1999 Ford Contour Engine problems

Tl*the contact owns a 1999 ford contour. The contact received a letter from the manufacturer stating that the dashboard needed to be replaced. After the replacement was made, the dashboard developed a gap next to the passenger side vent, which over time, caused the vent to sink behind the dashboard. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer (ken gordon ford) and had it repaired. While driving approximately 55 mph under normal conditions, the vehicle overheated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the...

I have a 1999 ford contour I bought it and 6 months later the timing belt went out this cost me $800.00 Out of pocket after the warranty paid their part. Drove it another 3 months when it stalled out and started sputtering I replaced the plugs, wires, ignition control box, and fuel filter and found a hose that had a hole in it from being melted after replacing all of that found the transmission to be leaking and no way to get to it easily. Still ran crappy took it to a garage and was told they could not figure it...

Number 3 spark plug was ejected .Car was towed, and as of this email is being repaired in florida. We were on vacation at the time. Head was removed, and is being repaired. We had to rent a car to get back to pa. Also have to fly back to florida to drive car back to pa. *Tr

1999 Ford contour se sport dashboard peeling. My dashboard started to peel away at approx 60,000 miles. I now have 80,000 miles on my car. I did not receive notice of a recall on this matter, which was apparently a secret. I have owned 3 fords and will never buy another due to the lax customer service and failure to take responsibility for product failure. I have also had all the head gaskets replaced (i am 60 and hardly hot rodding), rear struts and something related to a loud humming sound under the hood that was essential for the car to remain in working order and problems with the key sticking in the ignition and also a fuel pump. *Tr

Check engine light comes on three times for different oxygen sensors. These greatly effect the gas mileage and timing of engine resulting in more expensive repairs. The mechanic stated he has seen a lot of ford contours in with this specific problem. Cost is minimum $250-$450 to replace. *Jb

Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle caught on fire while in gear. A pop noise was heard and smoke came out from under the hood. The front of the vehicle then caught fire. The insurance company deemed the vehicle a total loss and it was never taken to a service dealer. A fire department report was processed.*Ak updated 12/11/06. *Jb

Dt*: the contact stated, while driving 45 mph blue smoke issued from under the hood and from the exhaust pipe. There was also a rattling sound emitting from under the hood. The motor then bogged down and would not accelerate above 20 mph. The vehicle was towed to the service dealer where upon inspection, the service dealer's mechanic determined there was no problem found. On 7/13/06, the vehicle experienced the same events and stalled on the side of the road and was unable to be restarted.

The check engine light in the consumer's vehicle continued to illuminate. The mechanic determined that the catalytic converter needed to be changed. *Ts to date the catalytic converter has been changed 3 times. *Nm

Ford expedition - spark plug blow out (one through cylinder head, 2 coil) 3 total and counting. *Nm

I must replace my intake manifold due to a leak on my 1999 ford windstar. I see that there is a recall on other ford models for that year but it looks like it doesn't apply to windstars. I feel it should be since I have the same problem. Is there anything that can be done about it? *Jb

Nhtsa website confirms 79 similar complaints of ford's known manufacture defects in dashboard assembly is a safety hazard that compromises the occupant/pedestrian saftey: warped dash panel and sprung out front defrost grill obstructs driver's view; loose grill strikes windshield while car in motion and could break it; deflects proper airbag deployment; proper airflow of defrost is deflected; ford knowingly manufactures and sells defective vehicles. Then immediately issues a "customer satisfaction program"...

Dt: the consumer owns a 1999 ford contour that had cracks in the flywheel along the rear area of the motor. There was a ticking noise in the engine. The consumer took the vehicle to an independent transmission shop, who confirmed there was a crack in the flywheel. There was no explanation as to why this failure occurred. Apparently, it was cracking it is near the bolts that hold the flywheel onto the motor. This happened from hole to hole as if it was at a fatigued point. Was replaced at 40,000 kilometers,...

