2000 Ford Contour Problems

DASHBOARD IS DELAMINATING AND PEELING UPWARD INTERFERING WITH AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, DEFROSTERS AND VISIBILITY. FORD HAS ONGOING ISSUES WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER FORD PRODUCTS. I FEEL THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND QUALITY ISSUE. *TR

I HAD JUST GOT ON INTERSTATE WHEN MY CAR STARTED CUTTING OUT. I IMMEDIATELY PUT MY FLASHERS ON & TRIED TO GET IN THE LEFT LANE SO I COULD GET ON SHOULDER OF INTERSTATE BUT CARS WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO GET OVER. MY CAR DIED IN MIDDLE OF INTERSTATE. I CALLED ASAP (A SERVICE IN ALABAMA FOR HELP ON THE INTERSTATE) & TOLD THEM WHERE I WAS & I NEEDED THEM TO BRING ME SOME GAS. THEN A CAR CAME FLYING UP BEHIND ME BUT WAS ABLE TO STOP & DID NOT HIT ME. THEN THE CAR BEHIND HIM HAD STOPPED BUT A TRUCK BEHIND HER WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP. HE HIT HER, SHE HIT THE MAN BEHIND ME AND HE HIT ME. PARAMEDICS WERE CALLED FOR A 4 YEAR OLD IN THE WOMANS CAR WHO SAID HIS HEAD HURT. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF THE CAR BEHIND ME HAD HIT ME AND TURNED MY CAR SIDEWAYS & WAS HIT ON THE SIDE BY ANOTHER CAR, BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS DRIVING WAY TOO FAST AND DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE MY FLASHERS AT ALL. THEY WOULD FLY PAST ME BLOWING THEIR HORNS. DID THEY THINK I WAS STOPPED ON PURPOSE? BELIEVE ME IF I COULD HAVE MADE THE CAR GO I WOULD HAVE. THIS CAR DOES THIS SOMETIMES WHEN ON A 1/4 TANK OF GAS, AND SINCE THIS ACCIDENT IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE. NOW IT DOES IT ON 3/4 TANK. I DO NOT GET ON INTERSTATE ANYMORE. NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO FIND OUT WHY THESE CARS DO THIS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE FUEL TANK WAS HALF FULL, THE ENGINE WOULD HESITATE, LOSE POWER, SURGE AND STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL FILTER WERE REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REFUELING, A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL WAS EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FILLER PIPE GROMMET WAS LEAKING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V350000 (FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 173,000.

DASHBOARD IS DELAMINATING AND PEELING UPWARD INTERFERING WITH AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, DEFROSTERS AND VISIBILITY. FORD HAS ONGOING ISSUES WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER FORD PRODUCTS. I FEEL THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND QUALITY ISSUE. *TR

IN MY WIFES CAR THE DASHBOARD NEAR THE WINDSHIELD IS STARTING TO COME UP ITS RIGHT NEAR THE VENT IN THE CAR IT MAKES DRIVE THE CAR MORE DIFFICULT DUE TO THE DASH IS NOW BLOCK PART OF THE WINDSHIELD I WAS TOLD THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SOME ONE BEFORE AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS LOOKED INTO. *TR

