Blower motor failure. The blower controls the defroster and heater. The failure results in fog, frost etc so visibility is greatly limited. If one can see well an accident is possible.
1996 Ford Contour electrical complaints
Page 2 of 5: complaints 11 to 40 of 119, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. While driving 55 MPH, the contact smelled a burning odor and noticed smoke emanating from the instrument panel. After close inspection, he noticed that the blower switch and all associated wiring were melted. The dealer would not assume responsibility because the VIN was excluded from the federal safety agency campaign id number 01v230000 (electrical system). The manufacturer would not assist and the vehicle has not been repaired. The failure and current mileages were 109,688. 4/01/09 *nj ford stated the vehicle was diagnosed before it left the factory and they refused to reimburse the consumer. Updated 04/07/09.
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. The contact stated that the wiring harness was malfunctioning, which causes the check engine indicator to illuminate on the instrument panel, engine failure, and electrical fires under the hood. He has been repairing the failure himself, but the wiring harness continues to malfunction. The dealer stated that there were no recalls related to the failure and the repair would cost $1,500. The manufacturer stated that they would not repair the vehicle. The failure mileage was 103,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. As he started his vehicle, the tail lights or the dashboard did not light up. His mechanic gave him a copy of the federal safety agency campaign# 01v230000. The dealer and the manufacturer stated that his vehicle was not a part of the recall. The related the federal safety agency action# is ea01001. The failure mileage was 186,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. After being parked for four hours, the vehicle caught fire without warning. The fire originated on the front driver side. The vehicle was not towed or inspected by a dealer. The fire extinguished on its own. The current and failure mileages were 101,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. One month ago, the contact discovered that there is a recall for her vehicle. She stated that the engine lights continue to illuminate while driving 40 MPH, and a wiring repair was performed in the transmission. She also stated that the wiring harness was damaged by the heater blower. The vehicle was purchased in 2001 and the contact has been experiencing engine failure ever since. The engine size is not available. The current mileage is 110,000 and failure mileage was 90,000.
Tl*the contact owns a 1996 ford contour. The contact stated that the vehicle has encountered blown fuses and a destroyed alternator. The electrical system also destroyed the battery. The dealer stated that the wiring harness deteriorated, and informed the contact of recall # 01v230000.
Car has 168000 miles . My daughter just purchased it. 11/06 after checking over I found insulation on wires is rotted and falling off. I noticed some repairs have been attempted but still looks unsafe to operate because of possibility of fire .she now has a car she cant use and cant afford to repair.
Tl* - the contact took his 1997 ford contour to the dealership on 12/20/06 because the vehicle had lost complete power. The dealer stated that the vehicle needed to get the wiring harness replaced. The dealership called the manufacturer to see if the vehicle would be covered under the recall the federal safety agency campaign id number : 01v230000 and they stated that it wouldn't be covered under recall due to the vehicle being more than 10 years old. The contact can provide copies of repair invoices if needed. *jb updated 2/16/2007 -
I paid to have the car towed again to get a second opinion. While doing this I also did some research on the internet and found that my car had a recall on the under wire harness but that the recall had expired after 100,000 miles after seeing how many recalls where done on my car I realized that what genes evans ford told me was that it would cost me $2500.00 to fix the under wire harness problem. I obtained a second opinion which confirmed the wire harness, issue and ford built the car., and gene evans ford knew nothing about the recalls! I want my car fixed! On april 28,2004 when I was not sure if my car had a problem I took it to gene evans ford for a diagnostic reading, the odometer read 95904 and on may 3,2004 when the odometer read 96037, which is considerably less than the statute of limitations with regard to the electrical problem as well as the under wire harness recall,99m03, which is 100,000 miles or ten years. If the automotive technician at ford service could not elaborate that there was a recall that may cause problems . How was I to know? I continued to drive my car, trusting ford's opinion on any concerns I may have had. This situation has cost me endless distress as well as financial setbacks, fixing problems that now I see where related to one recall or another . I have but one car, pay my premiums on time and a clean driving record. I feel that this can happen to anyone and I am most dissatisfied , with the way gene evans ford has handled this matter. I want my car fixed! Or if need be replaced, with functioning non-defective parts, should my car get fixed I want all recalls on my car researched and fixed since the underwire harness was not the only recall I found on my car,and I want it all in writing! Thanking you in advance for your careful consideration in this matter. My car is now completely dead. With no attempt at gene evans ford or dearborn michigan addressing my concerns.
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.
This problem started way back at the date below and I could not get ford to fix this problem so I have been attempting to keep the car running by electrical taping the exposing wires. I wonder why amercian made vehicles are loosing to foreign companies... Self explanatory I think. No pride in the american worker. Just do the job and make living. Complaint is ford contour gl engine wiring harnesses severely deteriorating. I work with electrical wiring on aircraft daily and have never seen wiring like this. I've worked in areas where aircraft wiring go through severe temperature changes, high humidity, and sea spray to name a few. No aircraft that I've worked on has had wiring like this. Transportation such as aircraft don't or should say cannot have wiring like this why can cars? Obvious safety hazard for car owners around the country, car fails from wiring in the middle of rush hour traffic and what happens to the owner and possible other innocent drivers around them? This incident I believe requires immediate action. As I stated I am currently using electrical tape to attempt to keep the wires from touching and causing a fire or damage to other engine components. Currently chasing air conditioning, engine fan, and fuel injector problems with this wiring. A vehicles wiring should never become this brittle. This goes to prove why ford is closing plants and nissan and toyota are on top of the automotive sales. Think about it ford, trying to get by with cheap stuff and see where you are now, verge of bankruptcy.
