NHTSA Complaint #740570 — 1996 FORD CONTOUR

I GOT THIS CAR IN APRIL 96. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SHOP SEVERAL TIMES BECAUSE THE CAR JUST COMPLETELY LOSES POWER WITHOUT ANY WARNING AT ALL. IT LOCKS UP THE STEERING AND BRAKES. IT HAPPENS AT ALL SPEEDS AND IN VARYING TEMPERATURES. THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. THE MOST RECENT EPISODE WAS JAN 14, 2001. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO TOW THE CAR, OTHER TIMES IT WILL START BACK UP. THIS LAST TIME IT STARTED BACK UP AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES. FORTUNATELY, OTHER DRIVERS HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION, AND I HAVEN'T BEEN KILLED. THIS CAR HAS ALSO EXPERIENCED: CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALWAYS ON...DEALER CANNOT FIND PROBLEM, BUT CHARGES $110 TO DIAGNOSE IT EACH TIME!....THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL CABLE BROKE IN 2000. AGAIN, FORTUNATELY, I WAS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD AND NO CARS NAILED ME. THE PAINT ON THIS CAR IS BEGINNING TO PEEL/CRACK EVEN THOUGH IT IS GARAGE KEPT. I HAVE HAD TO PUT 3 SETS OF BRAKES ON THIS CAR...HAVE ALSO HAD THE DASH AND TAIL LIGHTS GO OUT (WHICH THEY DID FIX) ALSO THE AC KNOB BROKE (WHICH THEY FIXED) I HAVE TAKEN IT IN FOR ALL KNOWN RECALLS. FORD HAS NEVER RESPONDED TO MY CONCERNS ABOUT THE COMPLETE POWER LOSS I KEEP EXPERIENCING AND THE DEALER JUST SUGGESTS TOTALLY USELESS REPAIRS THAT COST ALOT AND DO NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK