Owner-reported complaints naming the visibility system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1995 Ford Contour submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 43 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 43, in the owner's own words
CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO USE THE POWER CONTROL TO ROLL UP THE WINDOWS. CONSUMER HAD TO MANUALLY PUSH THE WINDOW UP TO CLOSE. IT. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
I WAS REAR-ENDED EARLIER THIS YEAR AND TOOK MY CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR BUMPER REPLACEMENT. DEALERSHIP DID NOT INFORM ME THAT FORD DISCONTINUED MY BUMPER MODEL, SO THEY REPAIRED IT INSTEAD OF REPLACING IT -- WITHOUT MY PERMISSION! SILVER PLASTIC STRIP THAT RUNS THROUGH CENTER OF BUMPER WAS RE-INSTALLED AS-IS - CRACKED - SINCE BUMPER WAS NOT BEING MADE ANYMORE AND NEW PART WASN'T AVAILABLE. BOTH HORNS WERE REPLACED, IN SPITE OF RARELY BEING USED. RUBBER WINDOW STRIPS LOOSEN, POP UP EASILY. ONE POWER WINDOW IN REAR CAN ONLY GO DOWN ABOUT 6 INCHES, SQUEAKING TERRIBLY AS IT MOVES DOWN; TOO EXPENSIVE TO FIX. OUTER GAS DOOR RELEASE STICKS. BOTH METHODS OF OPENING THE DOOR (FLOOR LEVER AND TRUNK STRAP) STOPPED WORKING THIS YEAR. PAID FOR REPAIR AT DEALERSHIP, BUT BOTH METHODS STOPPED WORKING AGAIN AFTER A FEW DAYS. I NOW HAVE TO OPEN UP MY TRUNK EVERY TIME I GO TO THE GAS STATION, PULL THE RELEASE STRAP AND RAP LIGHTLY ON THE OUTER DOOR IN ORDER FOR IT TO POP OPEN. I AM SCHEDULED FOR A NEW REPAIR IN A FEW DAYS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR ROUGH IDLE AND STALLING. PROBLEM INVOLVES MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR AND/OR PCM, AND IS DETAILED IN TSB ARTICLE NO. 98-20-7. HAD CONTACTS CLEANED ON RADIATOR TANK AND DRIVER'S DOOR PANEL (BEEPING SIGNAL FOR WHEN DOOR OPENS AND KEY IS LEFT IN IGNITION STOPPED WORKING). HAD COMPLETE TUNE-UP AT DEALERSHIP THIS SUMMER, WITH MILEAGE AT ONLY 40,000. DRIVER'S SIDE SPEAKER WIRE HAS LOOSENED, WITH SOUND DRIFTING IN AND OUT DEPENDING ON BUMPS HIT ON THE ROAD. DRIVER'S DOOR LOCK COLLAPSED INSIDE KEYHOLE. LOCK CYLINDERS ARE ONLY AVAILABLE IN SETS OF FIVE, SO ALL FIVE OF MY LOCK CYLINDERS HAD TO BE REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP. REPLACEMENT CYLINDER ON MY GLOVE COMPARTMENT VIBRATES TOO MUCH WHILE DRIVING. REVERSE LIGHTS STOPPED WORKING. WIRING HAD TO BE REPAIRED. PAINT IS THIN AND SCRATCHES EASILY, EVEN FROM NON-ABRASIVE CONTACT. DRIVER'S WINDOW OPENS ALL THE WAY, SLIDING DOWN AT A QUICK SPEED. VERY INDIFFERENT TREATMENT BY DEALERSHIP.
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.
