1998 Ford Contour steering problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD CONTOUR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ON A WET ROAD, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE COIL SPRINGS WERE DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED EVERY TIME THE ROAD WAS WET. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,000.”

“MY FAMILY AND I WERE MAKING A RIGHT TURN FROM THE PARKING LOT OF A MOVIE THEATER TO A MODERATELY BUSY STREET. AFTER I COMPLETED THE TURN, I HEARD A LOUD "BANG", AND MY CAR SUDDENLY SWERVED TO THE RIGHT, AND I COULDN'T STOP. I COULD NOT GO FORWARD, OR BACK AROUND. THINKING THAT IT WAS CAUSED BY A BLOWN TIRED, I GOT OUT; IT WAS NOT. WHEN I HAD IT TOWED TO MY MECHANIC, HE SAID THAT ONE OF THE STEERING RODS ON THE FRONT, RIGHT PASSENGER WHEEL HAD BROKEN. HE REPLACED BOTH THE RIGHT AND THE LEFT STEERING RODS. *JB”

“DT: WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING THE CONSUMER COULD NOT MAKE A RIGHT TURN. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP, AND THEY SAID THE RACK AND PINION STEERING RACK BROKE, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, DID A POWER STEERING FLUSH. *AK *NM”

“MY 1998 FORD CONTOUR 4-DOOR SEDAN RECENTLY EXPERIENCED A DEVASTATING FAILURE. WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THROUGH A PARKING LOT AT LOW SPEED, A SUB-FRAME ASSEMBLY UNDER THE DASH FELL DOWN ON HER FEET. THE ASSEMBLY IS HELD IN PLACE WITH TWO BOLTS WHICH HAD COME LOOSE. AS A RESULT OF THIS, THE STEERING LINKAGE WAS ALLOWED TO DISCONNECT, PERMITTING THE STEERING WHEEL TO SPIN FREELY. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY SHE WOULD HAVE COMPLETELY LOSS CONTROL, AND BECAUSE THE FRAME FELL ON HER FEET, SHE PROBABLY COULDN'T HAVE APPLIED THE BRAKE. NO STEERING AND NO BRAKE! I THINK THIS IS A POTENTIALLY FATAL DESIGN DEFECT. OF COURSE, THE DEALER AND FORD APOLOGIZED BUT REFUSED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *JB”

“AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPPED BADLY NEARLY CAUSING ACCIDENT AS CAR BEHIND ME DID NOT ANTICIPATE MY CAR NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCELARATE AS I TURNED ONTO A BUSY ROAD. SECOND TIME TRANMISSON HAS FAILED IN THE VEHICLE - FIRST AT APPROX 25000 MILES. LEAKING TRANS FLUID ALSO DAMGE SEALS TO POWER STEERING "RACK" CAUSING SEALS TO FAIL COMPETELY IN LESS THAN 300 MILES.*AK”

“WHILE DRIVING ON I75 AROUND ATLANTA, CAR STEERING FAILED MAKING CAR FEEL LIKE IT WAS HYDROPLANING BUT IT WASN'T. ROAD CONDITIONS WERE WET WITH LIGHT DRIZZLE. CAR VEERED TO LEFT AND HIT CONCRETE MEDIAN. BUMPER WAS LEFT HANGING BY A THREAD. CAR WASN'T SAFE TO DRIVE AND HAD TOWED TO BODY SHOP. FEEL THIS IS RELATED TO SIMILAR INCIDENTS WHERE THE CONTOUR STEERING FAILED AFTER WATER HITS THE BELTS & PULLEYS.”