DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THERE WAS AN INTERMITTENT GROANING AND CRUNCHING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP, WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE HUB WAS PUNCHING OUT THE SEALED BEARINGS. THE BEARINGS WERE REPLACED. PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE HAD ALSO BEEN TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE AXLE SHAFT. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP WAS ABLE TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM COMPLETELY.
NHTSA complaint #10167235 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE FRONT WHEELS ON THE 1998 FORD CONTOUR WERE SEVERELY CRACKED. THE REAR OF THE WHEEL, THE CRACK CONTINUED TOWARD THE RIM, THEN CURLED TO THE RIGHT. *BF THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PAY TO REPLACE THE WHEELS . THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD PAY FOR REPLACING THE WHEELS.
NHTSA complaint #10111418 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH REAR DRIVER' SIDE WHEEL FELL OFF VEHICLE. DAMAGE WAS INCURRED TO UNDERCARRIAGE BRAKE DRUM RIM RUNNING BOARD. LUG NUTS WERE DETERMINED TO HAVE COME LOOSE DUE TO FAILURE TO RE-TORQUE AFTER CHANGING SEASONAL TIRES (EVIDENCED BY ELONGATED LUG NUT HOLES) WOBBLING AND SHAKING OCCURRED 3 MILES PRIOR TO LOSS OF WHEEL. *AK *EH
NHTSA complaint #10101390 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE A LOUD CLICKING NOISE FROM REAR OF CAR ONLY WHEN FOUR PEOPLE IN CAR.WHEN INSPECTING WHEELS AND TIRES FOUND WHEEL TO BE CRACKED FROM HUB CENTER TO RIM EDGE BETWEEN LUG NUT HOLES.INSPECTING OTHER WHEELS FOUND 2 MORE WITH SAME CRACK IN LENGTH AND LOCATION.
NHTSA complaint #10090850 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I'M A HEARING IMPAIRED DRIVER/OWNER OF FORD '95 CONTOUR GL (LOW-INCOMER, AVERAGE $21,000 A YEAR). I'VE BOUGHT THIS CAR IN 1997 FROM A MINNEAPOLIS-AREA FORD DEALERSHIP (QUALITY AUTO DEALERSHIP IN BLOOMINGTON, MINNESOTA). AT THE TIME, I HAD LESS THAN $10,000 TO PAY FOR A RECENT USED CAR(ONE THAT IS WITHIN 2-3 YEARS AFTER IT CAME ON THE MARKET). I TRIED OUT FEW CARS AND THE WHITE 1995 FORD CONTOUR GL. THE DEALER INSISTED THAT '95 FORD CONTOUR GL WAS A GOOD BUY AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE. I WAS WILLING TO TRADE UP MY OLD CAR TO REDUCE THE PRICE BUT IT WAS STILL TOO HIGH FOR ME SINCE IT DIDN'T INCLUDED OTHER FEES LIKE THE TITLE AND REGISTRATION LICENSE. AFTER A SHORT, PERSUASIVE NEGOTIATION, I GOT THE DEALER TO AGREE TO MARK DOWN TO $9995 AND I ACCEPTED THAT. SO I BOUGHT THE CAR. AFTER A FEW DAYS, I WAS EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH IT, SO I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND LATER TOLD ME THAT THE WHOLE ENGINE WAS BAD AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS STUNNED BUT THEY WERE WILLING TO DO THE REPAIR FOR FREE. IT TOOK ME A WEEK TO GET MY CAR BACK. EVERYTHING WENT FAIRLY FINE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS. IN 1999, THE AIR-CONDITIONER IN MY CAR STOPPED WORKING AND IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR AT THE TIME. I MOVED TO COLUMBUS, OH IN JAN. 2000. FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS, THAT CAR HAS BECOME A TROUBLE FOR ME. ONE REPAIR AFTER THE NEXT. THE BIGGEST REPAIR COST I'VE PAID OUT WAS $2060.43 TO REPLACE A FLYWHEEL. I HAVE TRIED TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY CAR BY TAKING IT TO JIFFY LUBE FOR OIL/CHECK-UPS EVERY 3-6 MONTHS FAITHFULLY AND I'M STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY CAR. RIGHT NOW, IT IS AT ANOTHER FORD SERVICE BECAUSE THERE MAY BE DEFECTED WIRING COILS IN MY CAR (A DEALER RECALL THAT I'M NOT AWARE OF). I HAVE KEPT ALL THE SERVICE MAINTENANCE PAPERS IN FILE FOR ALL THE REPAIRS AND SERVICES ON MY CAR. I WANTED A NEW CAR AND I'M NOT VERY HAPPY. I'M TIRED OF PAYING FOR THE REPAIRS. THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10069714 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT PROBLEMS, SPRINGS, BRAKES LAST 4 MONTHS,WATER PUMPS WENT AT 63,000, TIRES WEAR OUT IN LESS THAN A YEAR, TEMPERATURE GAUGES DO NOT READ RIGHT. ENGINE RACES, SOLENOID WENT....VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY EVERYONE IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS BUT NO HELP?
