1999 FORD CONTOUR Electrical Systemignition Problems

1999 FORD CONTOUR SE SPORT DASHBOARD PEELING. MY DASHBOARD STARTED TO PEEL AWAY AT APPROX 60,000 MILES. I NOW HAVE 80,000 MILES ON MY CAR. I DID NOT RECEIVE NOTICE OF A RECALL ON THIS MATTER, WHICH WAS APPARENTLY A SECRET. I HAVE OWNED 3 FORDS AND WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER DUE TO THE LAX CUSTOMER SERVICE AND FAILURE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PRODUCT FAILURE. I HAVE ALSO HAD ALL THE HEAD GASKETS REPLACED (I AM 60 AND HARDLY HOT RODDING), REAR STRUTS AND SOMETHING RELATED TO A LOUD HUMMING SOUND UNDER THE HOOD THAT WAS ESSENTIAL FOR THE CAR TO REMAIN IN WORKING ORDER AND PROBLEMS WITH THE KEY STICKING IN THE IGNITION AND ALSO A FUEL PUMP. *TR

I INADVERTENTLY FOUND THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO ROTATE THE IGNITION KEY IN MY CAR TO THE LOCK POSITION AND REMOVE THE KEY WITHOUT HAVING THE GEAR IN PARK AND JUST HAVING MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE. AS I RELEASED THE BRAKE, MY CAR ROLLED A FEW FEET INTO MY GARAGE AND I REALIZED THE CAR WAS NOT IN PARK. THERE WERE NO DAMAGES. I CONTACTED MY REPAIR SHOP ABOUT THE IGNITION ISSUE. THEY INFORMED THERE WAS AN OLD RECALL ON MY VEHICLES' MAKE/MODEL. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND LOCATED NHTSA'S INFORMATION AS IT RELATES TO CAMPAIGN 99V060000. I CONTACTED FOR. THEY INFORMED ME MY VIN WAS NOT PART OF A RECALL, THAT THEY COULD NOT GIVE ME ANY INFORMATION WHETHER MY CAR'S MAKE/MODEL HAD EVER BEEN IN A RECALL AND THAT NO ON IN THE ENTIRE FORD MOTOR COMPANY COULD TELL ME, NOR DID THEY HAVE ANY REFERRAL SITES...

1999 V6 CONTOUR SE. RH REAR SPRING MADE BY VISTEON BROKE FROM CORROSION @ 87K MILES. LH REAR SPRING COVERED WITH RUST VISTEON IS ALSO MAKER OF FRONT SPRINGS THAT HAD RECALL ON 95-97MY FRONT SPRINGS. POOR SPRING COATING DESIGN INCL. IRON PHOSPHATE. IGNITION SWITCH FAILURE AT 75K MILES. HAD TO BE REPLACED. TOP OF DASHBOARD WAS RECALLED WITH A KIT. KIT DID NOT FIX PROBLEM -- EXCESSIVE RATTLES STILL EXIST. I UNDERSTAND THAT WAS THE INTENT OF RECALL & FORD HAS NO ADDITIONAL KITS OR PLANS TO REPLACE FAULTY RECALL. KIT WAS REPLACED AROUND 60K MILES. FAULTY DPFE SENSOR ON THIS DURATEC ENGINE. DEALER TOLD ME REPLACEMENT SENSORS HAD A RE-DESIGN THAT DID NOT HAVE EXPOSED AREA THAT CONSTANTLY TRIGGERS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. ORIGINAL SENSORS GET CONTAMINATION AND WILL TRIGGER THE CHECK LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY. FORD DID NOT RECALL AND ONLY REPLACED IF COMPLAINTS UNDER WARRANTY. I NOTICED PROBLEM AROUND...

THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL RUNNING AND IN GEAR. THE MANUFACTURER REJECTED THE CLAIM. *JB

THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO ROTATE THE IGNITION KEY TO THE LOCK POSITION AND REMOVE THE KEY WITHOUT THE SHIFT LEVER AND TRANSMISSION BEING IN PARK. *AK ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE ROLLED WHILE PARKED, BECAUSE THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION WHILE THE GEAR WAS STILL IN DRIVE. *JB

WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL COME ON INTERMITTENTLY, AND AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL AND DIE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. CAR WAS ON FIRE WHICH BURNED UP FUSE BOX. *AK

PROBLEMS STARTED AT 119MILES, DEALERS EITHER DON'T CONFIRM PROBLEM OR SAY IT'S NORMAL FOR THIS CAR. MULTIPLE REPAIR ATTEMPTS AT 4 DEALERS. SEVERE VIBRATION AND PULL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS ARE THE TIRES (CONFIRED WITH MY WINTER TIRES-NO PROBLEM), KLUNKING FROM FRONT END WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS, ALL DASH WARNING LIGHTS COME ON DURING WINTER AT IDLE-GO OUT AFTER RESTART OR ENGINE ACCELERATION, FRONT SEATS WOBBLE SIDE TO SIDE-DEALER SAYS NORMAL FOR CAR-WAN'T PRESENT WHEN NEW, PULSING FRONT END SHIMMY ON HIGHWAY-NOT TIRE RELATED-POSSIBLE CV SHAFT ISSUE-DEALERS STATED NPF, ENGINE SPARK KNOCKS UNDER LIGHT LOADS-NO CHANGE WITH DIFFERENT GAS GRADES OR BRANDS-DEALERS SAYS NPF, HEADLAMPS GO DIM AT IDLE-DEALERS SAYS NORMAL-NOT PRESENT WHEN NEW, POOR LOW BEAM VISIBILITY FROM HEADLAMPS, ALUMINUM WHEELS ARE TOO POROUS-LOSE ABNORMAL AIR AMOUNTS-DEALER SAYS NPF. MOST OF THESE HAVE BEEN SINCE NEW OR STARTED WITHIN 1ST YEAR OF NEW- NO DEALERS HAS YET "CONFIRMED" PROBLEMS WHEN...

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

VEHICLE WAS MAKING SPITTING AND SPUTTERING NOISES, AND THEN IT STALLED. WHILE CONSUMER WENT INSIDE TO CALL DEALER, ABOUT A HALF HOUR LATER, WENT BACK OUT AND FOUND VEHICLE ON FIRE CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW WHY VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE.*AK