After taking our '99 ford expedition in due to a spark plug shooting out while my husband was driving to lunch we had it repaired of course, $517 dollars later. He lost time at work that day to get it towed and of course we were without our vehicle for a week at our expense. There was a thread repair insert in cylinder #5 spark plug hole done to repair the problem on march 15, 2005. Last thursday sept. 15Th it blew again as my husband was leaving our home with our son. The head needs to be replaced. We are in...

Dt: the consumer could hear the radiator coming on/over and over again. Previously it overheated in june 2004. When the consumer took vehicle to dealer for repairs they changed the thermostat, added more water to the radiator, and something else in the transmission area. When the consumer picked up the vehicle the problem recurred. Afterwards, there was a rattling noise coming from the dashboard. They told her that it was due to a bracket that broke.. Dealer replaced the radio. The consumer stated that...

The egr vacuum sensors and switches on the engine have had to be replaced twice on my 1999 ford explorer - once in 2002 and then again in 2005. Ford is the only maker of these parts and I feel that ford is selling faulty parts - which is extremely dangerous

Well I had the worst experience ever in my life since I bought this car. I had this car repaired so many time I cant start to name off dates. I do know less than 6 months after I bought this car I drove to the beach less than 30 minutes always and it cut off. It started back up, but cut off 4 time before I got home. Next day I had to take it to the dealer to repair it. Since I had this car it has been nothing but a burden. I had to replace the ball joint once before, and as I write this letter it is being done...

1999 V6 contour se. Rh rear spring made by visteon broke from corrosion @ 87k miles. Lh rear spring covered with rust visteon is also maker of front springs that had recall on 95-97my front springs. Poor spring coating design incl. Iron phosphate. Ignition switch failure at 75k miles. Had to be replaced. Top of dashboard was recalled with a kit. Kit did not fix problem -- excessive rattles still exist. I understand that was the intent of recall & ford has no additional kits or plans to replace faulty...

1999 Ford contour, check engine" light came on, car jerking/stalling, took it to local mechanic who could not diagnose problem, then had to have car towed to local ford delaership (key scales ford, lessburg, florida), they kept car for 2 days, charged over $800 to replace the timing belt, attempted to charge an additional $165 to replece spark plugs (service declined, spark plugs replaced by local mechanic for $50), "check engine" light still on, car still jerking/stalling. Afraid to drive car out of immediate...

Vehicle stalled while driving. Driver tried restarted the vehicle five minutes later. Took it to dealer, and mechanic determined that the problem could not be duplicated. *Ak

While driving 30 mph on gravel road vehicle stalled. Consumer managed to pull over and had the vehicle towed. Dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem. *Ak

EXHAUST MANIFOLD RUSTED OUT. *AK

The lower tensioner on my timing belt disintegrated at 49,500 miles, although the manufacturer recommends this not be replaced until at least 90,000 miles. The failure of the lower tensioner caused problems with the upper tensioner, which necessitated replacement of both tensioners and the timing belt. I was charged $455 for these replacements, which should not have been necessary. Had I been driving to work and not noticed the noise the previous weekend, the car would have come to a dead stop in rush hour traffic, and myself and probably at least another 3-4 others would have been killed. *Jb

Vehicle was idling too high. When the vehicle idled too high it also shut off. Consumer took vehicle to several different dealers, and vehicle was diagnosed 2-3 times. Each dealer indicated that it was the cam sensor. Consumer had a new cam sensor installed on 04/19/2004, and it was still doing the same thing, vehicle continued to idle high and then stall. *Ak

Timing belt idler pulley is broken after only 60,000 miles. It has shredded a bit of the lower timing belt cover and causes a whirring noise while the engine is on. This has happened even though the car has been maintained well and driven carefully.

Ford motor corp is aware of a defective valve in it's ford contours with 6 cyl 2.5L engines that causes an oil out and over-pressurized condition. My vehicle experienced this and my mechanic contacted a ford service manager and was told that they are having a silent recall, and each case will be handled on a case by case basis. When I took the car to ford and after keeping it for a week they determined that they would not rectify the problem because I had not received my oil change from them. I had previously...