NHTSA complaint #10043239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CONSUMER WHILE TRAVELING NOTICE VEHICLE WOBBLING AND MAKING NOISE VEHICLE WAS SERVICE TECHNICIAN NOTICE RIM WITH CRAKES. CONSUMERS REPLACE THREE RIMS AT OWN EXPENSE. MANUFACTURE HAS BEEN CONTACTED. MR
NHTSA complaint #8021444 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ALL FOUR STUDS ON RIGHT FRONT TIRE, SHEARED OFF. RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND TIRE TRAVELING LOOSE THROUGH TRAFFIC. TIRE COMPLETELY DESTROYED FRONT FENDER AND ROTOR ASSEMBLY WAS BROKEN WHEN CAR CAME CRASHING DOWN ONTO IT. STUDS SHOWED NO SIGNS THAT THEY HADN'T BEEN TIGHTENED TO SPECS. (ROUNDED OUT STUD HOLES ON RIMS OR ROUNDED OUT THREADS.) COMPLETE SIMUALTANOUS STUD FAILURE ON ALL FOUR STUDS.
NHTSA complaint #758722 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE DRIVING AT ABOUT 5MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF DUE TO LOOSE LUGS: NUTS. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE. *AK CONSUMER STATES THE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH THE FOLLOWING: FUEL FILTER, SPARK PLUGS, TRANSMISSION, CV BOOT, BRAKES, AIR FILTER, WIRE, ROTORS NEED TURNING, TIMING GEAR, TIMING BELT, AND VEHICLE WILL NOT START. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #892195 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TRANSMISSION HAS A DEFECT, THERE IS A SLIP WHEN YOU APPLYING GEARS. ALSO, BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOOR, AND GRABS A LITTLE BIT. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM. BRAKES HAVE FAILED, ON ONE OCCASION CONSUMER ALMOST HIT A CHILD, BRAKE PEDAL SLIPS FROM UNDER FOOT. EMERGENCY BRAKE IS ONLY EFFECTIVE 50 PERCENT OF THE TIME. TRANSMISSION INTERMITTENTLY CHANGES GEARS ROUGHLY, AT TIMES JARRING OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE. POSSIBLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM: LIGHT OF THE CLOCK HAS BURNED OUT TWICE, CONSUMER STATES THERE ARE SHORTS IN THE DASHBOARD, CAUSING THE HEATER OR A/C TO ONLY HAVE ONE SPEED WORKING, DOME LIGHTS WORK INTERMITTENTLY, LIGHT UNDER DASH WORKS INTERMITTENTLY, WARNING BELL DOES NOT CHIME ALL THE TIMES IT SHOULD, CONSUMER STATES A SENSOR CAUSES HEATER TO ACT AS THE AC AND VICE VERSA. HINGES NOT MADE PROPERLY, CAUSING DOOR MOVEMENT WHILE OPENING/CLOSING, DOES NOT STOP WHEN IT SHOULD. SEAT BLET RETARCTION DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH ELAST, CAUSING IT NOT TO RETRACT PROPERLY, HAS GOTTEN CAUGHT IN THE DOOR JAM. ALARM SYSTEM HAS FAILED. WHEEL COVER CRACKED WHEN A TIRE WAS BEING CHANGED AND ANOTHER ONE FELL OFF, CONSUMER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE TIME OR PLACE IT FELL OFF. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #891622 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FRONT WHEELS ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF CRACKING AND CORROSION. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT VEHICLE WAS OUT OF ITS WARRANTY, AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE.
NHTSA complaint #884008 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE PREVIOUSLY HAD PROBLEMS WITH THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE TAKEN IT MORE THAN EIGHT DIFFERENT TIMES TO BE SERVICE AND PROBLEM STILL HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED EVEN AFTER HAVING ENGINE REPLACED I AM HAVING SOME OF THE SAME PROBLEMS. CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED ON A REGULAR BASIS AND STILL IT HAS PROBLEMS.E . .
NHTSA complaint #730541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.