CONTOURS HAVE A HISTORY OF HEATER RESISTOR DEFECTS AND I BELIEVE IN MY CAR THIS IS RELATED DAMAGE TO THAT DEFECT. DT
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
ENGINE OVERHEATED AND MELTED THE POSITIVE TEMPERATURE INDICATOR DEVICE. FAN MOTOR BEARINGS WERE TOO TIGHT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION.*AK
RECALL 01F127000 REPAIRS ON HEATER BLOWER SWITCH WERE DONE, YET VEHICLE IS STILL OVERHEATING ON A REGULAR BASIS.*AK
THE CORE ALWAYS RUNNING HOT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DAMAGED. *YH
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
WHEN CONSUMER TURNED ON THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS, THE WIPER ASSEMBLY FELL APART, THERE WAS A LOUD GRINDINDG NOISE WHEN SHE TURNED WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON.*AK DURING A RAIN STORM THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER FAILED.*AK. THE DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY HOUSING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*YH
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
WE HAVE EXPERIENCED INTERMITTENT FAILURES OF THE HEATER / AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER OVER THE PAST YEAR. LAST FALL AND WINTER, THE BLOWER WOULD OCCASIONALLY CEASE WORKING FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME, BUT WOULD ALWAYS COME BACK ON IF THE SWITCH POSITION WAS CHANGED (OR OCCASSIONALLY IF THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND THEN TURNED BACK ON). AT THAT POINT, IT WAS CERTAINLY AN ANNOYANCE, BUT NOT A MAJOR PROBLEM. AS TIME PROGRESSED, IT BEGAN TO BECOME MORE DIFFICULT TO GET IT TO COME BACK ON AND WHEN THE CAR WAS IN FOR SERVICE AT CHARLIE WATSON FORD IN LEBANON, OH ON 2/19/2001 (MILEAGE - 100,477), I ASKED THE SERVICE WRITER ABOUT IT. HE INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD TAKE A LOOK AT IT, BUT WHEN I PICKED IT UP, THEY SAID THAT THE BLOWER OPERATED FINE WHENEVER THEY CHECKED IT AND THAT I SHOULD BRING IT BACK WHEN IT WASN'T WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THEM ON 04/09/2001 (MILEAGE - 101,988) WHEN THE BLOWER STOPPED OPERATING AND WOULDN'T RESTART. WHEN I PICKED THE CAR UP, I PAID A $70.00 DIAGNOSTIC FEE AND WAS TOLD THAT ALTHOUGH FORD HAD AN UN-ANNOUNCED CAMPAIGN ON BLOWER FAILURES, MY VEHICLE DIDN'T QUALIFY BECAUSE 1) THE CAMPAIGN DIDN'T COVER VEHICLES OVER 100,000 MILES AND 2) THE WIRING ON OUR CAR FAILED AT THE FUSE BLOCK, NOT AT THE SWITCH. WHEN I PRESSED THEM, THEY INDICATED THAT THEY HAD SPOKEN WITH FORD ABOUT THE MILEAGE BEING JUST OVER 100,000 AND FELT THEY COULD OVERCOME THAT ISSUE BUT FORD WOULD ONLY FIX IT IF THE WIRING FAILURE WAS AT THE SWITCH. THEY QUOTED AN ESTIMATE OF $800.00 TO REPAIR / REPLACE THE WIRING AND FUSE BLOCK. AMAZINGLY, WHEN I GOT BACK INTO THE CAR, THE BLOWER WORKED FINE AND CONTINUED TO FOR ABOUT 6 WEEKS BEFORE WE STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS AGAIN. OVER THE PAST 4 - 6 WEEKS, IT HASN'T OPERATED AT ALL. ADDITIONALLY, I HAVE NOW BEGUN TO EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS WITH THE BLOWER (WORKS ON HIGH SPEED ONLY) ON MY 1998 CONTOUR. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY CONCERN (NO DEFROSTER IN WET/COLD WEATHER). WHY IS FORD NOT BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE? THANKS.*AK
THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW GRINDS WHEN GOING UP, THE GLASS TRACKS ARE UNEVEN GOING UP CAUSING THE REAR EDGES TO COME OUT OF THE TRACK, THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE REGULATOR AND MOTOR 5 TIMES, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS DEFECT IS AN ENGINEERING FLAW, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. NLM
