Tackling my second 99M03. *eek*

Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives

After the nightmare that I had in getting my '95LX fixed up, you'd think I'd learn, but I've spotted two instances of harness problems in my '97SE, so with less than a year and 9000 miles before my 99M03 coverage expires, I'm trying to get this one taken care of. This time, however, I think I might be approaching it better.

I've already been in touch with the Customer Service Manager at the dealership by phone, asking if he was familiar with the 99M03, and I told him why I was asking about it and gave him my car's info. He called back and asked when I could bring it in for a once-over, and told me to speak with the service writer I'd used before when my window mechanism shattered. I've got two copies of the 99M03 in hand, and I know exactly where to locate the bad wiring, and where to find the passages in the document that correlate.

I'll try to keep y'all updated as I go along. Hopefully this will be smooth and easy (not like last time).

I'd be interested to hear how it goes as well.

As you see in my sig I have a 96, and I haven't had any signs of 99M03 yet, but I have 30k, and 8 months left to get it done if it appears.

Does it happen to all 95-97 Contiques?

I was wondering because if some of them had different wiring than others then some may or may not be affected as it said in the notice.

I was wondering since I'd hate to have my tour die of a 99M03 when I am still well within range of the recall.

96 ATX Duratec, yep, you are one of them (us). Mine did not show signs when 10 years came up in May.

I suppose it doesn't happen to all of them, and that's the sticky point...if you can't show visual or electronic evidence of the problem, then technically, you don't have the problem. I don't know how fast it can go from OK to bad, though.

Oh well...if you don't have it, you don't have it.

Don't sit around and fret over it. It'd be like sitting and worrying you had cancer when there's nothing that suggests you do.

Let us know how it works out. My 99M03 experience was very good (much to my surprise). Dealer didn't balk (it shouldn't matter, but it was the dealer I originally purchased the car from, new), but it helped that I showed up with pictures and my own copy of 99M03!

Did you check the wires under the UIM, within the protective plastic covers? The wires to the fuel injectors are subject to the highest heat, the insulation cracking will show up there first. While you have the UIM off you can clean the ports of the lower intake. Also look under the plastic cover behind the fire wall cylinder head. With the UIM off it's easy to inspect. I had insulation cracking there too.

Originally posted by eepals:
Did you check the wires under the UIM, within the protective plastic covers? The wires to the fuel injectors are subject to the highest heat, the insulation cracking will show up there first. While you have the UIM off you can clean the ports of the lower intake. Also look under the plastic cover behind the fire wall cylinder head. With the UIM off it's easy to inspect. I had insulation cracking there too.

I've got it showing without taking anything off, so all that is unnecessary, but I'm sure it'll be worth mentioning.

Left it with the dealership today for their inspection. I took my service writer out to it before I left and showed him where I'd seen the problems and talked a little about why this warranty extension was allowed and so on. He said he'd only seen one of these cases before, so I talked about my last one and what had happened with it. I'm feeling cautiously confident that this is going to be smooth.

The service writer called and said they'd ordered the replacement harnesses and I can take my car until the new harnesses arrive, but they didn't know how long that'd be.

Originally posted by Jeb Hoge:
I'm feeling cautiously confident that this is going to be smooth.

Just be warned that some of the replacement harnesses, are defective. If the tech has problems after the installation is complete, let them know that Ford admitted this to the dealership that did my recall. They had all sorts of problem when they worked on my car car, on and off for three weeks. Finally ended up replacing the harness that has the PCM connector again.

Looking for original factory shipping box, see my "Wanted" add.

I got a call the other day that the harnesses had arrived, so I dropped my car off yesterday afternoon for them to start the service. They gave me, as a rental/loaner, a PT Cruiser, of all things. About 4500 miles, drives OK (I think it has the light-pressure turbo), but I hate the driver's seat and the fabric on the interior. Anyway, I don't have an ETA for the 99M03 completion, but between that and my wife's Mazda 6 being at THAT stealership (across the street from Ford, incidentally) for a brake pedal noise and oil change, we are in the unusual position of not actually possessing either of the cars that we own.

Holy ISH! My service writer just called.

They're DONE.

He said that two technicians, one of whom had done one of these recently, tackled it first thing this morning and plowed through the whole job. I said I was surprised, and he said "Yeah, so was I!" I'm picking it up in the morning...I think I might drop by the grocery store on the way in and buy a few boxes of doughnut holes for the service dept. while I'm on my way.

Here's hoping that it's all put back together right.

Did they replace four harnesses?

Originally posted by eepals:
Did they replace four harnesses?

He said at the beginning that they had ordered them all, so I think yes. It's possible that they didn't do the fan harness, because the previous (original) owner told me that it had been replaced when it was cracking by a dealership who didn't tell him about the 99M03 and did charge him for it. I felt compelled to mention it when I took it in, and frankly, if they left it alone, that's fine with me. I'm picking it up this morning.