BY PHONE THE RESPONSE WAS TO GIVE THE DEALER TWO BUSSINESS DAYS TO LET ME KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO.MY LOANER CAR AND APPOINTMENT FOR THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO REVIEW MY CAR IS 7-27-00. THIS CAR IS A LEMON I FEEL SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD, IM AFRAID IT COULD ENDANGER SOMEONE NOT KNOWING WHAT IS EVEN WRONG WITH IT ,WHAT SYSTEM OR ANYTHING. CAN YOU HAVE ANY INPUT IN THIS SITUATION, I HAVE A DISABLED CHILD IN A WHEELCHAIR AND DEPEND SOLELY ON THIS CAR FOR HIS HEALTH AND SPECIALIST APPTS. THIS CAR IS A NESSESSSITY NOT A LUXURY. THANKYOU SINCERELY, VIRGINIA SMITH. NO SAFETY DEFECT DISCUSSED IN SUMMARY. *AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION IN WHICH BOTH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. ESTIMATED SPEED WAS NOT DETERMINED AT THAT TIME. MANUFACTURER NOTIFIED.*AK

DRIVERS SIDE DOOR GLASS EXPLODED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. NOT HIT BY ANY OBJECT. AIR CONDITIONING ON. OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE 80F. LAST DRIVEN 3 HOURS BEFORE. LETTER SENT TO FORD (COPY AVAILABLE ON REQUEST) STATING MY BELIEF THAT GLASS WAS DEFECTIVE. FORD RESPONDED THAT THEY WEREN'T RESPONSIBLE FOR EXPLODING GLASS, THAT IT WAS BETWEEN ME & MY INSURANCE CO. THIS WAS AN ALMOST NEW CAR WHICH WAS NOT EXPOSED TO REPEATED CYCLES OF HOT WEATHER NOR WAS IT HIT BY ANYTHING. I BELIEVE A POTENTIAL PRODUCT DEFECT EXISTS.

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY TIME VEHICLE CUTS OFF WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING, CAUSING LOSS OF ALL POWER. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED WHEN CONSUMER APPROACHED A SPEED OF 60 TO 70 MPH.ALSO, VEHICLE IDLED HIGH WHEN REMOVING FOOT FROM BRAKE. *AK

HORN HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. HORN HAS BEEN REPLACED BY DEALER, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER WOULD FEEL BRAKES RUBBING AND GRINDING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY TURNED THE ROTORS. BUT, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED. *AK

CAR HAS BEEN IN SHOP 1/2 OF TIME OWNED FOR NUMEROUS PROBLEMS. BRAKE SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPLACED IN FIRST TWO WEEKS AND TOOK COMPANY 4 WEEKS TO "ORDER" PADS AND ROTORS. ALIGNMENT IS CONSTANTLY OFF, SINCE DAY CAR WAS PICKED UP. TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE SUPPOSSEDLY,ONE IS AGAIN WEARING INCORRECTLY AND HAS VERY LOUD ROAD NOISE. PAINT WAS BUBBLY, CARPET LAID WRONG, NOW POWER WINDOW MAKES HORRIBLE NOISES GOING UP AND DOWN. CAR HAS BEEN MORE OF A PAIN THAN ANYTHING I EVER BOUGHT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TRAVELLING 70MPH, EXITED OFF THE FREEWAY AND BEGAN TO BRAKE WHEN ENGINE CUT OFF. ALSO, INSTRUMENT LIGHTS CAME ON, AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN. ENGINE TURNED BACK ON, AND WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE. *AK

HIGH PERFORMANCE TIRES PURCHASED WITH THE VEHICLE SLIP AND SLIDE IN THE SNOW BECAUSE IT IS MADE FOR DRY PAVEMENT. YH

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE UNEXPECTEDLY WITHOUT THE OWNER PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

IT TOOK THREE TRIES TO MY DEALER TO GET THIS FIXED. I HAVE A RECEIPT IN THERE HANDWRITING STATING THIS FACT.

