NHTSA Complaint #10116722 — 1995 FORD CONTOUR

THE TRANSMISSION ON MY 1995 FORD CONTOUR LOCKED UP SUDDENLY ONE EVENING RECENTLY. TRANS SHOP REBUILT THE TRANS FOR ME. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THEM WITH BAD NEWS. THE BAD NEWS WAS THAT THE MECHANIC REALIZED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE TRANSMISSION WIRING HARNESS BEING DAMAGED. IT WAS DAMAGED IN A WAY THAT THE OWNER OF THE SHOP SAID IT COULD VERY WELL HAVE CAUGHT THE VEHICLE ON FIRE, AND APPARENTLY LED TO THE FAILURE OF THE TRANS (I AM NOT MECAHNIC, SO I CAN ONLY GO WITH WHAT I GATHERED FROM THEM). FORD HAD ISSUED PROGRAM 99M03 WHICH COVERED ENGINE COMPARTMENT WIRING HARNESS FAILURES. THIS PROGRAM WAS FOR 10 YEARS/100K MILES. FORD REFUSES TO TAKE ANY ACTION TOWARDS PAYING FOR THIS REPAIR BECAUSE THE VEHICLE (ALTHOUGH 10 YEARS OLD), HAS EXCEEDED THE MILEAGE (IT HAS 130K MILES). HOWEVER, I DO NOT FEEL THIS HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE MILES DRIVEN, BUT RATHER A POORLY ROUTED WIRING HARNESS. THE HARNESS WAS RUN UNDER THE BATTERY, AND THE SHOP SAYS IT APPEARS AS THOUGH IT WAS EATEN AWAY BY ACID OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. CAN YOU HELP ME GET THROUGH THE ENDLESS RED TAPE AT FORD? THS IS A QUALITY AND SAFETY ISSUE THAT I FEEL REQUIRES BETTER "INVOLVEMENT" FROM FORD. *AK