Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS | ||||||||||||||||
| 98V028000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | from 01/13/1997 to 01/14/1998 | V (Vehicle) | 571800 | 03/23/1998 | MFR | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 02/10/1998 | 02/25/1998 | 571 | 108 | |||||
| Defect Summary | Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. the text and/or graphics for the vehicle headlamp aiming instructions provided in the owner guides are not sufficiently clear. this does not meet the requirements of fmvss no. 108, lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | If the headlamp assemblies are replaced, customers may be confused by the aiming instructions provided in the owner guides causing the headlamps to be improperly aimed. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Owner guides containing revised aiming instructions will be mailed to owners of these vehicles. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Owner notification is expected to begin march 23, 1998. owners who do not receive the free owner guide within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236). | |||||||||||||||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS - SWITCH | ||||||||||||||||
| 99V103000 | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | from 04/20/1995 to 08/24/1998 | V (Vehicle) | 605581 | 07/16/1999 | ODI | FORD MOTOR COMPANY | 05/05/1999 | 05/10/1999 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. the terminals at the headlight switch and wiring harness connector can experience heat damage as a result of overheating. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | The damage could result in distortion of the terminal causing an open circuit in the instrument panel illumination, parking lamp, and tail lamp circuits. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dealers will install a headlamp switch wiring connector containing bronze terminals and an inspection, and replacement if necessary, of the headlamp switch. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Owner notification began july 16, 1999. owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's auto safety hotline at 1-888-dash-2-dot (1-888-327-4236). | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | |||||
| 15636 | 02/01/2002 | 630685 | Concern with headlamps and/or instrument panel lamps dimming slightly at idle. *tt | 04/19/2002 | |
| 983311 | 02/03/1998 | 607475 | Exhibiting a malfunction indicator light (mil) on with various codes and possible driveability concerns. *tt | 09/23/1999 | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BRAKE LIGHTS | |||||
| 99139 | 06/28/1999 | 606508 | Conditions with the brake lamps inadvertently disabling the brake shift interlock. *tt | 08/26/1999 | |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS - HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH | |||||
| 14775 | 03/01/2001 | 619489 | Some vehicles equipped with daytime running lamps (drl) may exhibit the high beam indicator in the instrument cluster flashing when the daytime running lamps are on. *tt | 06/01/2001 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | |||
| 03/11/2009 | 87000 | 1 | |
| 1998 ford contour. headlight connector over heated resulting in loss of tail lights and parking lights and instrument panel illumination. terminal 15 of connector was burned. safety recall 99s14 addresses this problem but ford dealer says this car was not covered by the recall. . i installed ford kit f5rz14a411ba and fixed the problem. why was this car not covered by the recall or is the ford dealer mistaken? should the recall be expanded? i saved the old connector. *tr | |||
| 01/24/2009 | 85400 | 1 | |
| I currently am the second owner of a 1998 ford contour. recently the parking, and dashboard lights ceased to operate. i changed the headlight switch which lasted for a week and burned out.. research on the internet revealed there was a service recall dated 5/10/99 under serial #99v10300 for the headlight harness which was causing the above described problem. i contacted ford who stated their was no open recall on this vehicle. further research on the internet revealed additional owners who had the same problem but were informed by ford that their particular vehicle was not covered under the recall. my complaint is if so many ford contour models are having this problem why are only certain vehicles covered when many are having identical problems thankyou *tr | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BACK UP LIGHTS | |||
| 06/02/2003 | 1 | 10/31/1998 | |
| No dash lights, back-up, or license plate light. took to dealer and dash lights were fixed $200.plus. but no clock light, license plate light or back-up lights. all fuses where checked and ok.*ak | |||
| 07/13/1998 | 2 | ||
| Consumer states there was moisture in the third brake light, the fog lamp failed and was repaired, however fog lamps do not work. *slc | |||
| 02/19/2000 | 1 | 05/01/1998 | |
| The dealership had installed an aftermarket rear spoiler on the vehicle without disclosing this information. after having problems with the third brake light in the spoiler in learned it was not a factory part. the dealership stated to me that it was factory. i was not able to get the part replaced until i called ford directly and threatened to sue the dealership for fraud. *ak | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - BRAKE LIGHTS | |||
| 93000 | 1 | ||
| Consumer noticed a grinding noise while driving. took to dealer, dealer stated the 2 front coil springs were broken. please provide any further information. *ph | |||
| 05/20/1997 | |||
| Driving down the highway and all the lights on the vehicle will go off; will stay off for about five minutes and then come back on. brake lights keep burning all the time even when the vehicle is turned off. *ak | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - FOG LIGHTS | |||
| 07/13/1998 | 2 | ||
| Consumer states there was moisture in the third brake light, the fog lamp failed and was repaired, however fog lamps do not work. *slc | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS | |||
| 04/01/2005 | 73000 | 1 | 05/01/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford contour. the vehicle was taken to the repair shop for regularly scheduled maintenance. the mechanic stated that the front passenger side coil spring failed. in 2001, the contact received a recall notice for nhtsa campaign id number 01v255000 (suspension:front:springs:coil springs). the dealer inspected the vehicle at that time and stated that no repair was needed. however, now that the failure has occurred, the manufacturer stated that the recall was no longer valid. the failure mileage was 73,000 and current mileage was 81,000. updated 01/09/08. *lj the consumer stated the coils springs have been replaced twice in this vehicle. the dealer stated replaced headlight switch and cable in engine. updated 12/12/07 *tr updated 06/04/08. *lj | |||
| 08/13/2006 | 1 | ||
| Headlights do not provide sufficient illumination. *nm | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| The headlight in the consumer's 1998 ford contour do not illuminate the road enough while driving at night. *kb visibility is especially bad while driving at night in the rain because the lights fog up. the consumer has almost had an accident because of the headlights. *nm | |||
| 05/01/2006 | 70000 | 1 | 04/09/2004 |
| On 98 ford contours both of the headlights form condensation on the inside and then become pitted. this greatly reduces the visibility at night and during stormy weather. we have changed the bulbs but not the entire headlight assembly. when we went to look for a set of headlights we discovered that all the used sets have the exact same problem. the lights need to be replaced and this problem is occurring on all ford contours and its mercury counterpart. *nm | |||
| 07/16/2004 | 2 | ||
| When driving the vehicle at night, the driver noticed that the headlights were dim. the consumer will take the vehicle to the dealership for inspection. please provide any further details. *jb | |||
| 1 | |||
| Vehicle didn't pass safety inspection due headlight lenses being opaque. *la *mr | |||
| 12/08/2003 | 57000 | 1 | |
| Over a period of time the headlight lens faded. this made it difficult to see while driving at night. the dealership has been notified, but did not resolve the problem. please provide any additional information. *nlm | |||
| 08/04/2003 | 4 | 03/21/2000 | |
| I went to the ford dealership here in louisiana and showed them the papers that was sent to me concerning recalls for my year & make of car. i told them that some of the recalls on those papers was happening to my car and why haven't they been repaired when i brought my car in and they stated to me that if the vin # for my car didn't come up as a recall and as long as the problem didn't exist then they could not repair it . and i stated that even though my vin didn't come up and even though my car is having some these recalls problems yall are not going to repair them because my vin # didn't come up and the problem is not existing right now all are not going to repair or fix these recalls, and i was told yes. well, some of these recalls are existing on my car and i can't get the ford place to repair or fix them why is that? i think that's very unfair to the customer.*ak | |||
| 10/01/2002 | 110125 | 0 | |
| I own a 1998 ford contour. i have been having several problems with the headlamps. the passenger side headlamp hold moisture inside and the driver side is starting to do the same thing. not only this but both headlamps go out of aim every so often. when the lights are on low beam i can't see ten feet in front of the car and i have to drive with the high beams on so i can see what is in front of me. this has caused four near misses. two with deers, one with a mail box, and on with another car. i don't know if the moisture in the headlights has anything to do the brightness of the headlights themselves. when i had the headlights aimed for the third time i asked the dealer about the moisture problem and they said i would have to replace both the headlights. | |||
| 1 | |||
| The headlights on the vehicle are sweating on the interior wall and are burning very dim. consumer wonders will there be a recall for this problem. *jg | |||
| 03/01/1999 | 3 | ||
| Headlights cannot be adjusted to produce proper lighting at night, consumer not able to drive vehicle at night. to dealer 3 times, replaced headlights, did not remedy. then dealer stated it was a defect because lights were not adjustable. *ak | |||
| 1 | 01/01/1998 | ||
| Fog lamps have not worked since recall. dealer has not followed through on promises. *ak | |||
| 1 | 05/26/1998 | ||
| Consumer is very unhappy with the number of recalls (6) that have been issued on the vehicle and feels the vehicle is a lemon. nlm | |||
| Low beam headlights are too dim, making it dangerous to drive at night. dealer adjusted lights 3 times , but problem still occurs. dealer claims it is just a design flaw and cannot be repaired. *ak | |||
| 10/09/1999 | 1 | ||
| Recall work not completed due to dealer scheduling problem. (99v-103) mjs | |||
| 09/15/1999 | |||
| Headlight's are not working, and the door light above floor lights on the driver's side and passenger's side don't work. also, speedometer isn't working properly. *ak | |||
| 07/01/1999 | |||
| When driving at any speed there is a knocking and clucking noise coming from the front of the vehicle. also, headlights are working intermittently. *ak | |||
| The headlights do not come on. also, interior lights on the dash sometimes do not function. dealer has see vehicle. *ak. | |||
