Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General General D#$@ warped dash!

My dash has warped so bad in the last 2 days that the back side of the vent opening is touching the stinkin' windshield!I had previously glued the insert back into place..but now the insert touches the glass on both ends .I don't want to get the crappy looking warp fix kit with the huge non color matching insert.Q.Aren't the 98's a different style?..one the doesn't warp!
And how hard is it to change out the dash?..Does it affect the air bags? O.K.,thanks for listening..I'm done.

Any help would be appreciated.

Rod

There was a recall for the warped dash. Maybe you never got it done and can still get it fixed on Ford? I'm not sure what the time limits are on that stuff but I remember having them fix mine about a year and a half after I bought my car.

I knew there was a recall on them,but I thought I read on here that it was only for a specific amount of time.Like you only had "X" amount of time to get it fixed after the recall came out.Thanks,though I will check on it tomorrow,bought the car used.Sure would like to put it to Ford for putting this crappy design on an otherwise sweet car!

Rod

Mine has done the same thing. Apparently Ford never put glue under my dash by the way it looks. Luckily I know a guy up the road from me (who does body work and has his own side business)is going to take my windshield out, fix it but using some good heat resistant epoxy then use some black screws and tap some through the exsisting defroster vent and screw them into the metal framework under the dash to hold it in place. This way if the defroster vent has no way of popping out the dash won't want to come back up. He quoted me $200. $120 just to take the glass out and in. A glass man is going to do that work. If changing dashes you might run into a problem with the airbags IIRC. Ask some friends if they know anyone who works on cars and see what they could recommend. Good luck I know it sucks to see it in that kind of shape.

Thanks for all the replies guys.I had thought about fixing mine by screwing it down as well.I have been thinking about replacing my windshield,as there is a deep permanant 3/4 inch wide scuff/scratch on it.It was there when I got the car,caused by the driver's side wiper.I asked about the 98 dash cause Cincy SVT(Griffen) crashed his and it went to a Columbus tow yard.I will do the dash fix kit as a last resort.Would it be expensive to replace with a used one,because Ford would have to put it in..or were you talking about a "new" replacement? That's funny they said it was not a safety issue! What if we can't see out the windshield because the thing is curled so bad it blocks our view.

Thanks guys

Rod

The design of the 1998 is completely different. The part by the windshield with integrated vents is separate from the part towards the passengers. Newer models put the vents into a one-piece dash.

Good luck fabbing up fasteners to hold the plastic defroster vent to the metal substrate 2"+ below. The reason the "ugly" fix exists as it does is because it not only serves as a new base for the defroster cover it also clamps down the pad material preventing it from delaminating. Your solution WILL NOT do that.

The airbag is a completely separate module that is bolted to the structure underneath and independent from the dash. Removing the dash does not affect the airbag.