1995 Ford Contour Transmission Problems

MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT POSITION INDICATOR MOUNTED ON MY FLOOR CONSOLE HAS DISINTEGRATED OVER TIME, AND NO LONGER EXISTS. THIS FAILURE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED PREVIOUSLY, AND IS DUE TO DEFECTIVE, POOR QUALITY, PLASTIC MATERIAL THAT THE SHIFT INDICATOR IS MADE OF. THE CONSEQUENCE OF THIS FAILURE IS THAT ONE CANNOT DETERMINE WHICH GEAR THE TRANSMISSION IS OPERATING IN, AND CAN CAUSE OVERHEATING OF THE TRANSMISSION AND/OR ENGINE, AND POSSIBLY CAUSE AN AUTO ACCIDENT, OR FIRE. THIS HAS BEEN A RECOGNIZED DEFECT FAILURE AND WAS REPORTED AS A SAFETY RECALL AS EARLY AS 1998. HOWEVER UPON CONTACT WITH THE FORD DEALERSHIP AND ALSO THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY REPRESENTATIVES, THEY DENY THAT MY 1995 CONTOUR IS INCLUDED IN THE SAFETY RECALL. THERE ARE NUMEROUS 1995 CONTOUR VEHICLE OWNER COMPLAINTS FILED WITH THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY ON THIS DENIAL OF SAFETY RECALL APPLICATION BY OTHER 1995 FORD CONTOUR OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT SAME LACK OF SUPPORT THROUGH THE FORD MOTOR CO REPRESENTATIVES. THIS MATERIAL DEFECT IS A GENERIC PROBLEM THAT AFFECTS ALL 1995 CONTOURS, HOWEVER THE FORD REPRESENTATIVES DENY THAT MY VIN IS INCLUDED IN THE SAFETY RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10241345

Incident

Sep 5, 2008

Mileage

36,500 mi

I HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL INCIDENTS WITH THE TRANSMISSION IN MY VEHICLE. AFTER YOU DRIVE THE VEHICLE LONG ENOUGH FOR IT TO WARM UP GOOD, THE TRANSMISSION WILL QUIT PULLING. YOU CAN BE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND IT ACTS AS IF IT JUST KICKS INTO NEUTRAL. YOU CAN PULL OVER AND PUT THE CAR INTO PARK AND THEN INTO DRIVE AGAIN AND IT WILL GO A LITTLE FARTHER BEFORE IT WILL DO IT AGAIN. THE CAR HAS ONLY A LITTLE OVER 70,000 MILES ON IT AND IS NOW BASICALLY JUNK. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL MECHANICS THAT THESE CARS ALL HAVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AND THAT REBUILDING THE TRANSMISSION DOESN'T USUALLY WORK FOR VERY LONG. *TR

NHTSA ID

10199887

Incident

Aug 4, 2007

Mileage

71,000 mi

TL* - THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD CONTOUR. THE SPEEDOMETER WORKS INTERMITTENTLY. SHE STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS CONTATANTLY SKIPPING GEARS, AND DOWNSHIFTS WHEN IT SHOULD CHANGE GEARS. THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL ON BOTH OF THE COMPONENTS THAT ARE FAILING ON HER VEHICLE. POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRASMISSION: LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT-98V233000, AND VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL CABLES-97V225000. THE CONTACT DID NOT KNOW THE CURRENT OR FAILURE MILEAGE BECAUSE THE ODOMETER IS BROKEN.

NHTSA ID

10198766

Incident

Jul 23, 2007

EXPERIENCED TRANSMISSION ISSUES, WITH INTERMITTENT ROUGH SHIFTING AND INTERMITTENT FAILURES TO ENGAGE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. IT MYSTERIOUSLY STARTED TO RUN FINE FOR SEVERAL DAYS. ONE MORNING I DROVE A SHORT DISTANCE FOR AN APPOINTMENT. UPON RETURNING AND STARTING THE CAR I NOTICED SMOKE EXITING THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I TURNED OF THE VEHICLE AND INSPECTED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND I COULD STILL SEE SOME SMOKE COMING FROM THE LEFT-REAR PART OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. AFTER THIS INCIDENT, SEVERAL OF THE VEHICLE'S ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS FAILED, INCLUDING PARK/BRAKE SHIFT INTERLOCK, HEATER FAN, BACKUP LIGHTS, DIRECTIONAL FLASHERS. FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT, THE TRANSMISSION ISSUES HAVE RESUMED. UPON INSPECTION, I NOTICED SEVERAL WIRES HAD CRACKING INSULATION, AND SOME EVEN HAD BARE WIRE EXPOSED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10195519

