NHTSA Complaint #10086565 — 1999 FORD CONTOUR

I OWN A 1999 FORD CONTOUR. AROUND THANKSGIVING 2003 I NOTICED THAT THE DEFROST VENT ON MY DASH CAME LOSE. NEXT THE DASH STARTED TO CURL UP. THEN THE DASH STARTED TO PULL AWAY FROM THE FRAME. I CAN SEE THE GLUE USED TO HOLD IT TO THE FRAME. THE DASH IS NOW CURLED SO HIGH I CAN'T SEE THE WIPERS & PART OF THE HOOD. I AM FEARFUL PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY. I CALLED MY LOCAL FORD COMPANY IN NV & WAS TOLD ABOUT A RECALL BUT IT EXPIRED. I HAD SEVERAL ESTIMATES DONE & HAVE BEEN TOLD PARTS ALONE ARE APPROX $800 & LABOR AT LEAST $1000. AUGUST 9TH 2004 I CALLED THE WORLDWIDE SERVICE LINE AT FORD & WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOT A RECALL BUT A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM #01B78 THAT RAN FROM AUGUST 2001 THRU AUGUST 31 2002. I NEVER GOT ANYTHING. I TOLD THEM I DIDNT FEEL I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR IT WHEN THEY KNOW FAULTY EQUIPMENT IS IN THE VEHICLE. THEY TOLD ME THE PROGRAM HAD EXPIRED. WHEN I TOLD THEM IN THEIR EYES NO ONE HAS DIED YET SO IT IS NOT SERIOUS ENOUGH TO ISSUE AN ACTUAL RECALL. THE REP ACKNOWLEDGED THIS STATEMENT SAYING I WAS CORRECT, THAT IT WAS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE. I TOLD THEM THEY ARE WRONG, IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE, THE AIRBAG IS UNDER THAT DASH AND COULD DEPLOY. FORDS ONLY ANSWER TO ME WAS TO TAKE IT TO A CERTIFIED FORD DEALER IN MY AREA & HAVE THEM INSPECT IT. A TECH WILL TELL ME THE COST TO FIX. THEN IT WAS REPEATED THAT THE PROGRAM HAS EXPIRED. FORD IS NOT GOING TO DO A RECALL FOR EQUIPMENT THEY KNOW IS FAULTY & THEY ARE NOT GOING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. I AM LEFT WITH AN UNSAFE VEHICLE TO PAY FOR REPAIRS THAT I FEEL I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR IN THE FIRST PLACE. I DONT KNOW HOW MANY COMPLAINTS NEED TO BE MADE IN ORDER FOR A RECALL TO BE ISSUED BUT I HOPE IT DOESN'T TAKE SOMEONE ACTUALLY GETTING SERIOUSLY HURT OR A FATALITY FOR THEM TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.. THANKS LJR