THERE WERE BURNT PLUG WIRES AND A BLOWN IGNITION MODULE. *SLC
CONSUMER COMPLAINED REGARDING HEATER SYSTEM. WHEN HE HAD HEATER ON HIGHEST SETTING, THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL THAT CAME FROM DASHBOARD. SMOKE AND FUMES WERE SO BAD THAT HAD TO STICK HEAD OUT OF VEHICLE. CURRENTLY, HEATER SYSTEM CANNOT BE TURNED ON TO HIGHEST SETTINGS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK
I HAD THE HEATER BLOWER FIXED UNDER WARRANTY ON FEB1,2000. ON NOV 17 2000, I HAD IT REPLACED AGAIN AT MY OWN COST. ON JAN 24, 2001 I HAD IT FIXED AGAIN. THIS TIME I HAD TO REPLACE THE FUSE BOX JUNCTION PANEL AS WELL. THIS HAS BEEN FIXED THREE TIME IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS. EVERYONE I KNOW WHO OWNS A CONTOUR HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM. I DON'T THINK I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A KNOWN DEFECT LIKE THIS. THEY WOULDN'T FIX IT UNDER THE RECALL THE LAST TWO TIMES BECAUSE I HAD OVER 72000 MILES ON IT AND I SPENT OVER 300.00 OF MY MONEY ON IT THE LAST TWO TIMES. THANK YOU FOR YOU TIME
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, AND VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDERS, AND VEHICLE COOLED DOWN. ABOUT 25 MINUTES LATER, THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL INSIDE OF VEHICLE COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. ALSO, ENGINE WAS REPLACED. *AK THE MANUFACTURER HAD ISSUED RECALL NOTICE AND THE VEHICLE WAS FIXED. RECALL # 00V-367. *YH
SERPENTINE BELT NOISY, IDLER PULLEY FLAT WITH FLAT SPOT AND TENSIONER NOT TIGHT. NLM
ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING AND VEHICLE OVERHEATED. ALSO, CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND HEARD A SCREECHING NOISE, AIR CONDITIONER WENT OUT, AND HEATER MOTOR BURNED OUT, THERE WAS NO HEAT. SHE HAS CONTACTED DEALERSHIP. *AK
DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE, AIRCONDITIONER WENT OUT, SMELLED SOMETHING MELTING, SMOKE FROM UNDER HOOD WHEN OPENED, TOLD IT WAS AIR, COULD DRIVE, BLEW 2 HEAD GASKETS DUE TO COOLING SYSTEM NOT WORKING, COST OVER 600$. FAN ONLY RUNS ON HIGH AND LOW. HEATER MOTOR GOING OUT. MANUAL TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING. BACK DOORS SQUEAK REALLY LOUD, AND OIL DON'T WORK. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON ALWAYS. AIRBAG LIGHTS ON ALWAYS. BACK SEAT BELT BROKE. ALTONATOR GOING OUT. RADIATOR LEAKS THEN STOPS, LEAKS THEN STOPS. FAN MAKES A LOUD NOISE WHEN RUNNING.
AIR CONDITIONER, HEATER, AND DEFROSTER WILL NOT WORK, CONSUMER SOMETIMES CAN NOT SEE WHILE DRIVING DUE TO WINDOWS FOGGING UP. *SLC
WHEN TRUNK WAS SHUT REAR PASSENGER'S WINDOW WAS SHATTERED. CONTACTED DEALER ABOUT A RECALL THAT CONSUMER SAW, AND DEALER SAID THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF RECALL. *AK
CONSUMER COULD SMELL BLOWER SWITCHES MELTING WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. NLM
WHILE DRIVING SMELLED AN AWFULL SMELL LIKE WIRES BURNING. BLOWER/ HEATER, AND AIR CONDITIONING STOPPED WORKING. CONSUMER SPOKE TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID THAT IT COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE. *AK
FAN SPEED KNOB STOPPED WORKING, SHORTED OUT BURNED WIRE, WHICH COULD HAVE RESULTED IN POSSIBLE FIRE. *YC
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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