1996 Ford Contour Exterior lighting Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PLUG ON THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH OVERHEATED AND MELTED THE WIRE IN THE PLUG. HE HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY EVERY TIME HE GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT CAUSED A FAILURE WITHIN THE PARKING LIGHTS. THE PLUG AND HEADLIGHT SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE FOUND RECALL 99V103000 ONLINE AND WAS TOLD BY BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED TO-DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 183,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 180,000.

NHTSA ID

10298277

Incident

Nov 16, 2009

Mileage

180,000 mi

I OWN A 1996 FORD CONTOUR [XXX] THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS WENT OUT ON. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS ITEM (RECALL 99S14) BACK IN 1999. UPON BRINGING THE CAR INTO AN BROOKDALE FORD (BROOKLYN CENTER, MN), THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE IT DID NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE. I THEN CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS ALREADY FIXED ON MY CAR (EVEN THOUGH I NEVER BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR THIS SERVICE). THEY REFUSED TO HELP. EVEN IF THE RECALL WAS FIXED ON MY CAR, THE FACT THAT THE SAME TWO PARTS OF MY CAR (INSTRUMENT PANEL AND TAIL LIGHTS) FAILED, TELLS ME THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT DONE CORRECTLY.*AK *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10110741

Incident

Feb 15, 2005

Mileage

105,900 mi

CAR STALLS WHEN PARALLEL PARKING, ESPECIALLY IN REVERSE, OR WHEN PARKING SLOPES. CAR STALLED WHEN STARTING UP FROM RED LIGHT IN CENTER CITY PHILADELPHIA INTERSECTIONS. HEADLAMPS OUT OF ALIGNMENT (DON'T SHINE DOWN ONTO ROAD, BEAMS NOT CENTERED). AIR BAG LIGHT ON CONTROL PANELS BLINKS SPORADICALLY, FREQUENTLY; ANXIETY THAT AIR BAG WILL DEPLOY WHILE DRIVING. DEALER COMMENT ON STALLING: "PROBABLY SOMETHING STUPID" AND WASN'T ABLE TO FIX PROBLEM, MENTIONED SOMETHING ABOUT A VACUUM TUBE. DEALER CHARGED $95 TO TELL ME THAT THE MEMORY IN THE VEHICLE DIDN'T GIVE ANY CODES FOR THE STALLING OR AIR BAG PROBLEMS, THEN ADDED THAT THE MEMORY IS WIPED CLEAN EVERY TIME THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. QUESTION: IF THEY KNOW THAT ABOUT THE CAR IN THE FIRST PLACE, WHY CHARGE THE CUSTOMER FOR A POINTLESS DIAGNOSTIC? HEADLIGHTS STILL OUT OF ALIGNMENT AFTER HAVING BEEN "ADJUSTED" BY DEALER IN JANUARY 2005. *NM

NHTSA ID

10107781

Incident

Aug 11, 2004

Mileage

66,000 mi

PROBLEMS WITH 1996 FORD CONTOUR FRONT BRAKES, TRANSMISSION, FUSE BOX, HEATER BLOWER MOTOR, ELECTRICAL AND STEERING AND SUSPENSION. *MR FOR THE SECOND TIME, THE VEHICLE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES MAKING A LOUD RUBBING SOUND, THE STABILIZER BAR WAS REPLACED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING, WATER WAS INSIDE OF THE HEADLIGHT SEALS, WHICH MADE THE LIGHTS VERY DIM, THE SELECTOR MODE SWITCH ON THE HEATER MOTOR BLOWER DID NOT WORK PROPERLY, WHICH MADE THE HEAT NOT WORK AT A 100%. THE UPPER BALL JOINTS, RACK AND PINION AND WHEEL BEARING WERE ALL DEFECTIVE. *JB *NM

NHTSA ID

10048678

HEADLIGHTS ARE INOPERTIVE, CAUSING IMPAIRED VISION. DEALER STATES HEADLIGHT SWITCH HAS MELTED, CAUSING ALL LIGHTS TO FAIL.*AK

NHTSA ID

10037654

Incident

Aug 19, 2003

HEADLIGHT LENSES ARE SO CLOUDY THAT IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO SEE ON LOW BEAMS.HAS BEEN EVIDENT SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN '1999.*AK

NHTSA ID

10030714

Incident

Jun 12, 1999

WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE ON THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. *AK

NHTSA ID

10024372

Mileage

60,000 mi

THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE TAIL LIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHT TO GO OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RECALL ONCE FOR THIS PROBLEM AND REPAIRED BUT THE PROBLEM HAS REOCURRED. MANUFACTURER STATED SINCE THE RECALL WAS REPAIRED ONCE, THEY WILL NOT REPAIR IT AGAIN FREE OF CHARGE. *PH *NLM

NHTSA ID

10004296

Incident

Jan 21, 2003

Mileage

92,000 mi

HEADLIGHT SWITCH TERMINALS AND WIRING HARNESS TERMINALS EXPERIENCED HEAT DAMAGE. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, TAIL LIGHTS AND PARKING LIGHTS FAILED. ROBIN FORD DEALER, 100 N. MCDADE BLVD, GLENOLDEN, PA INDICATED THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM ON THE 96 FORD CONTOUR BUT MY VIN DOES NOT APPLY TO THE RECALL. MY VIN IS [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10000197

Incident

Dec 15, 2002

Mileage

110,000 mi

THE FRONT HEAD LAMPS TO MY CONTOUR HAVE CLOUDED OVER (ON THE INSIDE) AND DO NOT ALLOW THE LAMPS TO PUT OUT MUCH LIGHT. THIS IS A PRETTY BAD SAFETY HAZARD IN THE EVENING. IT HAS BEEN GETTING WORSE OVER THE PAST YEAR OR TWO - TO WHERE I NEED TO REPLACE THEM. THE DEALER NOTED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM CAUSED BY A HEAD LAMP SEAL FAILURE, BUT IT WAS NOT A WARRANTY OR RECALL ISSUE. COST IS $250 FOR PARTS PLUS LABOR. IF THIS IS A KNOWN SAFETY ISSUE FOR FORD SERVICE STAFF, WHY IS IT IGNORED BY FORD? YOUR DATABASE SHOWS OTHER COMPLAINTS OF THIS ISSUE. DT

NHTSA ID

770729

Incident

Feb 1, 2000

THE TURN SIGNALS DO NOT FLASH AND THE STEARING WHEEL COLUMN SMOKES WHEN THE FLASHER IS IN PLACE. MR

NHTSA ID

768500

Incident

Jan 6, 2002

MULTI-FUNCTION TURN SIGNAL SWITCH IN THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED AND CAUSED BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL. THE PART # IS: SW-5042.*AK

NHTSA ID

763060

Incident

Apr 13, 2002

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALER TO HAVE REPAIRS, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN THEIR COMPUTER TO HAVE THIS WORK DONE, CONSUMER HAS PAID FOR THE REPAIRS. (99V10300) *YH

NHTSA ID

564659

CONSUMER STATES RECEIVED RECALL 99V103000 NOTIFICATION. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED OTHER RECALLS, BUT INFORMED CONSUMER PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO REPAIR HEADLIGHT SWITCH RECALL, AND HE SHOULD RETURN IN 7 DAYS. WHEN CONSUMER RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP HE WAS INFORMED THAT VEHICLE HAD ALREADY BEEN SERVICED FOR THIS RECALL, AND ANY WORK WOULD BE PERFORMED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION / DOCUMENTATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8000657

Incident

Oct 23, 2001

WHEN THE LIGHT SWITCH IS TURNED TO PARK LIGHTS, NONE OF THE PARK LIGHTS WORK--FRONT OR BACK, LEFT OR RIGHT. ADDITIONALLY, THE DASH LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. WHEN THE LIGHT SWITCH IS TURNED TO HEAD LIGHTS, ONLY THE HEADLIGHTS AND BRIGHT LIGHTS WORK--THERE ARE NOT TAIL LIGHTS OR DASH LIGHTS. ALL OTHER LIGHTS WORK, SUCH AS THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS. THIS OCCURED DURING THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING THROUGH KANSAS CITY. WE COULD NOT SEE OUR SPEEDOMETER, AND CARS APPROACHING FROM THE REAR COULD NOT SEE US UNTIL THEY APPROACHED AND THEIR LIGHTS SHOWN ON OUR CAR--VERY DANGEROUS.*AK

NHTSA ID

755018

Incident

Oct 24, 2001

CONSUMER STATED THAT INSTRUMENT PANELS WERE INOPERATIVE, CONSUMER'S RECEIVED SAFETY RECALL 99S14 REGARDING INSTRUMENT LIGHT FAILURE, CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE AND RECALL NOTICE TO DEALERSHIP, DEALERSHIP WAS RELUCTANT TO HONOR RECALL, AFTER SPEAKING WITH MANAGEMENT,DEALERSHIP FINALLY HONORED RECALL, WHEN CONSUMER RETURNED HOME WITH VEHICLE, THEY NOTICED A LEAK WHICH RESULTED IN RECALL REPAIR. *TT

NHTSA ID

563734

RECALL 99V103000. REMEDY DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN INSTRUMENT PANEL AND TAIL LIGHTS COMPLETELY WENT OUT. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

885283

THE RIGHT AND LEFT TAIL LIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FAILED. THE TERMINALS ON THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH SHOW SIGNS OF HEAT DAMAGE. THIS IS THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 99V103000 (MFG CAMPAIGN # 99S14) APPLICABLE TO CERTAIN 1995-1998 FORD CONTOUR VEHICLES. THIS RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO MY FORD CONTOUR (VIN # [XXX]) ACCORDING TO TWO FORD DEALERS. THE SYMPTOMS OF THIS RECALL EXACTLY DESCRIBE THE CURRENT SYMPTOMS OF MY FORD CONTOUR AND IT IS QUESTIONABLE AS TO WHY THIS RECALL IS NOT CURRENTLY APPLICABLE TO MY VIN #. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

