1996 FORD CONTOUR Power Trainautomatic Transmission Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD CONTOUR. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT THE GEARS ON THE FLOOR SHIFT, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED INCORRECT GEAR SELECTION. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THEY DID NOT REPAIR VEHICLES AFTER TEN YEARS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V233000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT); THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 86,000.

I JUST GOT THE CAR FROM USED CAR DEALER ON 02/07/08 DROVE FINE WENT HOME AND IN THE MORNING I WENT OUT GOT KIDS IN CAR AND WENT TO BACK UP AND HAD NO REVERSE..THE SHOP I TOOK IT TO SAID THE TRANSMISSION IS OUT. THE CAR ONLY HAS 81000 MILES ON IT....AND THERE HAS BEEN ALOT OF COMPLAINTS MADE ABOUT THIS TRANSMISSION IN 1996 FORD CONTOURS... I THINK SOME THING NEEDS TO BE DONE ... *TR

AT FIRST VEHICLE WOULD INDICATE WRONG GEAR AND THEN IT BINDED UP THE GEAR SHIFT SO EVENTUALLY HAD TO REMOVE SOME PLASTIC FROM GEAR SHIFT JUST TO SHIFT THE GEAR THEN THE AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFT INDICATION WILL NOT INDICATE WHAT GEAR THE CAR IS IN AT ALL. POSSIBLY CAUSING WRONG GEAR SELECTION COULD CAUSE COLLISION IN PARKING LOT.*JB

I BOUGHT A 1996 FORD CONTOUR FROM AND INDIVIDUAL IN JULY OF THIS YEAR. IT RAN WELL, FOR A FEW DAYS, AND THEN THE OD LIGHT KEPT COMING ON, AND IT FELT LIKE IT WAS SHIFTING INTO LOW. I KEPT MASHING THE BUTTON ON THE SHIFT ARM AND THE LIGHT WOULD GO OUT AND THEN COME BACK ON THIS WOULD GO ON FOR SEVERAL DAYS, THEN IT WOULD BE OK FOR SEVERAL DAYS, JUST TO START UP ALL OVER AGAIN. THEN I HAD THE OLD CHANGED IN NOVEMBER AND THE WOULD NOT STAY CRANKED FOR ME TO GET HOME. THE WIRES UNDER THE HOOD ARE ALL FLAKING OF THERE PLASTIC COVERING. I ASSUME THIS IS WHY IT WILL NOT STAYED CRANKED. I CAN NOT DRIVE IT IN THIS CONDITION. *NM

CONSUMER HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE 1996 FORD CONTOUR.*MR THERE HAS BEEN SO MANY RECALLS ON CONSUMER'S VEHICLE THAT SHE WASN'T AWARE OF BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER NEVER SENT NOTICES. SINCE THEN CONSUMER HAS BEEN PAYING FOR ENTIRE FULL PRICE AND IS ASKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT. HOWEVER, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE IS THE GAS FUMES WHICH IS LEAKING THEREFORE LEAVING POISONOUS CARBON MONOXIDE FUMES COMING IN THROUGH THE HEATER VENTS. THESE HARSH CHEMICALS ARE DAMAGING TO THE LUNGS, BRAIN, RESPIRATORY SYSTEM AND ITS MAKING CONSUMER VERY TIRED AMONG OTHER SYMPTOMS. *TT

WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD DOWN SHIFT ON ITS OWN. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD HESITATE THEN SHIFT. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION INDICATOR DETERIORATED AND FANS OUT THEREFORE CAN NOT INDICATE WHAT GEAR THE TRANSMISSION IS IN. *TC

THE VEHICLE'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED (1996 FORD CONTOUR). *PH *NM

TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED REPEATEDLY EVEN AFTER COMPLETE REBUILD. HAVE ALSO HAD TREAD SEPARATION IN TIRES ON 5 SEPARATE OCCASIONS

THE FRONT PART OF THE VEHICLE MAKES A DRAGGING SOUND WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER INDICATED THERE WAS AN INTERNAL TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *YH THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACED. UPDATED *JB

TORQUE CONVERTER FAILED IN JANUARY, 2001, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHICH REQUIRED REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $2,600. FIVE MONTHS LATER, THE TORQUE CONVERTER AGAIN REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. REPLACED WITH FORD PARTS. NOW IN APRIL, 2002, THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN CAUSED PROBLEMS WITH STALLING IN TRAFFIC, OVERDIRVE LIGHT FLASHING, VERY ROUGH SHIFTING. DIAGNOSTICS INDICATE THE TORQUE CONVERTER CAME APART AND DAMAGED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION AGAIN. REPLACEMENT COST WILL BE $2,400.*AK

I CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER HOW MANY TIME I HAVE HAD TO COME TO THIS SITE ABOUT THIS CAR. WITHOUT ANY WARNING THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AND NOW STILL OWING MONEY ON THIS CAR I AM LOOKING AT $2000.00 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION.*AK

STALLING IN TRAFFIC WITH HIGH OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE, OVERDRIVE OFF LIGHT FLASHES, VERY ROUGH SHIFTING, DIAGNOSTICS INDICATE TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH SLIPPING, TRANSMISSION BEING REPLACED.