Incident

Jul 6, 2007

Mileage

141,720 mi

I HAVE A 1995 FORD CONTOUR AND I PAID OVER $16,000.00 FOR IT. I HAVE HAD NOTHING BUT TROUBLE SINCE I GOT THIS CAR. I HAVE 50,888 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED 2 TIMES AND WORKED ON 4 TIMES. WATER PUMP WENT OUT, AIR WENT OUT ALL WIRING COVERS HAS CRUMBLED OFF LEAVING EXPOSED WIRES TO START A FIRE AND MUCH MORE. I HAVE BEEN TREATED LIKE I WAS A CHILD AND DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY. I NOW HAVE A CAR THAT I CAN'T DRIVE BECAUSE IT IS A FIRE HAZARD. I WANT SOMETHING DONE TO MY SATISFACTION. I KNOW THEY QUIT MAKING THE 1995 FORD CONTOUR BECAUSE THERE WERE SO MANY MANUFACTURER PROBLEMS. I AM NOW TOLD THEY CAN'T GET PARTS TO FIX THE CAR AND I CAN'T TRADE IT IN ON ANOTHER ONE. I AM A FEMALE AND I AM TIRED OF THE TREATMENT I'M RECEIVING FROM FORD. MY CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED AT A FORD DEALERSHIP. I HAVE CONTACTED SEVERAL AGENCYS CONCERNING MY PROBLEMS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10188182

Incident

Jun 15, 1997

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 1995 FORD CONTOUR LOCKED UP SUDDENLY ONE EVENING RECENTLY. TRANS SHOP REBUILT THE TRANS FOR ME. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THEM WITH BAD NEWS. THE BAD NEWS WAS THAT THE MECHANIC REALIZED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION WIRING HARNESS BEING DAMAGED. IT WAS DAMAGED IN A WAY THAT THE OWNER OF THE SHOP SAID IT COULD VERY WELL HAVE CAUGHT THE VEHICLE ON FIRE, AND APPARENTLY LED TO THE FAILURE OF THE TRANS (I AM NOT MECAHNIC, SO I CAN ONLY GO WITH WHAT I GATHERED FROM THEM). FORD HAD ISSUED PROGRAM 99M03 WHICH COVERED ENGINE COMPARTMENT WIRING HARNESS FAILURES. THIS PROGRAM WAS FOR 10 YEARS/100K MILES. FORD REFUSES TO TAKE ANY ACTION TOWARDS PAYING FOR THIS REPAIR BECAUSE THE VEHICLE (ALTHOUGH 10 YEARS OLD), HAS EXCEEDED THE MILEAGE (IT HAS 130K MILES). HOWEVER, I DO NOT FEEL THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE MILES DRIVEN, BUT RATHER A POORLY ROUTED WIRING HARNESS. THE HARNESS WAS RUN UNDER THE BATTERY, AND THE SHOP SAYS IT APPEARS AS THOUGH IT WAS EATEN AWAY BY ACID OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. CAN YOU HELP ME GET THROUGH THE ENDLESS RED TAPE AT FORD? THS IS A QUALITY AND SAFETY ISSUE THAT I FEEL REQUIRES BETTER "INVOLVEMENT" FROM FORD. *AK

NHTSA ID

10116722

Incident

Feb 23, 2005

Mileage

130,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED VEHICLE JERKED AND CHANGED GEARS ON ITS OWN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, AND REPLACED IT. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10074143

CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT TRANSMISSION SHIFTING PROBLEM. WHEN HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER, HE WAS SHOWN A RECALL NOTICE, WHICH HE THOUGHT COVERED THIS VEHICLE. BUT WHEN CONSUMER CALLED FORD, HE WAS INFORMED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10065382

Incident

Mar 31, 2004

TRANSMISSION FLOOR SHIFTER CONTROL WAS DAMAGED, AND DID CORRESPOND WITH THE GEAR THAT VEHICLE WAS IN. RECALL 98V233000 WAS ISSUED FOR THIS MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR. BUT, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10063015

Incident

Feb 15, 2004

Mileage

91,000 mi

MY 1995 CONTOUR GL V-6 SEDAN'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED AFTER ONLY 43,000 MILES. AN INTERNAL PUMP WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE REQUIRING THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION. FORD APOLOGIZED BY OFFERED NO COMPENSATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

10059056

Incident

Oct 6, 2003

Mileage

43,000 mi

TRANSMISSIONS FREEZES AND STOPS THE CAR IMMEDIATELY. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10014243

Incident

Mar 28, 2003

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

NHTSA ID

10012116

Incident

Mar 15, 2003

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

NHTSA ID

10012078

Incident

Mar 11, 2003

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.