Dt: 1996 ford contour. The contact states the wiring harness failed. The vehicle was inspected, and this was how they found the problem. Recall 01v230000 was issued, but this vehicle was not included. There has been nothing done to correct this problem. The contact stated it will cost $1700 to fix it. This problem was discovered approximately a year ago. There has not been a fire yet, but this could be the consequence of the recall.*ak updated 11/16/2005.
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.
The problem started on the incident date, wire problem cause the entire fan/AC/heater panel so no longer work, the wire got so hot hot it melted our under-dash fuse box, we went for 9 months and a baby with no A/C in hot and no heat in the cold, husband(josh murphy) went to junk yard after being turned away by dealership and got replacement parts off an identical car. That was in june of 2005. On that date we saw that all of the wires under the hood were severely cracked and damaged after eltrcial taping a few of the exposed wired there became a short that now cuases a computer problem and a loss of power then trying to accelerate anf pull into traffic, or just anytime it wants to. The over-drive light comes on and transmission starts to get really jerky and the odometer and everything else in the panal starts to malfunction, most of the time we dont even know how fast we are going or how many miles we have gone. We have a 18 month old and a new baby due in just weeks and I am scared that one time when I go to pull out the car just isnt going to go at all and we might get hit by someone, o and sometimes it just turns itself off in traffic too. The deaalership tell me that all of those wires were replaced in 2000 but they should have made it longer that 4 years without degenerating again. The local dealership also tells me that I would have to just pay for the work and being a new family we cannot afford something like that, especially since it was a recall item at one time. Please there has to be something done about this, I know we are not the only 96 ford contour owners with this exact problem either.
Major harness & electrical wiring which is under recall that the ford dealership will not honor.
Dt: consumer states that she has had problems with the electrical system. She has had the vehicle in to the mechanic several times and the mechanic called a local ford dealer and inquired on recalls on the vehicle. At that time they were told there were two recalls, 01i009000 and 01v230000. Consumer called the customer service department at ford and was told the recall had expired and she would have to pay for the recall work.
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)
Consumer complained about a mass air flow sensor problem. Owner took the vehicle to the dealer to have the work done. Also, owner was informed that the wire harness under the hood was defective.
I bought a 1996 ford contour se in june of 2003.I have since replaced the water pump 4 times.I bought the car from a man who blew the engine becuase the water pump went and he let the car over heat.I have replaced it in oct.2003,february 2004,june 2004,and dec.2004.it is really started to become a burden.
Electrical system was defective. Consumer took vehicle to dealer on several occasions. However, the electrical system was such that the lights went out and flickered. Vehicle locked in to park. Consumer applied a 20 amp fuse to get it out of gear. The dealer was unable to solve the problem.
Vehicle was parked and it caught on fire. The neighbor noticed that blinker was on, and suddenly there was a loud bang, assumed to be the battery.
Car stalls out when idle.car stalls out when starting or driving slowly. Car has had many sensors replaced including the oxygen sensor and it continues to stall out. Ford has not satisfactorilly repaired car after several costly visits.
This is a complaint on a 1996 ford contour. Within 15-20 after my daughter drove to work on the interstate, the car burst into flames. She had already gotten inside her job. It occurred about 8:25.
Intermittently transmission went in and out of overdrive by itself. When this failure occurred and the system failed to correct itself vehicle was taken to a dealership. Dealer determined that an electrical malfunction affected the speed control sensor, and the sensor needed to be replaced. The electrical failure was caused by wiring harness plastic installation disintegrating and falling off. Manufacturer issued an extended warranty on this part, but consumer's vehicle was over the warranty mileage.
Problems with 1996 ford contour front brakes, transmission, fuse box, heater blower motor, electrical and steering and suspension. *mr for the second time, the vehicle had problems with the brakes making a loud rubbing sound, the stabilizer bar was replaced and needs to be replaced again. The transmission was leaking, water was inside of the headlight seals, which made the lights very dim, the selector mode switch on the heater motor blower did not work properly, which made the heat not work at a 100%. The upper ball joints, rack and pinion and wheel bearing were all defective. *jb
Consumer took vehicle to the dealer, and had the mechanic look underneath the hood. Vehicle was melting inside due to this problem. She had no air condition or heat.
The wiring harness of my 1996 ford contour caught fire. I had prior problems with the vehicle in the past such as tail light going out constantly and also headlights, as well as problems with the o2 sensor. I have put more that$2000 dollars alone on this car just getting it repaired.
The federal safety agency#99-v-103-000: vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The terminals at the headlight switch and wiring harness connector can experience heat damage as a result of overheating. This recall failed.
While normally driving at 35 mile's per hour, the car suddenly stalled. 10 minutes later started normally. Just in case I took the car to mechanic because 20 minutes later I started to noticed an odor, like burned plastic. This morning the mechanic called me and asked me to stop by the shop, he showed me the fuse box and the electrical cables (harness) that are connected to the box, 75% or more are without insulation (cracked or the insulation is gone). According to him I was just lucky, ford do not offer a complete electrical harness as a part, and the only solution is to search for one in a junk yard, besides is a costly electrical job replacing the wires. I am going to contact ford because as a consumer I think that there is a defect with the mentioned vehicle.
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