THE VEHICLES OVERDRIVE FAILED RESULTING IN TRANSMISSION FAILURE, THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. NLM

MY 1996 CONTOUR HAS LITERALLY BROKEN DOWN. I HAVE 99,000 MILES AND HAVE COMPLETELY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, THE FRONT SUSPENSION SYSTEM, AND THE CAR STILL IS NOT DEPENDABLE, AND THE SAME PROBLEMS RE-OCCUR. I HPAY MORE IN REPAIRS THAN I DO FOR MY MONTHLY PAYMENT.

ASKED DEALERSHIP TO PERFORM RECALL 00V-367000 AND THEY SAID FORD HAS NO SUCH RECALL.*AK

TRANSMISSION SHIFTED INTO REVERSE WHILE SHIFTER WAS STILL IN DRIVE. OVERDRIVE LIGHT WAS BLINKING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 25 MPH TRANSMISSION FELT LIKE IT WAS SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. THEN, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND FOUND OUT THAT PISTON ASSAMBLY WAS IN TRANSMISSION BROKE. *AK

TRANSMISSION WENT OUT, AND PRESSING ON GAS VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

THE CEAR IS PEALING, 2 TRANSMISISONS HAVE FAILED AND NOW THE A/C INT. BLOWER ONLY RUNS ON HIGH. *AK

TRANSMISSION FAILURE - COMPLETE FAILURE OF 2-3 GEAR SHIFT AND ALSO LOCKING TORQUE CONVERTER. *AK

VEHICLE HAS A CRACK IN TRANSMISSION HOUSING.*AK CONSUMER STATES WHILE MECHANIC WAS PERFORMING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE HE OBSERVED A CRACK IN THE BOTTOME OF THE TRANSMISSION HOUSING, SINCE NO TRANSMISSION WORK HAS EVER BEEN PERFORMED UNDER CONSUMER'S OWNERSHIP ROUGHLY SINCE 41,000 MILES IN THE MECHANIC'S OPINION THAT EITHER THE TRANSMISSION HOUSING WAS CRACKED WHEN INSTALLED OR ANOTHER TRANSMISSION WAS PUT IN RESULTING IN A CRACKED HOUSING, HE ALSO OBSERVED WHAT MIGHT BE BAD FRONT COIL SPRINGS, THEY ARE MAKING A RUBBING NOSIE ON AN UNEVEN SURFACE OR IN A SHARP TURN TO THE RIGHT,CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED MANUFACTURER THEY HAVE CALLED HER CONSUMER BACK BUT THEY HAVE TURNED THE COMPLAINT INTO A FEEDBACK REPORT CONSUMER HAS ALSO HAD ROTORS TURNED AND SERVICED TWICE.*JB

WHILE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN OVERDRIVE ACTIVATES, AND VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

MY TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ON MY 1996 FORD COUNTOUR (66000+ MILES). I WAS TOLD THAT MY TRANSMISSION WENT TO HIGH LINE PRESSURE AND BLEW A PISTON DRUM IN THE TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION IN MY CAR IS A CD4E WHICH IS ALSO FOUND IN MADZA CARS. THE CD4E TRANSMISSION IS KNOWN FOR IT MANY PROBLEMS RELEATED TO GOING TO HIGH LINE PRESSURE AND BLOWING THE PISTON DRUMS IN ITS' EARLIER DESIGNS BETWEEN (1994 - 1998). WHY AREN'T THESE DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSIONS RECALLED FOR CORRECTION.*AK

WAS DRIVING ONE DAY AND OVERDRIVE LIGHT COMES ON AND CARS STARTS TO SHIFT REAL HARD NO EXACT SPEED MATTERS ALL THE TIME AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS ON ALL THE TIME. *AK

CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT, ENTIRE TRANSMISSION REBUILT $2600. *AK

