1996 FORD CONTOUR Interior Lighting Problems

I OWN A 1996 FORD CONTOUR [XXX] THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS WENT OUT ON. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS ITEM (RECALL 99S14) BACK IN 1999. UPON BRINGING THE CAR INTO AN BROOKDALE FORD (BROOKLYN CENTER, MN), THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE IT DID NOT APPLY TO MY VEHICLE. I THEN CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP CENTER. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS ALREADY FIXED ON MY CAR (EVEN THOUGH I NEVER BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR THIS SERVICE). THEY REFUSED TO HELP. EVEN IF THE RECALL WAS FIXED ON MY CAR, THE FACT THAT THE SAME TWO PARTS OF MY CAR (INSTRUMENT PANEL AND TAIL LIGHTS) FAILED, TELLS ME THAT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT DONE CORRECTLY.*AK *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

WHEN HEADLIGHTS ARE ON THE INTERIOR LIGHTS WILL NOT COME ON. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHTS/ TAIL LIGHTS, AND DASH LIGHTS COMPLETELY STOPPED WORKING, THERE WAS NO WARNING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. ALSO, VEHICLE HAS HAD THREE ALTERNATORS WITHIN THREE MONTHS. PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN REMEDIED AS OF YET. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHEN THE LIGHT SWITCH IS TURNED TO PARK LIGHTS, NONE OF THE PARK LIGHTS WORK--FRONT OR BACK, LEFT OR RIGHT. ADDITIONALLY, THE DASH LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. WHEN THE LIGHT SWITCH IS TURNED TO HEAD LIGHTS, ONLY THE HEADLIGHTS AND BRIGHT LIGHTS WORK--THERE ARE NOT TAIL LIGHTS OR DASH LIGHTS. ALL OTHER LIGHTS WORK, SUCH AS THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS. THIS OCCURED DURING THE THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY AT NIGHT WHILE DRIVING THROUGH KANSAS CITY. WE COULD NOT SEE OUR SPEEDOMETER, AND CARS APPROACHING FROM THE REAR COULD NOT SEE US UNTIL THEY APPROACHED AND THEIR LIGHTS SHOWN ON OUR CAR--VERY DANGEROUS.*AK

PROBLEMS WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON AND THE SERVICING DEPT AT THE FORD DEALER AND OTHER AUTO SERVICING CENTER COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHY TO THIS DAY IT IS ON. AT ONE TIME THE ENTIRE INTERIOR LIGHTS AND REAR BRAKES LIGHTS WENT OUT. IT CURRENTLY SHUT ITS SELF OFF ( STALLS) AND GET HOT. THE ENGINE SOUNDS REVVED UP AND SHORTLY AFTER THE AC UNIT WENT OUT.EVERYTHING HAS BEEN CHECKED OUT/ THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT WAS REPLACED SOME WIRING HAD TO BE REPLACED ALL THE FLUIDS ARE WHERE THEY SHOULD BE AND IT STILL STALLS AND OVERHEATS FOR NO REASON. BOTH FRONT WINDOWS ELECTRICAL MOTORS HAVE GONE OUT.

RECALL 99V103000. REMEDY DID NOT CORRECT PROBLEM. WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN INSTRUMENT PANEL AND TAIL LIGHTS COMPLETELY WENT OUT. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THE RIGHT AND LEFT TAIL LIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FAILED. THE TERMINALS ON THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH SHOW SIGNS OF HEAT DAMAGE. THIS IS THE SAME SYMPTOMS AS NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 99V103000 (MFG CAMPAIGN # 99S14) APPLICABLE TO CERTAIN 1995-1998 FORD CONTOUR VEHICLES. THIS RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO MY FORD CONTOUR (VIN # [XXX]) ACCORDING TO TWO FORD DEALERS. THE SYMPTOMS OF THIS RECALL EXACTLY DESCRIBE THE CURRENT SYMPTOMS OF MY FORD CONTOUR AND IT IS QUESTIONABLE AS TO WHY THIS RECALL IS NOT CURRENTLY APPLICABLE TO MY VIN #. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHILE DRIVING WITH HEADLIGHTS ON TAIL LIGHTS AND DASHBOARD LIGHTS WENT OUT WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING. DEALER HAD BEEN CONTACTED, AND CAUSE COULD NOT BE FOUND. *AK