| 06/01/1998 | |||
| No summary listed for above vehicle. *ak | |||
| 05/04/1998 | 0 | ||
| While driving vehicle about 60 mph the headlights did not work while in use at night. the manufacturer told consumer this was not safety problem. *ak | |||
| 05/20/1997 | |||
| Driving down the highway and all the lights on the vehicle will go off; will stay off for about five minutes and then come back on. brake lights keep burning all the time even when the vehicle is turned off. *ak | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS - HIGH/LOW BEAM DIMMER SWITCH | |||
| 1 | |||
| Headlights in low dim when activated there is a shadow in the headlight which may cause visual difficulty and may result in a crash. ford said it's the design of the headlights. *ak | |||
| 10/01/1999 | |||
| Owner received recall notice #99v194000. contacted dealer. took vehicle on appointed date. mechanic repaired headlight switch. failed to repair the throttle cable due to lack of parts & too many customers. would need to reorder more parts & would notify owner, who is still waiting. (99s14 repaired) (99s19 waiting for parts). *ak | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - HEADLIGHTS - SWITCH | |||
| 05/30/2006 | 1 | 03/01/2005 | |
| I have a 1998 ford contour that the dashboard lights and rear taillights have stopped working, while the headlights continue to function. the cause was the wiring overheating and i had to replace the wiring harness and the switch. i did some research online and located a recall nhsta campaign 99v103000 for the 1998 ford contour for this exact problem, but according to the dealership my car was not included in the recall. i have had to pay for the work out of pocket, but i am wondering if it was in error than my car was not included. *jb | |||
| 01/30/2006 | 109000 | 1 | 09/24/1998 |
| Ford will not repair a recall (99s14) on my 1998 contour se due to the fact that my specific vin number is not included in the recall, although the year is in the recall. the problem is the same. (instrument panel lights and tail lights not working when headlights are turned on.) the description of the ford recall 99s14 is the same as my observed problem. unsafe to drive car at night. no correction has been performed. ford should take responsibility for this known recall. *nm | |||
| 07/27/2005 | 99100 | 1 | 08/17/2003 |
| When turning headlights on, tail lights and interior panel lights do not come on. this is a known problem (nhtsa campaign number 99v103000). however, ford says that it is not their responsibility because of the vehicle identification number (1fafp66l2wk215392) | |||
| 03/31/2004 | 1 | 06/12/2003 | |
| While driving engine suddenly shut off at highway speed. consumer smelled smoke. took vehicle to a mechanic, who determined that a circuit inside the headlamp burnt. *ak ++++++++++++++++++++ | |||
| 01/27/2004 | 119700 | 2 | 01/01/1998 |
| Dealership replaced the bronze terminals, but refused to replace the headlight switch as stated in the headlight switch/wire harness recall 99v103000. instrument panel lights and headlights were not working properly. *ak *mr | |||
| 1 | 05/26/1998 | ||
| Consumer is very unhappy with the number of recalls (6) that have been issued on the vehicle and feels the vehicle is a lemon. nlm | |||
| Consumer contacted the dealer in reference to four seperate nhtsa recall notices 99v243000/ 99v194000/ 99v103000 and 98v233000. also, manufacturer's recalls 99s23/99s19/99s14 and 98s26. dealer refused to correct the recall problems without the consumer correcting the problem with transmission . please provide any further details. *ak | |||
| 09/11/1999 | 1 | ||
| Consumer having trouble with dealership obtaining recall repair (99v-103). mjs | |||
| 08/01/1999 | 2 | 05/01/1999 | |
| Consumer is having scheduling problems in receiving recall repairs (99v-103) (99v-194). mjs | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TAIL LIGHTS | |||
| 79000 | 2 | ||
| Vehicle is without dash lights and tail lights. dealership will not honor recall. *ak | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TAIL LIGHTS - SWITCH | |||
| 01/22/2003 | |||
| Consumer called complaining about having problems with head light switch being inoperable (connector was burned causing no function to the tail light. dealer has been notified. please provide further information. ts | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TURN SIGNAL | |||
| 05/25/2004 | 3 | ||
| Intermittently the turn signal malfunctioned. vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection, and mechanic determined that the bulb needed to be replaced. *ak | |||
| When applying the turn signal, the light blinks excessively fast. dealer says the turn signal bulb was open. dealer has fixed the problem. *ak | |||
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING - TURN SIGNAL - FLASHER UNIT | |||
| 09/01/2003 | 18000 | 8 | 04/07/2000 |
| Constant problems with the vehicle. alternator, fuel tank, gear shift indicator, computer sensor's (variable cam timing over retarded), automatic shift labored and fails, cooling fan motor, etc. this vehicle is in some form of repair shop on a regular basis. have i driven a ford lately? yes, and sorry i chose to do so. *ak | |||
| 02/28/2002 | 1 | 06/01/2001 | |
| I know a couple of people who have had experienced the same problems with their contours as i have. i bought this car through a private party and took out an extended warranty through my credit union. the transmission was covered but the signals and the shifter lever was not costing me hundreds of dollars. how many complaints does it take until the manufacturer is forced to recall the parts. i read the comments on the transmissions and it is amazing that everyone is experiencing the same thing, it goes out without warning.*ak | |||