1995 FORD CONTOUR Engine And Engine Coolingcooling System Problems

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 1995 FORD CONTOUR AND I NOTICED ITS BEEN SMOKING THE MECHANIC KEEPS SAYING THERE IS NOTHING WRONG OR THEY CANT DETECT A PROBLEM. I NOTICED THIS MODEL CAR HAS HAD SEVERAL RECALLS. COULD THIS USED CAR BE AFFECTED BY A FAULTY PART AND CAN I QUALIFY FOR A RECALL PART REPAIR IF THIS CAR HAS A DEFECTIVE PART? *TR

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH COOLING MOTOR OVERHEATED. AS A RESULT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT CAUGHT ON FIRE. NO INJURIES REPORTED. *AK

WATER PUMP FAILURES VERY COMMON AROUND 60K MILES, PLASTIC IMPELLER FAILURE, AND ENGINE OVERHEATS. *LA

ENGINE OVERHEATED AND MELTED THE POSITIVE TEMPERATURE INDICATOR DEVICE. FAN MOTOR BEARINGS WERE TOO TIGHT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING WATER PUMP BLEWOUT AND VEHICLE OVERHEATED /CUT OFF. HAD VEHICLE TOWED. REPLACED PARTS 9 TIMES WITHIN 1 YEAR.*AK

WAS DRIVING 60MPH ON HIGHWAY WHEN ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. 30 SECONDS LATER, I HEARD NOISE WHICH SOUNDED LIKE BICYCLE CHAIN SWITCHING GEARS. 90 SECONDS AFTER THAT, THE OIL LIGHT LIT , TEMPERATURE GAUGE REGISTERED HOT SUDDENLY AND SIMULTANEOUSLY ENGINE DIED. FORD DEALER SERVICE DEPT. DIAGNOSED "WATER PUMP FAILURE". REMOVED WATER PUMP. THE PLASTIC IMPELLER HAS MULTIPLE CRACKS AND NO LONGER SPINS WITH SHAFT. FORD DEALER HAS SERVICE BULLETIN ACKNOWLEDGING PROBLEMS WITH WATER PUMPS ON MY TYPE VEHICLE, AND EXTENDS WARRANTY TO 6 YEARS/75,000 MILES. MY CAR IS "TOO OLD" TO QUALIFY FOR COVERAGE, ALTHOUGH IT IS UNDER THE MILEAGE LIMIT, AND I THINK IT IS UNFAIR. ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS I PURCHASED THIS CAR WAS THE 2.5L ENGINE THAT DOESN'T REQUIRE A TUNE-UP UNTIL IT REACHES 100,000 MILES. THIS ENGINE BLEW AT 70,381 MILES BECAUSE OF A LITTLE PIECE OF PLASTIC THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO KEEP IT...

ACCORDING TO NEWS GROUPS ON THE INTERNET, THOUSANDS OF FORD WATER PUMPS HAVE FAILED PREMATURELY BUT SO FAR NO RECALL. THIS SEEMS TO BE WRONG.*AK

WE CURRENTLY OWN A 1995 FORD CONTOUR 2.5 V-6. OUR CAR OVERHEATED FOR THE 1ST TIME EVER DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE WATER PUMP. WE CONTACTED FORD TO EVALUATE THE DAMAGE FOR REPAIR. THEY CONTACTED US BACK AND STATED THAT THE FAILURE OF THE WATER PUMP CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE AND NOW THEY SAY WE NEED TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AT A COST OF $4200.00. THEY CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER OF THE WATER PUMP AND THEY WILL COVER THE REPLACEMENT OF THE WATER PUMP DUE TO FAILURE BUT THEY WILL NOT COVER THE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE WATER PUMP. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED OTHER COMPLAINTS SIMILAR TO THIS FOR A WATER PUMP FAILURE. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE COST OF REPLACING ONLY THE PUMP WHEN THIS WAS THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE DAMAGE...

