NHTSA Complaint #10080492 — 1999 FORD CONTOUR

THIS IS NOT AN AESTHETIC COMPLAINT AS CLASSIFIED BY FORD MOTOR CORPORATION. DASHBOARD IS PEELING UP FROM BASE OF WINDSHIELD AND OBSTRUCTING DRIVERS VIEW, DEFROST PANEL IS NOW DISLODGED FROM DASHBOARD AND CREATING ADDITIONAL OBSTRUCTION OF DRIVER'S VIEW AND RENDERED NON FUNCTIONAL. THE RECESSION OF THE DASHBOARD IS NOW SEPARATING FROM THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT SECTION OF THE DASH. I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW AND HAVE BEEN THE SOLE OWNER SINCE ITS PURCHASE IN JULY 1999 AND HAVE BEEN REFUSED ASSISTANCE. I CONTACTED FIRST THE FORD DEALERSHIP FROM WHICH I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS IN FACT A RECALL ON THIS ITEM AND HAD SINCE EXPIRED AND WAS DIRECTED TO CALL FORD MOTOR CORPORATION DIRECTLY FOR FURTHER ASSISTANCE. I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL. THE THREE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES THAT I HAVE SPOKEN TO OVER THE PAST 24-30 MONTHS EACH CONFIRMED THE RECALL AND NOTED 1) SINCE IT WAS CLASSIFIED AS AN AESTHETIC PROBLEM IT HAD AN EXPIRATION DATE ATTACHED IT AND 2) IT WAS SENT TO THE DEALERSHIPS TO EXPEDITE ON VEHICLES THAT CAME IN FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE VISITS. AGAIN, I WAS NOT NOTIFIED FROM EITHER THE DEALERSHIP AT THE TIME OF MY SERVICE VISITS OR FORD MOTOR CORPORATION WHEN THE RECALL WAS INITIATED. I HAVE REQUESTED SECOND OPINIONS FROM OUTSIDE SOURCES THAT ARE FORD CERTIFIED IN BODY REPAIR AND EACH NOTED THE RAMIFICATIONS OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE WITHOUT THE MANUFACTURER DEFECT CORRECTED IS AND NOT LIMITED TO A SPONTANEOUS DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG AND A RESULT OF A POTENTIALLY FATAL ACCIDENT FOR THE DRIVER, PASSENGERS, AND NOT EXCLUDING OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD THAT COULD INADVERTENTLY BE INVOLVED. IN MY RESEARCH OF THIS SITUATION I HAVE FOUND COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE WITH SIMILAR RESPONSES SINCE 2001.*AK