WHEN SHIFTING INTO THIRD GEAR THERE IS A GRINDING/CLASHING NOISE= TSB # 96248; CONTACTED LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED FORD DOES NOT COVER ANYTHING, CAR NEEDS A NEW SHIFT FORK AND REBUILT INPUT SHAFT; COST $1000. *AK

TRANSMISSION DOES NOT RECOGNIZE ANY GEARS. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER & DEALER HASN'T HAD A CHANCE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. VECHICLE IS ALSO IDLEING VERY HIGH. *AK

CONSUMER TOOK CAR IN FOR 4TH RECALL REPAIRS. THIS ONE WAS FOR THE ENGINE WIRES. DEALER FIXED PROBLEM. CONSUMER PICKED UP CAR, AND ON THAT SAME EVENING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. TOOK IN VEHICLE FOR SERVICE, AND SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING. COULDN'T TELL HOW FAST CAR WAS GOING. ALSO OVERDRIVE LIGHT STARTED TO BLINK ON/OFF.

WHEN TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED TRANSMISSION DROPS OUT OF GEAR ,CAUSING LOSS OF FORWARD MOTION AND LOSS OF ACCELERATION. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

OVER DRIVE LIGHT FLASHES AND OVER DRIVE SYSTEM WILL BE ACTIVATED SUDDENLY COULDN'T BE TURNED OFF.

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

TRANAMISSION FAILED. YH

AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS TRANSMISSION CASING CRACKED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DECELERATE RAPIDLY. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT 70 MPH THE VEHICLE IS SHIFTING VERY HARD. IT DOWNSHIFTS FROM OVERDRIVE TO SECOND GEAR, AND ALL THE COMPONENTS ON THE DASHBOARD START GOING OUT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN INTO REPAIR SHOP SIX TIMES AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. ALSO, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE CHILD IN THE CHILD SEAT GOES FORWARD, AND THE HARNESS STRAP LEFT A RED SPOT ON THE CHILD. *AK

WHILE DRIVING THE OVERDRIVE OFF LIGHT CONTINUES TO COME ON. AND WHEN THIS HAPPENS, CAR LOSES SPEED. *AK

VEHICLE SHUTS OFF IN GEAR AT 25 MPH. OVERHEATED UPON ACCELERATION. DEALER CONTACTED, AND STATED THE ALARM WAS THE CAUSE. PROBLEMS STILL EXISTS. *AK *YC

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING ODOMETER DROPPED, AND THE VEHICLE WENT INTO OVERDRIVE AND WOULDN'T COME OUT OF OVERDRIVE. *AK

THE TRANSMISSION IS MAKING A GRINDING AND SCRAPING TYPE NOISE. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO FOR ANY OF THE COST OF THE TRANSIMISSION.

THE VEHICLE WILL INTERMITTENTLY JUMP FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. ALSO, A LOUND POPPING NOISE OCCURS, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

THIS IS OUR SECOND CAR WITH THIS MODEL OVERDRIVE TRANSMISSION (CD4E) THAT HAS FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME MILEAGE, THE FIRST WAS A 1995 MAZDA 626 VIN# [XXX]. THE MAJORITY OF THE DRIVING MILES ON BOTH VEHICLES WERE CONSIDERED HIGHWAY MILES AT A CRUISING SEED OF 55MPH OR GREATER, GENERALLY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON. *AK INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TRANSMISSION REPLACED DUE TO GRINDING AND SCRAPING, WAS ALSO REPLACED ONCE BY PREVIOUS OWNER.

TWICE THE TRANSMISSION FAILED ON THE FREEWAY AND HAD TO BE COMPLETELY REPLACED EVEN THOUGH THE CAR WAS 1 AND 3 MONTHS OLD. THE DEALER WAS EXTREMELY RUDE AND I PROMISE I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER FORD AGAIN AND NEITHER WILL ANYBODY THAT HAS HEARD MY STORY.

WHILE DRIVING GEAR WOULD SLIP FROM DRIVE INTO NEUTRAL WITH NO WARNING. THE ENGINE WOULD REV THEN POP BACK INTO (AUTOMATIC) GEAR. WOULD START SHIFTING INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE UNTIL FOOT IS PRESSING ACCELERATOR. THEN SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL. ITS HAPPENS INTERMITTENTLY. WILL BE TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER. *AK

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GOT STUCK IN PARK POSITION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN AND OUT OF GEARS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IN HIGH GEARS.

TRANSMISSION/TORQUE CONVERTER, AND ENGINE VALVE FAILURE.

TRANSMISSION AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE FAILED AT HIGHWAY SPEED.

CAR STALLS IN FORWARD/REVERSE GEARS.