1998 Ford Contour air bags problems

“MY 1998 FORD CONTOUR HAS THREE SAFETY RECALLS. HOWEVER, I'M HAVING A TERRIBLE TIME GETTING FORD TO PROVIDE THE PARTS NEEDED TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE. THE RECALLS ARE: (A) 01S22 - HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR AND CONNECTOR, (B) 99S14 - HEADLIGHT SWITCH CONNECTOR, AND (C) 99S23 - FRONT CRASH SENSORS. PRESENTLY MY AIRBAGS ARE OFFLINE AND OFFER NO CRASH PROTECTION. IT'S BEEN A LITTLE OVER A MONTH SINCE I BEGAN TRYING TO GET THIS RESOLVED (BASICALLY WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR - THE SELLER DIDN'T DISCLOSE THE RECALLS WERE NOT FIXED TO ME). THE BLOWER STOPPED WORKING A FEW DAYS AGO AND IT SMELLED LIKE ELECTRICAL WIRES WERE PERHAPS BURNING. SO NOW I DON'T HAVE DEFROST/DEFOG CAPABILITY. THE DEALER IS TRYING TO GET THE PARTS, BUT FORD HASN'T SHIPPED THEM. *TR”

“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD CONTOUR. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. AFTER A WEEK OF THE AIR BAG ILLUMINATING, HE DROVE THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE CRASH IMPACT SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 99V243000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE) WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VINE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL; THEREFORE, THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,815 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.”

“I WAS DRIVING A 1997 FORD CONTOUR. THIS WAS THE CAR I DROVE TO AND FROM WORK. I WAS DRIVING TO LONGVIEW COMMUNITY COLLEGE(LVCC) FOR A REHEARSAL AND LESSON ON THE BRUCE WATKINS DRIVE (HIGHWAY 71) SOUTH. THE TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY AS THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT AT THE GRANDVIEW TRIANGLE. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE JUST AT THE 87TH STREET EXIT. A VEHICLE CUT IN FRONT OF ME TO EXIT AT THIS TURN OFF. I WAS SLOWED TO ABOUT 35 MPH AND WAS DRIVING ACROSS A BRIDGE. AT THE END OF THAT BRIDGE WAS A HUGE BUMP. AS I HIT THAT BUMP, THE AIR BAG EXPLODED. I COULD NOT SEE WITH THE POWDER, SMOKE AND THE SMELL ( WHICH WAS BURNING MY EYES.) I RAN INTO THE BACK OF A TRAIL BLAZER. THE TRAILER HITCH RAMMED THROUGH THE RADIATOR. THE DRIVER DID NOT KNOW THAT I EVEN HAD HIT HIM. 60 SECONDS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, A POLICE CAPTAIN DETECTIVE ON HER WAY HOME FROM THE METROPOLITAN POLICE STATION, ASKED ME IF I WAS OK. SHE SAID, "I SAW THE AIR BAG DEPLOY BEFORE YOU HIT THAT CAR IN FRONT OF YOU." THE NOISE OF THE HORN WAS LOUD. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN BY THE HOOD, WHICH WAS BENT BACK LIKE A BANANA. ALL OF THE GLASS IN THE FRONT WAS ALL BROKEN. I WAS CHECKED OUT BY THE MAST AMBULANCE. THE CAR WAS…”

“DT: THE CONTACT STATES THERE IS NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN 99V243000 CONCERNING THE AIR BAGS SENSOR CONTROL MODULE. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL, BUT IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. THE CONTACT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AT HIS OWN EXPENSE. *AK”

“DT: CONTACT STATES WHILE DRIVING BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT AN IMPACT. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOWING YARD. THE SERVICE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT AN IMPACT.*AK”

“THE CONSUMER IS EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH THE ACCELERATOR CABLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER TAKES HIS FOOT OFF THE PEDAL THE ENGINE DOES NOT RETURN TO IT'S LOWER IDLING SPEED. THE CONSUMER IS ALSO EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS FLASHING. OWNER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER AND BECAUSE OF THE VIN, THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS RELATING TO THE DEFECTS OF THIS VEHICLE. *TT”