AFTER HEARING ENGINE NOISE, SMOKE STARTED BILLOWING OUT OF THE FRONT HOOD, AND WATER DRIPPING PROFUSELY ONTO THE GROUND. THE SMELL OF RUBBER WAS OVERWHELMING. IT APPEARS THE BEARING ON WATER PUMP IS FROZEN SOLID AND BELT MELTED. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED FOR REPAIRS.. *AK

RADIATOR FAN MOTOR NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND WATER PUMP FAILURE CAUSED ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. THIS THEN CAUSED THE ENGINE HEAD OR GASKET TO FAIL. ALSO EXPECT TO FIND WATER PUMP IMPELLER DAMAGE. THESE COMPONENT FAILURES HAVE PRODUCED A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR ESTIMATE. BY SEARCHING CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ON THIS WEBSITE, OWNERS CAN PLAINLY SEE THAT THE COOLING SYSTEM FAILURES ARE CAUSEING EXTENSIVE AND COSTLY DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE ENGINE. A RECALL IS IN EFFECT FOR THE FAN MOTORS, THIS DOES NOT ADDRESS THE DAMAGE CAUSED TO THE VEHICLE ENGINE BY THE FAILURE OF THE FAN MOTOR. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED ABOUT 1 MONTH AGO, AND I DID NOT HAVE A NOTICE OF VEHICLE RECALL ON THE RADIATOR FAN MOTOR.*AK

VEHICLE STALLED AT IDLE IN COLD CONDITIONS, WATER PUMP IMPELLER BROKE. *SLC

CAR HAS OVERHEATED ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS, ENGINE LIGHT ON CONSTANTLY, BLOWN HEAD GASKET THE LAST TIME CAR OVERHEATED, RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE. DEALER IS TRYING TO SAY THAT THE RECALLED COOLING FAN DIDN'T RESULT IN DESTRUCTION OF ENGINE. EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED WITH THE DEALER SERVICE AND IN FORD CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP DEPT.

PLASTIC PUMP IMPELLER UNSUITABLE FOR APPLICATION. *AK

WATER PUMP PROPELLOR DISINTEGRATED AND CAUSED ENGINE TO EXTREMLY OVERHEAT WITH IN A MATTER OF MINUTES WITH NO WARNING AT ALL. *AK

SAFETY RECALL PROGRAM 00S44 -- ENGINE DAMAGED AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY FORD PER RECALL LETTER BUT EMPIRE FORD SERVICE TECH. SAID ENGINE PROBLEMS NOT RELATED TO RECALL; MONTHS OF PROBLEMS AND EXPENSES RELATED TO PROBLEM AND VERIFIED BY TWO INDEPENDENT MECHANICS; SENT DETAILED INFO TO FORD MOTOR CO. IN TWO MAILINGS ABOUT THE PROBLEMS RELATED TO THIS RECALL AND OTHERS EXPERIENCED SINCE PURCHASE BUT NO RESPONSE TO DATE. NEED HELP TO RESOLVE SITUATION. EMPIRE FORD SAID NEEDED NEW TIMING BELT AS WELL AND UPON INSTALLATION, THE ENGINE FROZE AND THE HEAD GASKET HAD BLOWN. THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPAIRED BY CASEY MOTORS, BUT THEN THE WRIST PIN AND BEARING GAVE OUT WHICH PER MECHANIC IS RELATED TO RECALL/TIMING BELT PROBLEMS.TA. CAR HAD NOW HCURRENTLY NOT DRIVEABLE; RELATED EXPENSES. *AK

WATER PUMP FAILED. IT WENT OUT FIRST TIME TWO DAYS AFTER PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE HAS HAD FIVE WATER PUMPS REPLACED. *AK

'IMPALER' IN VEHICLES WATER PUMP BROKE APART. DUE TO THIS PIECE OF EQUIPMENT BREAKING, CAR OVERHEATED RAPIDLY, RESULTING IN HEAD GASKETS BLOWING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

AT 60,000MILES HEAD GASKET FAILED, CAUSING DAMAGE TO WATER PUMP/ TIMING BELT, AND POSSIBLY NEW HEAD. *AK

CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE DUE TO ENGINE COOLING FAN MALFUNCTIONING, CAUSING ENGINETO MELT. AND WAS REPLACED. PRESENTLY, CONSUMER HAD RECEIVED MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 00S44 FOR ENGINE COOLING FAN.*AK RECEIVED RECALL REGARDING WIRING HARNESS AND HAD REPAIRS, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. DEALER REPLACED ENGIN DUE TO OVERHEATING VEHICLE SOON EXPERIENCED A BAD MISS AND POOR MILEAGE, DEALER THEN FOUND DEFECTIVE HEADS, HOWEVER MISS IN ENGINE WAS STILL PRESENT. DEALER STATED CAUSE WAS A CRACKED FLYWHEEL WITH BROKEN SENSORS. CONSUMER FEELS DEALER BROKE FLYWHEEL DURING ENGINE INSTALLATION. MISS IN ENGINE STILL NOT CORRECTED. DEALER FINALLY FOUND CAUSE TO BE TORQUE CONVERTER NOT SEALING CAUSING DAMAGE TO ADJUSTING SENSOR. *YH

