1998 FORD CONTOUR Electrical Systemwiringfront Underhood Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT TOOK HIS VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE THE GEAR SHIFTING SYSTEM REPAIRED, AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,300.

ENGINE WIRING HARNESS INSULATION IS CRUMBLING LEAVING EXPOSED WIRES. FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR FORD CONTOURS (ALL YEARS), BUT THAT A RECALL HAS ONLY BEEN ISSUED FOR 1995-1997 VEHICLES. HAVE HAD MULTIPLE PROBLEMS WITH SENSORS NOT WORKING, SPEEDOMETER AND FUEL GAUGE INTERMITTENTLY STOPS FUNCTIONING. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON RANDOMLY. MECHANIC HAS STATED THAT PROBLEMS ARE IN WIRING HARNESS. *TR

I HAVE A 1998 FORD CONTOUR SVT, THIS IS MY THIRD ONE. EVERY ONE I PURCHASE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM, THE WIRES IN THE WIRE HARNESS FOR THE COMPUTER AND CAR CRACK AND THE COATING JUST FALLS RIGHT OFF, WHICH ALLOWS THE WIRES TO THE COMPUTER TO TOUCH WHICH SHORTS THE COMPUTER AND MAKES THE CAR NO LONGER START, IT WILL CRANK BUT IT WILL NOT START CAUSE THE COMPUTER IN SHORTED AND CONFUSED SO THERE IS NO FUEL AND NO SPARK GOING TO THE FUEL RAIL OR THE COIL PACK. AT THIS POINT THE CAR NEEDS A WIRE HARNESS AND A PCM AND THIS ALL COSTS CLOSE TO $3000 OF WHICH I DO NOT HAVE TO FIX IT. MY FRIEND WORKED FOR GENERAL ELECTRIC AND HE SAID HE HAS SEEN THIS BEFORE AT THE FACTORY WHEN THE COATING IS HEATED TO HIGH ONCE IT DRYS ITS ONLY A MATTER...

THERE'S A RECALL ON 1995-1997 FORD CONTOUR ( #99M03 AT WWW.CONTOUR.ORG/FAQ/RECALL/99M0). THE RECALL IS FOR A COMPLETE ENGINE HARNESS FAILURE , DUE TO CRACKING AND BRITTLE WIRES. MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED 06/97, AND I HAVE A COMPLETE WIRE HARNESS FAILURE. THEY WANT OVER $3000.00 TO REPAIR A PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL. I SPOKE TO FORD AND THEY DO NOT HAVE AN ANSWER AS TO WHY THEY ARE ONLY COVERING SOME VEHICLE. THEY SHOULD COVER ALL CONTOUR'S WITH THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A MATTER THEY SHOULD NOT BE ALOUD TO GET AWAY WITH. *NM

RECURRING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND DANGEROUS EXPOSED WIRING RESULTING FROM DETERIORATING UNDER HOOD WIRING HARNESS. SAME PROBLEM EXISTING ON 1995-1997 CONTOURS ADDRESSED BY OWNER NOTIFICATION PROGRAM 99M03. FORD DEALER EXAMINED AND ACKNOWLEDGED PROBLEM EXISTS BUT WILL NOT REPAIR AS ONP 99M03 DOESN'T COVER 1998 CONTOUR. SEE HTTP://HENNING.WS/FORDCONTOUR.CFM FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE OF PROBLEM. *JB

MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED ON 5/15/97 BUT IS TITLED AS A 1998 VEHICLE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS ISSUED A RECALL ON 1995-1997 FORD CONTOUR VEHICLES FOR A PROBLEM WHERE THE INSULATION FALLS OFF THE UNDERHOOD WIRING. MY VEHICLE HAS THIS PROBLEM TO THE EXTENT THAT BARE COPPER WIRING IS EXPOSED AT EVERY CONNECTOR UNDER THE HOOD AND I AM SURE IN PLACES THAT ARE NOT VISIBLE AS WELL. IF THESE WIRES CONTACT EACH OTHER, POSSIBLE ENGINE STALLING, LOSS OF LIGHTING, COOLING AND EVEN ENGINE FIRES ARE POSSIBLE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY IS REFUSING TO MAKE THE REPAIRS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS TITLED AS A 1998 EVEN THOUGH IT WWAS MANUFACTURED IN 1997 WITH THE SAME PARTS AS THE VEHICLES THEY ARE OFFERING TO REPAIR. I AM REFERING TO THEIR WARRANTY EXTENSION 99M03 WHICH CALLS FOR ALL WIRING HARNESSES TO BE REPLACED AT NO COST TO THE CONSUMER. MY LOCAL FORD EXAMINED...

MY CAR STOPPED RUNNING WHILE I WAS IN MOTION AT AROUND 45 MPH. FORTUNATELY, TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND I WAS ABLE TO MOVE MY DISABLED VEHICLE TO A SAFE LOCATION OFF THE ROADWAY. THE COMPUTER WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE PROBLEM AND WAS REPLACED. AFTER PICKING UP THE CAR FROM THE DEALER, I DROVE AROUND THIRTY MILES AND NOTICED THAT THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WAS ON. RETURNING TO THE DEALER, I WAS INFORMED IT WAS A FAULTY SENSOR. I REPLACED THAT, AND ABOUT 4 MILES LATER, THE CAR DIED AGAIN, WHILE I WAS ON THE ROAD, IN MOTION. THE DEALER MECHANIC SAID IT WAS A FAULTY WIRING HARNESS WHICH WOULD COST $2000 TO $4000 TO REPAIR. WE TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO GOT THE CAR RUNNING AGAIN FOR $1400, AND THE CAR HAS DIED AGAIN. I AM SEEKING TO FILE A COMPLAINT AND REQUEST THAT YOU INVESTIGATE THE WIRING...

WIRING HARNESS LOCATED BEHIND THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH MELTED, CAUSING FAILURE OF HEADLIGHT AND PARKING LIGHTS. DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THIS PROBLEM, AND MANUFACTURER INFORMED CONSUMER THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 99V103000. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND NOTICED THAT SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. HE PARKED AND VEHICLE BURST INTO FLAMES. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED. FIRE MARSHALL STATED THAT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM STARTED FIRE.*AK

WHEN APPYLING ABS BRAKES SYSTEM FAILED. THIS WAS CAUSED BY A MALFUNCTION WITHIN BLOWER SWITCH AND WIRING HARNESS. *AK WHEN BRAKES ARE RELEASED THE LIGHTS AND THE BLOWER MOTOR WORKED NORMAL. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT WATER INTRUSION CAUSED WIRE DAMAGE REQUIRING COMPLETE WIRE HARNESS. THE CONSUMER HAD TO SKIP THE REPAIR DUE TO A VERY HIGH COST OF REPAIR. *YH

ABS DID NOT WORK IN SNOW. DEALER SAID WIRE HARNESS HAD MOISTURE IN IT. HAVE TO REPLACE HARNESS. COST: $3000+*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING THE HEAT WENT OFF. THERE WAS RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THEN, VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE SPEED. CONSUMER WAS LOOKING OUT OF REARVIEW MIRROR AND NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE MANIFOLD. CONSUMER APPLIED EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND VEERED OVER TO THE SHOULDER LANE, AND SHE WAS STRUCK BY A TRUCK ON THE REAR. CAR WAS TOWED. CONSUMER SUFFERED INTERNAL INJURIES.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK