NHTSA Complaint #715804 — 1995 FORD CONTOUR

THE BEZEL FIRST FAILED ON 12/20/95 AT ABOUT 31,000 MILES. THE BEZEL WAS REPLACED ON 01/05/96 AT ABOUT 33,460 MILES. THE REPLACED BEZEL FAILED AT ABOUT 85,000 MILES. I FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS A SAFETY RECALL ( 98S26 ) THAT INVOLVES 1994-998 MODEL YEAR CONTOUR/MYSTIQUE ( SEE ATTACHED RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD. I DID NOT GET THIS NOTICE. I CHECK WITH THE DEALER , THEY TOLD ME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE RECALL AND THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I CALLED THE FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AND EXPLAIN MY PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT SINCE MY VEHICLE WAS NOT IN THE LIST OF RECALLS THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO CORRECT THE FAULT. MY VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE SAME SYSMPTON AS THE SAFETY RECALL 98S26 (WHICH INVOLVES ABOUT 210,500 VEHICLES FROM 1995 TO 1998). THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT DETECTED BY FORD TILL LATE 1998. FROM FORD'S RECALL LETTER IT INDICATED THAT PARTS MANUFACTURE PRIOR TO 08/14/98 WILL MOST LIKELY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM. THE PART IN MY CAR WAS REPLACED ON 01/05/96. THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY HAZARD BECAUSE ONE CANNOT TELL WHICH GEAR THE TRANSMISSION IS IN. THERE IS ANOTHER PROBLEM WITH THE GEAR SHIFTER- IT NEEDS A LOT OF EFFORT TO SHIFT FROM ONE POSITION TO ANOTHER. I AM INCLUDING THE SERVICE WORK ORDERS AND THE RECALL DOCUMENTS FROM FORD. *AK