NHTSA ID

10003321

Incident

Jan 24, 2003

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

NHTSA ID

10003035

Incident

Nov 1, 2000

Mileage

89,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

767399

Incident

Sep 1, 1998

ADVISED BY DEALER THIS COMPONET, THOUGH SUBJECT TO MANUFACTURER'S RECALL FOR IDENTICAL FAILURE WAS NOT ON MY VIN. I MAINTAIN IT WAS A DESIGN DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE REPAIRED/REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER. WITHOUT THE INDICATOR IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KNOW WHICH POSITION YOU ARE IN. IN ADDITION, THERE IS A HAZARD IN THE MODE OF THE FAILURE CAUSING BINDING IN THE SHIFT LEVER, PREVENTING SOME POSITIONS FROM BEING ENGAGED. *AK *JB *DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT OVER TO ARTEMIS*765858

NHTSA ID

10006948

Mileage

55,800 mi

VEHICLE IS EMMITTING NOISES AS IF THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE IS FALLING APART. *JG

NHTSA ID

566874

INTERMITTENTLY UNABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF PARK AFTER STARTING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8013641

Incident

Jul 8, 2002

WHEN SHIFTING GEARS CONSUMER CAN NO LONGER TELL WHAT GEAR VEHICLE IS IN. THERE IS A RECALL 98V232000, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT AFFECTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

8012006

Incident

Jun 1, 2002

FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS, I HAVE MADE EXCUSES, STUCK BY MY CHOICE IN BUYING THE 1995 FORD CONTOUR, BUT IN THE PAST TWO YEARS I HAVE SPENT OVER 6,000 DOLLARS ON REPAIRS, MOST OF WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE WIRING HARNESS HAD BEEN REPLACED AT THE TIME OF THE ORIGINAL RECALL (OCT.99) OR THE MOTOR MOUNTS HAD NOT FAILED. I BELIEVE THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND ELECTRONIC PROBLEMS ARE DIRECTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE MOTOR MOVING AROUND WHEN HITTING POTHOLES OR STOPPING SUDDENLY. THE CAR HAS A PATTERN OF SHUTTING DOWN WITHOUT A PROBLEM SHOWING ON THE COMPUTER ANALYSIS. I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH SENSORS, EVEN BEFORE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I THINK THAT FORD SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS OF REPAIR BILLS.*AK

NHTSA ID

763003

Incident

May 22, 2002

THE EGR VALVE, EGR GAS REGULATOR VALVE WENT BAD. THE SHIFTING SENSOR WENT BAD CAUSING IT TO FEEL LIKE THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING. THE TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE MOUNT BROKE CAUSING THE ENGINE TO VIBRATE VERY BADLY. THE A/C COMPRESSOR LOCKED UP CAUSING THE BELT TO BRAKE AND STRANDING MY WIFE AND 8 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER.

NHTSA ID

762379

Incident

May 28, 2002

THE CORE ALWAYS RUNNING HOT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DAMAGED. *YH

NHTSA ID

565445

Incident

Jul 1, 2000

WHEN SHIFTING TO DRIVE, INDICATOR SHOWS GEAR TO BE IN NEUTRAL. SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN RECALL 98V233000. YET, THIS VEHICLE NOT IN RECALL. *AK *JG

NHTSA ID

8003341

Incident

Jan 24, 2002

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 50MPH ON HIGHWAY AND NOTICED A SMOKE SMELL COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. HE PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK PRIOR TO RECALL 00V367, ENGINE WAS OVERHEATING AND BURNING EXCESS OIL FROM OVERHEATED PISTON RINGS, AFTER RECALL REPAIRS, THERE WAS AN INTERNAL ANTIFREEZE LEAK THAT WAS GOING INTO MOTOR OIL, ENGINE COOLING FANS WERE OPERATING INTERMITTENTLY WHEN ENGINE WAS HOT, DEALER FOUND UPPER RADIATOR HOSE AT WATER PUMP HAD A PINHOLE LEAK, ENGINE COOLING FAN WIRING OVERHEATED AND BURNED OUT AT FAN RELAY AND FAN CONNECTORS, THEN CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 01I009 AND HAD THESE REPAIRS COMPLETED ON VEHICLE, AFTER RECALL REPAIRS, ENGINE AND IN-DASH WIRING OVERHEATED AND BURNED, DEALER INSTALLED RECALL PARTS FOR BLOWER MOTOR AGAIN, CONSUMER LATER INFORMED A NEW MOTOR WAS NEEDED DUE TO NO COMPRESSION DUE TO OVERHEATING DAMAGE. THIS TOOK PLACE PRIOR TO VEHICLE FIRE. HEADLIGHT AND TAILLIGHT LENSES REPLACED. OVERDRIVE LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE, SHIFT LEVER INTERNAL SLIDING BEZEL HAD A STRESS CRACK, AT TIMES IT WAS HARD TO GET OUT OF PARK WHEN TEMPERATURE WAS COLD. A/C DID NOT BLOW COLD AIR AND WAS NOISY. FUEL DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN AT TIMES. SPEEDOMETER CABLE WAS REPLACED DUE TO A TICKING NOISE. *JB

NHTSA ID

8002848

Incident

Dec 30, 2001