The contact owns a 1997 Ford Contour. The contact stated the vehicle repeatedly decelerates and accelerates without warrant. When the air conditioner was being operated, the vehicle would begin to shake violently. It would also take an unusually long time for the air conditioner to engage and would blow only hot air. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 91,000 and the current mileage was 92,000.

- Hialeah, FL, USA

This has got to be the worst car we ever owned. Recently the A/C compressor made a grinding noise. The dealer said it would be $1200 to fix. They then said it would only be $950 because some parts were not needed. We later found out A/C isn't fixed and the dealer is demanding an additional $1200 to fix because they said we refused to fix the A/C the first time around. I would really like to know what we paid for the first time. We will never buy another Ford again!!!

- Mundelein, IL, USA

Compressor "froze-up" which locked up the engine and would not run. The dealer that I took my car to, said that they had had other Contour with the same problem. I was fortunate that I was stopped, at my sister's house and not on the road. I had just travelled 130 miles, when the car cratered. My problem with this is that if Ford knew the design would render the engine useless, it would be a design problem. There's no way to by-pass the compressor as it is on a pulley system with one serpentine belt for everything. My bill for repairs is in excess of $800, of which the compressor is over $500. Please investigate to see how many Contour owners have been affected by this problem. It's no wonder that another employee of another dealership warned me to get rid of that "thing" as soon as you can. Does not speak well for Ford. If you need anything else, please let me know.

- Frankston, TX, USA

The wires to the a\C and the alternator have recently burned up..completly melted..I am afraid that the car is going to catch fire..also if you could look at my warranty through auto nation you could see how many problems I have had with this car..it's outragous.. if I did not have warranty I do not know what I would do..I want to trade it in all though I have only had it for about a year in a half..but I can't aford to keep fixing it....thank you C.J stafford.

- Corpus Christi, TX, USA

My car was still under warranty when my ac went out but, Ford refused to make repairs at that time.

- Pineville, NC, USA

Hi, we have had so many problems I can't believe that Ford dosen't recall the 97 Contour.we only had the car 1 month and the e.g.R valve to the exhaust manifold was replaced.the P.C. valve has been serviced 4 times.the egr pressure feedback /back pressure was replaced.the rotor on the brakes was cracked and had to be replaced.we have had the car in the shop a total of 58 days.we took the car in 5 times telling them about this burning odor coming from the A/C vents. Recall about wire harness. They said could not verify concern. Untill my husband took it for the 4 time when the car was full of this foggy smoke. He made a service advisior come out and look at the car full of smoke.for three months 10-9-99 untill present.we have had to endure headaches vomiting and loss of our voices because they said they could not verify concern.we now have pictures of neglect of the safety of my husband and 5 children. The burned melted parts they should have replaced back on 10-9-99 it took untill 1-22-00 and as of right now 2- 10-00 another dealership has had the car for 7 day's. major defects with the 97 Contour.we think they sold all there CNG cars to people and didn't tell them. I know they sure didn't tell us. 3 times on the oil change paper they mention about the selenoid.you don't have that done with a oil change.maybe you guy's can check into it" why else would owners of just the 97 Contour have so many problems" check your T S B pages.please let us know what we can do we can't trust anyone to fix it right when we were told by Ford service people they couldn't find the problem.something is really wrong with all of these cars.

- Anaheim, CA, USA

Whenever turning on air conditioning on high, there is a burning smell coming from the A/C unit.

- Shelby, MI, USA