NHTSA Complaint #744316 — 1995 FORD CONTOUR

DURING AUGUST, 2000, I WAS DRIVING FROM MARIETTA, GA TOWARD STONE MOUNTAIN, GA AND HAD GONE FROM I-285 TO 85 NORTH. THE TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY 7:00 AS I HAD NOT LONG GOTTEN OFF OF WORK WITH THE INTENTION OF DRIVING SAID VEHICLE TO STONE MOUNTAIN. TRAFFIC WAS MOVING PRETTY SLOWLY--SOMETIMES COMING TO A COMPLETE HALT. AFTER DRIVING AWHILE I NOTICED SOME WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM MY ENGINE. IT SCARED ME PRETTY BADLY AND I ATTEMPTED TO GET OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I DID FINALLY SOME TO A STOP ON THE LEFT SIDE OF I-85. I WAS STRANDED WITH NO MOBILE PHONE. I HAD TO WAIT ON THE HIGHWAY BY MYSELF FOR SOMETIME BEFORE GETTING INTO SAFETY. WHAT I LEARNED AFTER HAVING MY VEHICLE TOWED TO BOTH A DEALERSHIP, THEN AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP THAT MY VEHICLE HAD OVERHEATED AND BLOWN A "HEAD." I RECEIVE AN ESTIMATE FROM COBB GALLERIA AUTOMOTIVE IN SEPTEMBER, 2000 FOR A MINIMUM OF $2,400 NEEDED IN ORDER TO FIX THE ENGINE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH I HAVE LEARNED THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED REGARDING NHTSA CAMPAIGN NO 00V367000 , WITH OWNER NOTIFICATION DATE BEING JANUARY 2000. I NEVER RECEIVED THIS RECALL; HOWEVER, I BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE. FURTHER, I BELIEVE THE OVERHEATING WHICH OCCURRED IN AUGUST OF 2000 IS A RESULT OF TIGHTENING OF THE ENGINE COOLING FAN MOTOR BEARINGS, AND THE RESULTING OVERHEATING. I AM ATTEMPTING TO FIND OUT ANY AND ALL INFORMATION PERTAINING TO ANY DEFECTS FROM 95 FORD CONTOURS WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN A CAUSE FOR MY OVERHEATING. I AM INTERESTED IN BEING COMPENSATED FROM FORD MOTOR COMPANY FOR COVER COST OF REPAIR, AND TO MITIGATE THE DANGER I WAS PUT IN WHILE STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY, AS WELL AS HARDSHIP WHICH I HAVE ENDURED BECAUSE I WAS NOT FINANCIALLY ABLE TO PAY FOR THE EXPENSIVE COST OF REPAIRS. PLEASE REPLY BACK OR WRITE TO JOYCE GOURDINE, 2101-A POWERS FERRY ROAD, MARIETTA, GA 30067. THANK YOU. *AK