NHTSA Complaint #756787 — 1998 FORD CONTOUR

SINCE THE BEGINNING OF JULY, 2001 THIS CAR HAS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM AND HAS BEEN IN FOR DEALER SERVICE 4 TIMES FOR THAT PROBLEM. DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS FIRST THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR SWITCH (WHICH WAS REPLACED TWICE, I WAS TOLD), THEN STATED THAT THE ACTUAL PROBLEM WAS THE CAM SHAFT ITSELF. THAT WAS REPLACED THE FOURTH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICE. I WAS TOLD THE DEALER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER AND A MANUFACTURER'S REP CONSULTED ON THE FOURTH REPAIR, WHICH TOOK 6 WEEKS TO COMPLETE. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED AND OCCURS AT VARIOUS SPEEDS/UNPREDICTABLE TIMES. IT HAS HAPPENED OFTEN WHEN TURNING INTO AN INTERSECTION, BUT ALSO WHEN TRAVELING AT 60+ MPH ON BUSY FREEWAYS. I CONSIDER THIS A SERIOUS PROBLEM LIKELY TO RESULT IN INJURY IF NOT FIXED. I DON'T BELIEVE THE DEALER CAN FIX THE PROBLEM SINCE THEY HAVE ATTEMPTED TO FOUR TIMES WITHOUT SUCCESS. DEALER HAS ONLY CHARGED FOR DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND HAS PAID FOR RENTAL CAR DURING TWO TIMES WHEN THEY HAD THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE. REGARDLESS, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT I FEEL FORD MOTOR COMPANY MUST ADDRESS. AFTER CHECKING YOUR DATABASE OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS, I FOUND MANY ENTRIES THAT DESCRIBED THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM. THE CONTOUR IS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED BY FORD, WHICH TO ME INDICATES THAT THEY KNOW THIS VEHICLE HAS SERIOUS ENGINEERING FLAWS. *AK