MY 2000 FORD CONTOUR SE STARTING ACTING LIKE THERE WAS NO GAS AT AROUND 1/4 TANK. THIS CONTINUED EVERY TIME MY CAR GOT TO 1/4 TANK. MECHANIC REPLACED FUEL FILTER $54.90 FOR FILTER AND DIAGNOSTIC ON 3/13/07. IT STILL STUTTERING, HESITATED AND NOW WAS STALLING. MECHANIC REPLACED FUEL PUMP $297.22 ON 3/28/07. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AND NOW IT WAS HAPPENING AT 1/2 TANK. ONCE SUMMER HIT, IT WAS WORSE WITH THE A/C. BETWEEN MARCH AND JUNE 2007, MECHANIC REPLACED PUMP ONCE AND FILTER TWICE. ON 6/27/07, CAR STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART, TANK WAS AT 1/2. MECHANIC REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD RUNNER CONTROL UNIT AND THE PROBLEM REMAINED. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED WITH HESITATING AND STALLING ESPECIALLY UPHILL. ON 8/21/07 REPLACED ALL THE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES $234.90. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. MY MECHANIC IS AT HIS WITS END. THE CODE ON THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ALWAYS THE SAME. ON 10/26/07, TOOK THE CAR BACK TO MY MECHANIC WHO HAD TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD RUNNER CONTROL UNIT AGAIN. DECIDED TO TAKE MY CAR TO A DIFFERENT MECHANIC DUE TO MY CURRENT ONE NOT FINDING THE PROBLEM. REPLACED 2 OXYGEN SENSORS THIS WEEK (11/7 AND 11/9) ONE UPSTREAM AND ONE DOWNSTREAM. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME BACK ON ONCE AGAIN. IF THIS IS AN INTAKE MANIFOLD RUNNER CONTROL UNIT PROBLEM THEN EVERYONE THAT HAS HAD FUEL PUMPS REPLACED WILL HAVE TO HAVE THEM REPLACED AGAIN. THIS IS NOT ENJOYABLE SINCE I DRIVE 40 MILES A DAY TO WORK AND HALFWAY THERE I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND WAIT FOR THE CAR TO IDLE DOWN BEFORE I CAN DRIVE AGAIN OR IT WILL STALL. THIS IS NOT SAFE AS THIS HAPPENS WHILE PEOPLE ARE DRIVING AND FOR NO REASON THE CAR STALLS IN MID DRIVE. SOMEONE WILL GET HURT AND THEN THERE WILL BE A RECALL. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE EXCEPT FOR TAKING MY CAR FOR INSPECTION WHICH IT PASSED. TWO DAYS LATER MY CAR STARTS STALLING AND LOSING POWER. IN 9 MONTHS I HAVE SPENT CLOSE TO $1000 TO TRY AND FIX A PROBLEM THAT STILL IS NOT FIXED. *TR

THE DASHBOARD, WHICH WAS ONCE RECALLED, THE RECALL HAS SINCE EXPIRED. IS DELAMINATING OFF THE FOAM , PREVENTING PROPER DEFROSTING OF WINDSHIELD AND HINDERING VIEW OUT OF FRONT WINDOW. THE FUEL PUMP WHICH WAS RECALLED ON OTHER FORD MODELS FOR EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM, FAILS, PREVENTING ACCELERATION ONTO HIGHWAYS. THE WATER PUMP, WHICH IS PLASTIC, DISINTERGRATES IN THE MOTOR.*JB

INSTRUMENT PANEL WARPING, LOOSE BEZEL - THE WARPING MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT PERFORMANCE OF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM AND DOES CREATE LOOSE INSTRUMENT PANEL COMPONENTS (SUCH AS THE DEFROST BEZEL) THAT WAS A PROJECTILE DURING A QUICK STOP AT A RED LIGHT - FOR THOSE READING - I DO INCLUDE PERSONAL INFO - MY NAME IS [XXX] IF YOU COULD HELP WITH INFO RE THIS COMPLAINT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER IN 2002 IN RESPONSE TO FORD CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM 01B78 TO ADDRESS POTENTIAL INSTRUMENT PANEL WARPING. THERE WAS NO VISIBLE WARPING AT THE TIME. THE DEALER ADVISED THERE WAS NO ISSUE AND NO SERVICE WAS REQUIRED. THROUGHOUT THE LAST YEAR, THE WARPING STARTED TO BECOME VISIBLE. EARLIER IN THE MONTH, THE WARPING APPLIED SO MUCH STRESS ON THE VENT COVER THAT THE COVER SNAPPED OUT AND LANDED IN THE FRONT SEATS. THE WARPING INCREASED GREATLY AND VISIBILITY IS REDUCED ON OBJECTS CLOSE TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR. *TR

DASHBOARD IS DELAMINATING AND PEELING UPWARD INTERFERING WITH AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, DEFROSTERS AND VISIBILITY. FORD HAS ONGOING ISSUES WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER FORD PRODUCTS. I FEEL THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND QUALITY ISSUE. *TR

THE DASHBOARD HAS SEPARATED AND CAUSING VISIBILITY PROBLEMS AS WELL AS PROBLEMS WITH THE VENTING SYSTEM. THE DEFROSTER AIR FLOW IS DIVERTED AND ESSENTIALLY USELESS. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAGS COULD NOT DEPLOY IF NEEDED. I ALSO DID NOT GET THE RECALL, FOUND OUT ABOUT IT TOO LATE. LOCAL DEALER SAID CALL FORD. CUSTOMER SERVICE SUGGESTED I GET IT REPAIRED SINCE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BUT THAT THEY WOULD PROVIDE NO HELP AT THIS TIME. SHE SAID REPORTS LIKE THESE ARE WHAT GET THE ENGINEERS TO CONSIDER RECALLS---WHEN?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE TRACTION CONTROL ACTIVATED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE ACTIVATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,800.

MY REAR BRAKES WILL NOT STAY ON MY CAR AND KEEP FALLING OFF INTO THE DRUMS. *TR

WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH DASH INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND THEN STALLED. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. A TECHNICIAN TRACED THE PROBLEM TO THE FUEL TANK. *AK

2000 FORD CONTOUR SE SPORT AUTOMATIC, 64,200 MILES. MY PREGNANT WIFE AND I WERE REAR ENDED BY A MAN IN A FORD CARGO VAN DOING ABOUT 40 MPH, NOT PAYING ATTENTION. CONDITIONS WERE SUNNY AND WARM, ABOUT 1:15 PM. I WAS THE DRIVER AND WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP, WAITING FOR A FORD TAURUS IN FRONT OF ME TO TURN LEFT ONTO A SIDE STREET. DURING THE COLLISION THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS BROKE INTO A RECLINED POSITION (WE BOTH ENDED UP LOOKING AT THE ROOF BECAUSE OF THE SEAT POSITION) WHICH WOULD HAVE CRUSHED THE LEGS OF REAR SEAT PASSENGERS. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT BECAME UNBUCKLED AS WELL. I WAS PUSHED INTO THE TAURUS BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *LA

DASHBOARD WARPED AND SEPARATED FROM THE BODY OF VEHICLE. THIS CAUSED THE DEFROSTER NOT TO WORK PROPERLY AND MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE DRIVER TO JUDGE THE DISTANCE OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HIS VEHICLE. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO EXPERIENCED DELAYED SHIFTING. *AK *NLM

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WOULD NOT START OR WHEN IT DOES, IT IS UNABLE TO SHIFT OUT OF GEAR. ALSO, UNABLE TO REMOVE KEY FROM IGINITION SWITCH AFTER TURNING VEHICLE OFF. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER SHOP ON TWO OCCASIONS, AND INFORMED THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION ON THIS MATTER. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED SEVERAL PROBLEMS OCCURRED TO THE VEHICLE. WHILE DRIVING AT 20MPH, A HUMMING SOUND WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED BOTH RIGHT FRONT AND REAR WHEEL BEARINGS NEEDED REPLACED. THE BRAKE ROTORS ON THE REAR WERE REPLACED 5 TIMES WITHIN A 6 MONTH PERIOD. THE HEATER BLOWER MALFUNCTIONED AND WOULD NOT BLOW HOT AIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WERE THE SENSOR TO THE HEATER BLOWER WAS REPLACED.

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WHEEL. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT WHEEL BEARING WAS DEFECTIVE. *AK

INSURED REPORTS CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DISENGAGE, VEHICLE REPORTEDLY ACCELERATED, AND COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED. DRIVER LOST CONTROL AND STRUCK ANOTHER VEHICLE AND GUARD RAIL. DT

CAR ACCELERATES WHEN SPEED CONTROL "SET" IS APPLIED. *AK

I HAD JUST GOT ON INTERSTATE WHEN MY CAR STARTED CUTTING OUT. I IMMEDIATELY PUT MY FLASHERS ON & TRIED TO GET IN THE LEFT LANE SO I COULD GET ON SHOULDER OF INTERSTATE BUT CARS WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO GET OVER. MY CAR DIED IN MIDDLE OF INTERSTATE. I CALLED ASAP (A SERVICE IN ALABAMA FOR HELP ON THE INTERSTATE) & TOLD THEM WHERE I WAS & I NEEDED THEM TO BRING ME SOME GAS. THEN A CAR CAME FLYING UP BEHIND ME BUT WAS ABLE TO STOP & DID NOT HIT ME. THEN THE CAR BEHIND HIM HAD STOPPED BUT A TRUCK BEHIND HER WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP. HE HIT HER, SHE HIT THE MAN BEHIND ME AND HE HIT ME. PARAMEDICS WERE CALLED FOR A 4 YEAR OLD IN THE WOMANS CAR WHO SAID HIS HEAD HURT. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED IF THE CAR BEHIND ME HAD HIT ME AND TURNED MY CAR SIDEWAYS & WAS HIT ON THE SIDE BY ANOTHER CAR, BECAUSE EVERYONE WAS DRIVING WAY TOO FAST AND DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE MY FLASHERS AT ALL. THEY WOULD FLY PAST ME BLOWING THEIR HORNS. DID THEY THINK I WAS STOPPED ON PURPOSE? BELIEVE ME IF I COULD HAVE MADE THE CAR GO I WOULD HAVE. THIS CAR DOES THIS SOMETIMES WHEN ON A 1/4 TANK OF GAS, AND SINCE THIS ACCIDENT IT HAS GOTTEN WORSE. NOW IT DOES IT ON 3/4 TANK. I DO NOT GET ON INTERSTATE ANYMORE. NO ONE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO FIND OUT WHY THESE CARS DO THIS. *TR

TOP MOUNTED TAIL LIGHT FAILED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, DRIVER'S SEAT BELT BUCKLE RELEASED THE SEAT BELT. CONSUMER SUSTAINED HEAD INJURIES. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

2000 FORD CONTOUR SE SPORT AUTOMATIC, 64,200 MILES. MY PREGNANT WIFE AND I WERE REAR ENDED BY A MAN IN A FORD CARGO VAN DOING ABOUT 40 MPH, NOT PAYING ATTENTION. CONDITIONS WERE SUNNY AND WARM, ABOUT 1:15 PM. I WAS THE DRIVER AND WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP, WAITING FOR A FORD TAURUS IN FRONT OF ME TO TURN LEFT ONTO A SIDE STREET. DURING THE COLLISION THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEATS BROKE INTO A RECLINED POSITION (WE BOTH ENDED UP LOOKING AT THE ROOF BECAUSE OF THE SEAT POSITION) WHICH WOULD HAVE CRUSHED THE LEGS OF REAR SEAT PASSENGERS. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT BECAME UNBUCKLED AS WELL. I WAS PUSHED INTO THE TAURUS BUT THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. *LA

WE OWN A 2000 FORD CONTOUR SE. THE TOP OF THE DASHBOARD NEAR THE WINDSHIELD SEPARATED AND CURLED UP, CAUSING POOR VISIBILITY. I HAVE CHECK FOR A RECALL OR REPORTED OTHER PROBLEMS AN FOUND ONLY A HANDFUL OF COMPLIANTS. WE BELIEVE THIS TO BE A MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT. VISUALLY THE GLUE USED TO SECURE THE DASHBOARD FAILED. WHAT IS OUR NEXT STEP TO FIX THIS PROBLEM? *AK

THE DASHBOARD BECAME DETACHED FROM THE CAR. FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A RECALL AFTER IT HAD EXPIRED. WE WERE NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL. THE CAR IS VERY HARD TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE DASHBOARD IS WARPED AND IS SO HIGH UP IT IS HARD TO SEE OVER. FORD IS A PIECE OF JUNK COMPANY AND WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER FORD VEHICLE AGAIN. THEY ARE A TERRIBLE COMPANY AND WILL NOT DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS OF THEIR CARS. GEE,,,,I WONDER WHY THEY STOPPED MAKING THE CONTOUR????? *JB

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NO COOL AIR COMES FROM DRIVERS SIDE AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR 3000 MILE SERVICE, CONSUMER THEN TOLD DEALER OF PROBLEM WITH AIR CONDITIONER. THEY ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT PROBLEM, BUT WERE UNABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. HEAD QUARTERS IN DETROIT TOLD DEALER TO TAKE OUT THE WHOLE FRONT DASHBOARD. THEY REMOVED THE HEATER ER BOX TRANSFER, STILL COULD NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY GIVEN SPEED AND MAKING A TURN TO LEFT, CAR DOESN'T TURN LEFT. THEN, WHEN TURNING WHEEL SLIGHTLY MORE, VEHICLE WILL MAKE A SHARP TURN TO LEFT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO GET OUT OF THE INTENDED LANE TOWARDS VARIOUS OBJECTS, WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH IF HITTING LEFT WALL OF FREEWAY. TO PREVENT A CRASH, CONSUMER MUST "FORCE" WHEEL TO RIGHT BECAUSE IT WILL NOT CORRECT ITSELF IF JUST LETTING GO. THIS DEFECT OCCURS EVERY TIME CONSUMER TURNS VEHICLE TO LEFT, AND IS ESPECIALLY BAD DURING WET CONDITIONS. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS. *AK