Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting 96 GL Recall

I have a 96 GL with the following problem.
98S26 OCT 98 Recall - Gear Position Indicator Deterioration.
I called Ford and they tell me there are no oustanding recalls on the vehicle and that they are unable to provide me with a recall history. Are they blowing smoke up my a$$? I was led to believe that this recall applied to all 95 - 98 Contours. Am I wrong?

Ford Motor Company

Models: Ford Contour Years: 1995-1998

Mercury Mystique Years: 1995-1998

Number Involved: 175,000

Dates of Manufacture: July 1994 - January 1998

Defect: The floor shift automatic transmission control can be damaged if subjected to certain interior cleaning products. The gear position indicator can deteriorate and not correctly indicate the actual gear position. This condition can result in incorrect gear selection.

Remedy: Dealers will replace the automatic transmission floor shift control. Owner notification was to begin Oct. 31, 1998. Owners who do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673. [NHTSA Recall No.98V233/Ford Recall No. 98S26]

I am aware of this information. So why is Ford playing dumb? I called customer service and the girl says that the recall doesn't apply to my vehicle. Should I get an OASIS report to see what the history is?

Hmmmm. I didn't know you had already called the customer help center.

In these situations I usually just get my wife to call. (She gets really loud, and starts crying. Which helps a lot.)

Do you have an emotional woman around to call for you?

Did you register here?
http://www.ownerconnection.com

I have not received a recall notice on this item for either car. Maybe applicable to vehicles sold in US only, since they have slightly different rules regarding what warrants a recall.

I only use a damp cloth to clean affected item and see no signs of deterioration.

I have a 96 GL which I bought used from a Ford dealer last June. I have never heard of any recent recall, but I have reason to believe that the title changed hands several times before I bought it. In fact, I think it was a rental car at one time. Does Ford really do the legwork to find those of us who now own used cars? How can I find out if my car has been recalled for anything?

sfh2598:

Since you bought car at Ford dealer they would have registered you with Ford for purposes of future (not past) recall notices. Normally a dealer would ensure all outstanding recalls are done on a used car before selling.

You could double check the foregoing at the dealer to make sure.