PREMATURE FAILURE OF WATER PUMP (PLASTIC IMPELLOR DISINTEGRATION). *AK

RECALL 00V367000/ COOLING FAN FAILURE. CONSUMER MADE APPOINTMENT FOR RECALL REPAIRS. LEFT VEHICLE AT DEALERSHIP ALL DAY, REPAIRS NOT PERFORMED DUE TO NO PARTS. WAS TOLD DEALER WOULD CALL WHEN PARTS CAME IN. 10 DAYS LATER, CONSUMER CALLED DEALER TO INQUIRE ABOUT PART. WAS TOLD PART WAS IN, AND GIVEN APPOINTMENT. VEHICLE WAS AT DEALER FROM 9:20 AM UNTIL 3:30 PM ON 2 MAR 2001, AND RECALL REPAIRS NOT PERFORMED. CONSUMER NEEDED VEHICLE AND LEFT DEALERSHIP. WHILE THERE SHE OBSERVED A WALK IN BEING TOLD HIS VEHICLE WOULD BE SERVICED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH ENGINE OVERHEATED, CAUSING "HEAD GASKET" TO GO OUT. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND TOLD CONSUMER THAT COOLING FAN WAS OPERATING, BUT COULD NOT CONFIRM WHETHER OR NOT FAN WAS WORKING AT TIME OF INCIDENT. THERE WAS A RECALL 00V367000 REGARDING THE COOLING FAN. CONSUMER COMPLAINT WAS IN REGARD TO DAMAGE CAUSED BY INOPERABLE FAN. *AK ALSO, THERE WAS A HEAD GASKET RECALL BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN NUMBER. *YH

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE WILL OVERHEAT. TECHNICIAN REPLACED THERMOSTAT. THEN, DAYS TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER FOR A RECALL NOTICE THAT HAD RECEIVED FOR COOLING FUSE WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED. DUE TO FUSE HEAD GASKET WAS DAMAGED. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

THERMOSTAT COOLANT SENDER AND WATER PUMP FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT, FAULTY WATER PUMP CAUSED COOLANT LEAK, LOW COOLANT LIGHT STAYS ON DEALER REPLACED THE SENSOR ASSEMBLY. NLM

WATER PUMP FAILED CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT AND CRACK, DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE WOULD NEED REPLACED. *SLC

WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 65 MPH ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM STARTED TO ACT UP, AND TEMPERATURE GAUGE INSIDE VEHICLE STARTED TO REACH THE OVERHEATING AREA, AND THEN ENGINE BLEW. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER SAID THEY WILL TAKE A LOOK AT VEHICLE. *AK THERMOSTAT HAD BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND GALLONS OF WATER AND ANTIFREEZE HAD BEEN PUT INTO THE RADIATOR SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THE INCIDENT OCCURED. *YH

DRIVING DOWN INTERSTATE, AIRCONDITIONER WENT OUT, SMELLED SOMETHING MELTING, SMOKE FROM UNDER HOOD WHEN OPENED, TOLD IT WAS AIR, COULD DRIVE, BLEW 2 HEAD GASKETS DUE TO COOLING SYSTEM NOT WORKING, COST OVER 600$. FAN ONLY RUNS ON HIGH AND LOW. HEATER MOTOR GOING OUT. MANUAL TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING. BACK DOORS SQUEAK REALLY LOUD, AND OIL DON'T WORK. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON ALWAYS. AIRBAG LIGHTS ON ALWAYS. BACK SEAT BELT BROKE. ALTONATOR GOING OUT. RADIATOR LEAKS THEN STOPS, LEAKS THEN STOPS. FAN MAKES A LOUD NOISE WHEN RUNNING.

