Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Dashboard recall info...look inside!

Does this only happen w/ the 2000 & 1999's?

Yes only the 1999 and the 2000 are on the recall. I dont know if only the 99 or 00 dash's have this problem.

I own a 99 contour LX, bought it new in July 99. Less than a year later, June 2000, the dash was coming apart near the passenger defrost, looked like crap. Dealer fixed it with a whole new dash, took 4 days, he gave me rental car. I was told they needed to remove windhsield for this?

Then in June 2001 exact same thing, exact same place. Dealership puts a whole new dash in, #3, takes just 3 days this time. This tells me that supplier is supplying grossly defective part, and that the part is not getting fixed - despite massive failure rate Ford's supplier keeps making the same old crap.

Replacing the dash twice has given the car a number of squeaks and rattles deep in the dash. My bigger concern is this: if Ford keeps buying dashes that only last a year, when my car leaves warranty (about 10 months from now), what will I do?! Every year I am supposed to pay dealership for 2000 dollar repair?!

My concern is that Ford find a way of fixing the dash, a way that lasts more than a year. Either fix the defective part or find a way to fix the old dash.

If within a year of warranty running out the dash goes south again I'm going to raise holy heck. It is totally unacceptable to knowingly repair with defective parts.

So does anyone know: has Ford finally started buying dashes that don't warp?! Or does the repair kit work for more than a year?

Welcome to the CEG and thank for the info T-Bird! I take it that they replaced the whole dashboard but why is the black strip showing? In another post some one had the repair kit done and they said the only thing that showed was that black strip. Again welcome aboard

Roger R

Roger the strip shows because it is a piece of U channel that slips over the front edge of the dash cover.[the edge at the base of the windsheild] I suppose the addition of the channel is supposed to lenghthen the dash cover enough so the windsheild itself holds the front edge down. You actually have 2 things causing this problem. 1.Crappy bond between the dashcover and the substrate. 2.This one concerns me the most! The outer layer of plastic[the pretty part you put armour all on] is shrinking,THAT is what is causing the damn thing to curl up. The repair kit DOES NOT address this! and if the new dashboards arent made of a different material the problem WILL RETURN! My other concern is that if I get the repair kit installed,then the outer skin just keeps on shrinking and now that it is suppossedly held in place with all the rivets,metal brackets and U channel that it will just continue to warp and in ways it doesnt warp now. I can see it now The top of the dash having more waves in it than the ocean!!!!!

My concern exactly, if Ford "band aids" the problem long enough to get me out of warranty, what do I do a year later?

The letter from Ford kind of makes me mad. They seem to make a big deal out of how they will replace or repair defective dashes until July 2001. Big deal, that is when my warranty runs out anyway.

Even worse I live in Arizona, where high temperatures accelerate this issue. Expect to go in for my annual dash replacement this spring (#4 dash, last under warranty). Perhaps by then Ford can actually fix the problem.

I just noticed that my dash has started to warp and recently the defroster popped right out! Anyway, haven't called Ford yet, but they will be hearing from me soon, and it won't be pleasant, car has only done 15k miles. Let you know how things turn out!

CRAP!!! I bought my 00' SVT new in April and never recieved any kind of recall in the mail!!! I noticed that the passenger side defroster vent was starting to peel up and that the dash was making all kinds of squeaking and rattling sounds, but I had no idea about any kind of recall (Thank GOD for this site!!! :)) While I'm on the subject of repairs, anyone have any trouble with squeaking from the passenger rear of the car (suspension??).

This recall is still in efect, right?? I read somewhere that ford was only going to honor their recall until July of this year. And, yes, i DID use an SUV sunshade from the day I bought it

You got until august of 2002.

When they replace the dash is it the same dash or is it a little different design?
who's to say in a another year it wont warp again?