WHENEVER STARTING VEHICLE OR EVEN DRIVING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WOULD START ACTING UP. WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD GO ON BY THEMSELVES, HAVE NOT BEEN TURNED ON. LIGHTS, INTERIOR & EXTERIOR, WOULD GO OUT. IGNITION WILL NOT START VEHICLE SOMETIMES.ALSO, WOULD HEAR A CLICKING NOISE. DID NOT HAVE A BATTERY PROBLEMS. HEATER BLOWER FAILED TO WORK. NO RECALLS ON VEHICLE FOR ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING TAIL LIGHTS/ODOMETER LIGHTS, AND PARKING LIGHTS WENT OUT. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLETO DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED A SWITCH. CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW WHICH SWITCH, ON NOV 1, 2000 SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED. TOOK VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED HEADLIGHT SWITCH, AND A F5RZ14A411 *BA, HEAD LAMP SWITCH.*AK

WHILE DRIVING TAIL LIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS WENT OUT. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PROBLEM DUE TO WATER CONDENSATION IN THE FUSE BOX. *AK *ML

BATTERY NOT ABLE TO HOLD THE CURRENT. ALSO, HEADLIGHTS AND INTERIOR LIGHTS ARE NOT WORKING. *AK

HAVE HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS: INTERIOR/BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO LIGHT. REPLACED SWITCH TWICE. FUEL FILLER DOOR WILL NOT OPEN WITH LATCH INSIDE. NEVER WORKED. CIGARETTE LIGHTER FAILED. POWER WINDOW ON DRIVER'S SIDE HAS FAILED. CAR INTERMITTENTLY WILL NOT START DUE TO DRAINED BATTERY. MECHANIC COULD FIND NO CAUSE FOR THIS RELATED TO ALTERNATOR/CHARGING SYSTEM OF CAR. NEVER ABLE TO FIX THIS. TRUNK LEAKS WATER AROUND SEAL. ABS LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON . MECHANIC COULD FIND NO PROBLEM WITH ABS. AIR CONDITIONER/HEATER WOULD ONLY BLOW OUT DEFROST SETTING. ALSO BAD SMELL COMES FROM AC WHEN ON. REAR SEAT BELTS KEEP JAMMING; NOT ABLE TO USE SOMETIMES BECAUSE THEY WON'T COME OUT. WORST PROBLEM SO FAR: TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED. NOT YET FIXED. I LOVED THIS CAR ONCE, NOW I HATE IT! THE WHOLE THING SHOULD BE RECALLED. *AK

RECEIVED A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL NOTICE #99S-14 FORD/HEADLIGHT SWITCH /WIRING HARNESS; TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER SHOP FOR REPAIRS; LATER ON NOTICED INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FAILED TO OPERATE. NOTIFIED DEALER, AND INFORMED CONSUMERTHAT IT WOULD C ADDITIONAL $48.00 TO GET THE LIGHTS BACK ON. CAN NHTSA PROVIDE FURTHER DETAIL ON THIS MATTER. *AK

TAIL LIGHTS ALONG WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

IN JUNE 1998 REPLACED BRAKE PADS, AND HAD ROTORS TURNED BECAUSE THEY WERE WARPED. HAD TO REPLACE BRAKE PADS AGAIN, INCLUDING ROTORS IN FEBRUARY 1999. TWO MONTHS LATER ROTORS AGAIN WARPED. IN JULY 1998 HAD TO REPLACE ALTERNATOR. IN APRIL 1999 DASH LIGHTS AND TAIL LIGHTS QUIT WORKING - HAD HEADLIGHT SWITCH REPLACED.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE INSTRUMENT AND TAIL LIGHTS WENT OUT. LEARNED THAT THE SWITCH WAS BURNT OUT AND NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ELECTRICAL HARNESS & SWITCH. *AK

HEADLIGHT SWITCH CIRCUIT IS SEVERELY OVERHEATING, CAUSING THE SWITCH HARNESS TO BURN AND THE SWITCH TO FAIL. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THE TAIL LIGHTS/DASH LIGHTS FAILED.