NHTSA Complaint #10151602 — 1995 FORD CONTOUR

FORD "OWNER NOTIFICATION PROGRAM" 99M03 DESCRIBES, AND OFFERS TO FIX FOR FREE, A PROBLEM IN WHICH ENGINE WIRING HARNESS INSULATION ROTS DUE TO CERTAIN ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS. PROGRAM INVOLVES A WARRANTY EXTENSION TO 10 YEARS BEYOND ORIGINAL WARRANTY, OR 100,000 MILES, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. SYMPTOMS OF THE PROBLEM VARY WIDELY. IN MY CASE, THE CAR JUST SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING. WHILE THERE WERE NO INJURIES, THIS WAS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. IF IT HAD HAPPENED ON THE INTERSTATE INSTEAD OF ON A SIDE ROAD, THE RESULT COULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS. IN RESPONSE TO THIS PROBLEM, FORD ISSUED 99M03, WHICH THEY CALL AN "OWNER NOTIFICATION PROGRAM". THE PROBLEM IS THAT, ACCORDING TO MY OWN EXPERIENCE, AND ACCORDING TO THE PERSONNEL AT MY LOCAL DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT, OWNERS WERE NOT NOTIFIED UNLESS THEY BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR SOMETHING THAT TURNED OUT TO BE CAUSED BY THE WIRING HARNESS PROBLEM. THIS PROGRAM NEEDS TO BE ELEVATED TO A RECALL SO THAT ALL OWNERS ARE AWARE OF THE RISKS AND ARE ABLE TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO PROTECT THEMSELVES. *NM