741513

Incident

Feb 18, 2001

PANEL LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS FAILED, PART (F5RZ-14A411-BA) WAS REPLACED IN 8/99 ACCORDING TO RECALL (99V-103), PART FAILED 1 YEAR AND 5 MONTHS LATER, OWNER WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMIBURSED FOR REPAIRS ON 1/12/01. CJ

NHTSA ID

559406

Incident

Jan 12, 2001

HEADLIGHT COVER TURNED YELLOW IN COLOR, CAUSING POOR VISIBLILITY. *AK

NHTSA ID

879478

BOTH HEADLIGHT LENSES ARE DIRTY DUE TO HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY SEAL FAILURE. NIGHT TIME ILLUMINATION UNSAFE. THIS COMPLAINT IS CONSISTENT WITH OTHER NHTSA CONSUMER COMPLAINTS, ODI ID 864545, 734106, 531407 AND 532479. DEALER STATES THE PROBLEM IS NOT COVERED BY EXTENDED WARRENTY PURCHASED ALONG WITH VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

738770

Incident

Dec 27, 2000

VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR A NINE WEEK PERIOD WAITING FOR THE RECALL COMPONENT PART TO ARRIVE (99V-103). *MJS

NHTSA ID

557807

Incident

Sep 1, 2000

RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 99V103000; TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER LAST YEAR. MECHANIC BARELY LOOKED AT SWITCH & DECLARED OKAY. NOW HAVING PROBLEMS AS RECALL INDICATED. TOOK VEHICLE BACK. INFORMED BY MECHANIC SWITCH JUST SUPPOSE TO BE INSPECTED & NOT REPLACED. RECALL NOTICE INDICATED TO REPLACE SWITCH & THEN INSPECT IT LATER. *AK

NHTSA ID

875165

Incident

Nov 13, 2000

WHILE DRIVING TAIL LIGHTS/ODOMETER LIGHTS, AND PARKING LIGHTS WENT OUT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLETO DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED A SWITCH. CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW WHICH SWITCH, ON NOV 1, 2000 SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. TOOK VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED HEADLIGHT SWITCH, AND A F5RZ14A411 *BA, HEAD LAMP SWITCH.*AK

NHTSA ID

874649

Incident

Mar 23, 1999

RIGHT REAR LIGHT CONTINUED TO GO OUT. REPLACE BULB FEW TIMES. RIGHT WHEEL BEARING HAD TO BE REPLACED. MAJOR FAN BELT REPLACED. ALTERNATOR REPLACED. LIGHT ON RADIO GOES OFF WHEN HEAD LIGHTS TURNED ON. THIS HAPPENED AFTER THEY FIXED MY RECALL FOR LIGHTS. GAS CAP COVER IS VERY HARD TO OPEN. TAKES SEVERAL TIMES TO TRY AND OPEN. WHEN AIR IS ON SMELLS COME THROUGH REALLY STRONG FROM OTHER CARS. OWNER NOTIFICATION RECALLS ARE NOT TAKEN CARE OF UNTIL THEY ACTUALLY HAPPEN. THESE ARE COIL CAN BREAK AND CAR GO DOWN BLOW OUT TIRES. ALSO ELECTRICAL HARNESS CAN BREAK AND WIRES WILL CONNECT WITH OTHER PARTS OF THE CAR AND CAUSE A FIRE. I HAVE SENT A LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT OF FORD AND EXPLAINED HOW I FELT THIS CAR WAS UNSAFE AND IF ANYTHING HAPPENED TO ME OR MY FAMILY THEY WOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE. I NEVER RECEIVED A RESPONSE FROM ANYONE. THEY SHOULD BE MADE TO TAKE BACK ALL CONTOURS AND GIVE US A SAFER CAR FOR US AND OUR FAMILIES TO DRIVE. I AM A SINGLE PARENT AND CANNOT AFFORD TO FINANCE ANOTHER CAR. THEY NEED TO PROVIDE A LOAN AND NEW CAR FOR US. I WILL BE CONTACTING FORD AGAIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO SEE IF THEY WILL HELP WITH TAKING MY CAR BACK AND GIVING ME ANOTHER CAR/LOAN. AS I TOLD THEM IN THE LETTER THEY JUST WANTED TO SELL AND MAKE MONEY THEY DIDN'T THINK OF THE FAMILY AND OR FAMILIES THAT THIS CAR AS IT FELL APART WOULD EFFECT. I APPRECIATE THAT YOU HAVE THIS WEB SITE THAT I CAN VOICE MY CONCERNS,PROBLEMS WITH THE FORD AND FEEL SOMEONE MAY PAY ATTENTION BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT IN THESE CARS AS HAVE BEEN MANY WITH THE TIRE SITUATION. I WILL HELP YOU IN ANY WAY I CAN TO CLEAR UP ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS. I KEEP THE LETTER I SENT FORD IN MY CAR IN CASE SOMETHING HAPPENS SOMEONE WILL BE ABLE TO READ IT AND KNOW I DID TRY TO GET THIS PROBLEM DISSOLVED BEFORE IT WAS TO LATE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP. DEBBIE JENNINGS HEWITT

NHTSA ID

735467

Incident

Jan 1, 1999