WHILE DRIVING ENGINE WILL OVERHEAT. TEMPERATURE GAUGE WILL GO ALL WAY TO RED PART, AND A DARK SMOKE WILL COME FROM DASHBOARD WITH A PLASTIC SMELL. COOLING SYSTEM WILL NOT WORK. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, AND VEHICLE STARTED TO OVERHEAT. PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDERS, AND VEHICLE COOLED DOWN. ABOUT 25 MINUTES LATER, THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL INSIDE OF VEHICLE COMING THROUGH THE VENTS. ALSO, ENGINE WAS REPLACED. *AK THE MANUFACTURER HAD ISSUED RECALL NOTICE AND THE VEHICLE WAS FIXED. RECALL # 00V-367. *YH

ENGINE COOLING MOTOR QUIT DUE TO WIRING OVERHEATING . IT ALL MELTED IN A BLOB ON ENGINE. VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS OVERHEATED. SAME PROBLEM AS ONE MENTIONED IN RECALL 00V367000 CONCERNING COOLING FAN IN 2.5 ENGINES, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL BECAUSE OF A 4.0 ENGINE. *AK

COOLING FAN MALFUNCTIONED AND STARTED A FIRE.*AK

WATER PUMP HAS FAILED, CAUSING ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK. WATER PUMP IMPELLER FRACTURED AT HUB, AND THE CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE IMPELLER WAS CONSTRUCTED EITHER OF IMPROPER MATERIAL OR MATERIAL OF INSUFFICIENT CROSS SECTION. FORD HAS REDESIGNED THE PUMP. *YH

COOLING FAN MOTOR REPLACED BY AUTOPACT CAR SERVICE IN CHARLOTTE NC, BUT ENGINE STILL OVERHEATED. CAR THEN TOWED TO HARRELSON FORD IN CHARLOTTE WHERE I WAS TOLD ENGINE WAS "BURNED UP" DUE TO ENGINE COOLING FAN FAILURE. THEY RECOMMENDED ENGINE REPLACEMENT AND COMPONENTS AT COST NEARLY $5000. IN 1999, COOLING FAN RAN ERRADICALLY AND REQUIRED BATTERY TO BE REPLACED ACCORDING TO FORD DEALERSHIP IN GREENSBORO, NC. THE DEALERSHIP ALSO REPLACED ENGINE THERMASTAT. RATHER THAN A THERMASTAT PROBLEM, I SUSPECT ENGINE COOLING FAN WAS DEFECTIVE AND CAUSED DAMAGE TO ENGINE OVER TIME. DESPITE HISTORY OF FAILURE, FORD DID NOT MAKE ANY OFFER TO REPLACE.

NO SUMMARY

PLASTIC IMPELLER ON WATER PUMP BROKE, CAUSING FAILURE TO PUMP COOLANT, CAUSED ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. MY MECHANIC SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANOTHER AUTOMAKER USE A PLATIC IMPELLER WHICH IS INHERENTLY UNSAFE BECAUSE, AS COMPARED TO STEEL IMPELLERS, IT IS BOUND TO BREAK UNDER THE PRESSURE OF YEARS OF USE, AND COULD CAUSE SEVERE DAMAGE AND IMPERIL THE DRIVER AND ANY PASSENGERS.

FROM INFORMATION I'VE READ VIA THE INTERNET, THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE ON THESE CARS MODELS 1995-96. IMPELLER EXPLODES SUDDENLY INTO 100S OF PIECES, DEFECTIVE PLASTIC. ENGINE OVERHEATS SUDDENLY, SERIOUS ENGINE DAMAGE IF NOT CAUGHT IMMEDIATLY. *AK

FUEL PUMP AND WATER PUMP LEAKAGE CAUSED VEHICLE TO OVERHEAT, AND DAMAGED THE ENGINE HEAD GASKET. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

COOLANT SENSOR FAILED.

WATER PUMP FAILED.

THE HEATER PLUG WHICH IS CONNECTED TO THE COOLANT DISLOCATED, CAUSING ALL FLUID TO LEAK OUT THE VEHICL. ALSO, CAUSING THE THERMOSTAT TO GO, RESULTING IN THE ENGINE TEMPATURE RISING, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO BLOW. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

ENGINE OVERHEATS INTERMITTENTLY.