LOCAL FORD DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION LINE AND INSTALLED IT WRONG AND DAMAGED IT. HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. HAVE RECEIPT TO PROVE IT

LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT HAS POOR AND INSUFFICIENT LIGHTING, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. *AK

FRONT END DEFECT CAUSES CAR TO EAT TIRES, UNABLE TO ALIGN OR FIX PROBLEM, CURRENTLY DEALER IS ATTEMPTING SOLUTIONS BUT SO FAR NONE FOUND. *AK

A POTENTIALLY LEATHAL CONDITION EXISTS WITH REGARD TO THE CRUISE CONTROL.THIS SYSTEM HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY SINCE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, DESPITE NUMEROUS REPAIRS. ON 9/10/99, DURING HEAVY ACCELERATION(LEFT TURN), THE THROTTLE STUCK WIDE OPEN, ON INVESTIGATION I FOUND THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE CAUGHT ON THE THROTTLE ARM. APPARENTLY ON WOT CONDITIONS, THE CLIP HOLDING THE CABLE TO THE THROTTLE MAKES CONTACT WITH ITS HOUSING DISCONNECTING THE CABLE FROM THE THROTTLE ARM. THE CABLE THEN HANGS LOOSE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CAUSING THE AFORE MENTIONED PROBLEM. FORTUNATELY, THIS IS A MANUAL TRANS. VEHICLE AND I WAS ABLE TO RAPIDLY DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH, AVOIDING ANY SERIOUS INJURY (ALTHOUGH CREATING AN OVER-REV CONDITION).THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPED WITH TRACTION CONTROL. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED OVER 30MPH THERE IS SEVERE VIBRATION IN THE FRONT OF THE CAR. CONTACTED DEALER , AND THEY REPLACED WHEELS, AND TURNED THE ROTORS AND DRUMS IN THE REAR. CAR HAS BEEN REPAIRED 7 TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM. *AK *ML

BOTH FRONT SEAT BELT MECHANISMS FREQUENTLY JAM AND NON-FUNCTIONAL. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I HAVE MANAGED TO FREE THEM WITH TIME AND EFFORT. THE LAST TIME, I WAS UNABLE TO UNJAM THE BELT AND HAD TO LEAVE IT AT THE DEALERSHIP TO BE REPAIRED. DEALER SAYS FORD DOES NOT WARRANTY SEATBELTS AND I WILL HAVE TO PAY THE INEVITABLE NEXT TIME THIS HAPPENS. *AK

I HAVE HAD CAR IN SHOP 4 DIFFERENT TIMES,THEY CHANGED TO ROTORS AND BRAKES THE FIRST TIME AT 3,000 MILES.THEY CLAIM THE ROTORS WERE WARPED FROM THE FACTORY. THE NEXT 2 TIMES THEY CLAIM THE CAR IS FINE,THE LAST TIME ( CAR IS STILL IN THE SHOP SINCE 2/15/00 THIS IS WRITTEN TO YOU 3-09-00) THEY ARE REPLACING THE FRONT ROTORS AND BRAKES AGAIN, THEY SAY THEY ARE REPLACING THE DEFROST SWITCH AND A WIRING HARNESS,THE ENGINE DRIVETRAIN THEY DON'T KNOW???. I HAVE LOST TIME AT WORK AND I DON'T FELL SAFE IN THE CAR. I REFUSE TO TAKE MY "FAMILY" ANYWHERE IN THIS CAR!!!!!.

ENGINE CONTINUALLY STALLING AND EXPERIENCES ROUGH IDLE, NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE PROBLEM. *MJS

VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN REPAIR SHOP FIVE TIMES. WHEN TRAVELING VEHICLE WOULD CUT OFF AT ANY SPEED. THE FIRST TIME AT REPAIR SHOP THEY TOLD CONSUMER THAT IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP. SECOND TIME, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED, THAT THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS WRONG WITH VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE THIRD TIME CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT WAS FUEL PUMP SENSOR. VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY IN REPAIR SHOP. *AK

THE VEHICLE STALLS OVER AND OVER AGAIN WHILE DRIVING. YH

FULL FRONTAL COLLISION WITH A LARGER VEHICLE; REPORTED TO FORD LITIGATION; NO RESPONSE FROM MANUFACTURER. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING; RADIO & INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL SHUT OFF WHEN BLINKER, DOOR & OR OTHER ELECTRONIC COMPONENT USED OR FOR NO REASON AT ALL. ALSO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS W/ ALARM SYSTEM. DEALER UNABLE TO LOCATE SORCE OF PROBLEM, CHANGED RADIO TWICE, ALARM & FUSE BOX ONCE.

