1998 Ford Contour exterior lighting problems

“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”

“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”

“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 HOWEVER, NOW THAT THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED, THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS NO LONGER VALID.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”

“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”

“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”

“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”