NHTSA Complaint #10121413 — 2000 FORD CONTOUR

THE DASHBOARD PANEL ON MY 2000 FORD CONTOUR IS WARPED AND BLOCKING THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER VENTS. THIS IN TURN CAUSES POOR VISIBILITY, ESPECIALLY DURING RAINY OR SNOW. I NOTICE THIS PROBLEM IN SEPTEMBER 2002 SHORTLY AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR USED, FROM THE ON-BASE AAFES EXCHANGE CAR DEALERSHIP AT THE US ARMY BASE IN MAINZ-KASTEL, GERMANY. APPARENTLY, WHAT THE CAR DEALER HAD DONE BEFORE I BOUGHT THE CAR WAS TO PUSH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER VENTS DOWN INTO THE MOLDED DASHBOARD PANEL, SO THAT MOLDED DASHBOARD PANEL DID NOT LOOK WARPED. AFTER A COUPLE WEEKS, I NOTICE THAT FRONT WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER VENTS WERE SEPARATING FROM THE MOLDED DASHBOARD PANEL, SO I PUSH THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER VENTS DOWN INTO THE MOLDED DASHBOARD PANEL, AND IT STAYED DOWN FOR A WEEK AND THEN THE VENT WOULD POP-UP. I HAVE SINCE GIVEN UP PUSHING, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD DEFROSTER VENTS DOWN INTO THE MOLDED DASHBOARD PANEL. IN MAY 2005, I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP IN MAINZ, GERMANY THAT HANDLES US SPEC FORD'S, TO SEE WHAT COULD BE DONE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS DEFECTIVE AND THAT THERE WAS AS CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR THIS, BUT IT HAS SINCE EXPIRED. ON MAY 19, 2005, I CONTACT THE FORD BY PHONE (1-800-392-3673) AND WAS INFORMED THAT UNDER THE CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION # 01B78, FORD REPAIRED INSTRUMENT PANEL WARP AGE. THIS NOTIFICATION WAS ISSUED ON JUNE 10, 2002 AND EXPIRED ON AUGUST 31, 2002 FOR THE 2000 FORD CONTOUR CAR THAT I OWNED. SINCE THE NOTIFICATION HAD SINCE EXPIRED, I WAS NOT ELIGIBLE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM REPAIRED AND PAID FOR BY FORD. BY FORD ISSUING CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION # 01B78, THEY HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED, THAT THIS PROBLEM IS A KNOWN DEFECT AND SHOULD REPAIR IT AT NO COST TO THE VEHICLE OWNER, REGARDLESS OF WHEN THE CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION PERIOD EXPIRED.