BOTH FRONT SEAT BELTS WOULD GET TANGLED UP AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. DEALER NOTIFIED, HAD BOTH BELTS REPLACED ON TWO OCCASIONS, PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING. *AK *ML

BRAKES FAILED AND REPLACED WITHIN THE FIRST MONTH, AFTER REPAIR ACCIDENT OCCURRED DUE TO LACK OF BRAKING ABILITY, DURING COLLISION NO DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG AND THE SEAT BELT CAME LOOSE. *MJS

ONGOING / INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE EXPERIENCING STALLING WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED OF 65-70 MPH. VEHICLE BEEN IN/OUT OF DEALER SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND PROBLEM STILL REOCURRING. *AK

WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED VEHICLE VIBRATES. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE ROTORS.*AK

IGNORE THIS MESSAGE...TESTING THE SERVER. *AK

IN ORDER TO USE THE HORN EXCESSIVE PRESSURE HAS TO BE APPLIED TO MAKE IT WORK. SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT WORK AT ALL. DEALER HAS REPLACED THE CONTACTS AND PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK

I RECENTLY RENTED A 1999 MERCURY CONTOUR AND DROVE IT THROUGH RURAL WESTERN MASS, VERMONT AND NEW HAMPSHIRE BETWEEN DUSK AND DARK, ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS. JUST AFTER DUSK I STOPPED TO REFUEL THE CAR. AT THAT POINT THE OVERHEAD DOME LIGHT TURNED ON, AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF. I DROVE TO THE NEXT REST AREA AND STOPPED TO READ THE OWNER'S MANUAL. IT PROVIDED NO USEFUL INFORMATION ON TURNING OFF THE LIGHT. HOWEVER, WHILE I WAS ALONE IN THE REST AREA READING THE MANUAL IN A CAR LIT UP LIKE A SPOTLIGHT(AND I AM FEMALE), A STRANGE MAN APPROACHED MY CAR FROM BEHIND WITH WHAT I ASSUME WERE BAD INTENTIONS. I THEN DROVE ANOTHER 50 MILES TO A TOTAL OF 7 GAS STATIONS BEFORE I FOUND ONE WITH AN ATTENDANT. HE ALSO HAD NO IDEA HOW TO TURN OFF THE DOME LIGHT. I THEN HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN SPENDING THE NIGHT IN A RENTAL CAR IN A PARKING LIGHT NEAR THE INTERSTATE, OR DRIVNG HOME WITH A LIT DOME LIGHT AND CLOSE TO ZERO VISIBILITY. AS MY LIFE INSURANCE IS PAID UP, I CHOSE OPTION (B.) AND DROVE HOME. IT SEEMS TO ME THAT NHTSA SHOULD REQUIRE CAR MANUFACTURERS, AND ESPECIALLY THIS CAR MANUFACTURER, TO SUPPLY ALL INTERIOR LIGHTS WITH A POSITIVE ON-OFF SWITCH. EITHER THAT, OR SUPPLY LARGE SLEDGE HAMMERS AND A PROMISE OF INDEMNITY FROM CAR RENTAL AGENCIES. PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU WILL DO ABOUT THIS UNSAFE DESIGN FLAW.

WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. HOWEVER, DURING THE COLLISION THE PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER BELT BROKE CAUSING PASSENGER TO HIT THE WINDSHIELD. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING AIRBAG TO HIT PASSENGER IN THE FACE. *YC

INTERMITTENT STALLING; THIS WAS THE FOURTH TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. CONTACTED DEALER , AND HE WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. *AK

DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS WILL NOT RETRACT AND LOCK, CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION. *AK

HORN IS INOPERABLE. THE DEALER HAS INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. *AK