1998 Ford Contour

1998 FORD CONTOUR SEAT BELT JAMMED WHEN VEHICLE LANDED UPSIDE DOWN IN A CREEK RESULTING IN A FATALITY.*MR THE CONSUMER'S TWO YEAR OLD DAUGHTER DROWNED BECAUSE THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO RELEASE THE SEAT BELT. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE RECEIVED TWO LACERATIONS. *JB *NM

CAR TURNED OVER UPSIDE DOWN IN SMALL CREEK. SAFETY BELT OF DRIVER AND REAR PASSENGER FAILED TO RELEASE AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS BY DRIVER. THE REAR PASSENGER WAS MY TWO YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND SHE DIED, BECAUSE THE SAFETY BELTS FAILED TO RELEASE AND JAMMED. SHE DROWNED AND MY SISTER IN LAW WAS THE DRIVER AND ALMOST DIED DUE TO THE SAFETY BELTS JAMMING AND NOT RELEASING, SO SHE WAS UNABLE TO GET TO MY DAUGHTER. THE FIRST PEOPLE ON THE SCENE HAD TO CUT THE SAFETY BELTS FOR THEM TO GET THEM BOTH OUT OF THE CAR AND IT WAS TO LATE FOR MY DAUGHTER. THE CREEK WAS LESS THAN 18 INCHES DEEP. CAR ONLY TURNED OVER ONE TIME TO UPSIDE DOWN POSITION AND APPROXIMATE SPEED WAS TWENTY MILES AN HOUR. MY DAUGHTER HAD NO OTHER INJURIES FROM THE ACCIDENT EXCEPT FOR DROWNING (I HAVE READ HER MEDICAL RECORDS THOROUGHLY). MY SISTER IN LAW HAD NO OTHER INJURIES EXCEPT FOR NEAR DROWNING AND 2 SMALL CUT'S. MY DAUGHTER LOST HER LIFE BECAUSE THE SAFETY BELTS JAMMED AND FAILED TO RELEASE. *LA

DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHILE TRYING TO AVOID HITTING AN ANIMAL IN THE STREET, THE VEHICLE OVERTURNED ONTO ITS ROOF AND RAN INTO A DITCH AND AFTER IMPACT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED, AS A RESULT OF THE FAULTY AIR BAG THE DRIVER WAS KILLED AND THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HIS HEAD, PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT THE CONSUMERS RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 000-000 FOR THE AIR BAG AND WENT TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR, THE DELAER WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM REPAIRS DUE TO LACK OF PARTS AND THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED TO RETURN IN A FEW DAYS, CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER WHO STILL HAD NO PARTS AVAILABLE AND APPROXIMATLEY THREE DAYS LATER THE ACCIDENT OCCURED. *AK *MR *NLM

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 55 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING THE HEAT WENT OFF. THERE WAS RATTLING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THEN, VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE SPEED. CONSUMER WAS LOOKING OUT OF REARVIEW MIRROR AND NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE MANIFOLD. CONSUMER APPLIED EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND VEERED OVER TO THE SHOULDER LANE, AND SHE WAS STRUCK BY A TRUCK ON THE REAR. CAR WAS TOWED. CONSUMER SUFFERED INTERNAL INJURIES.*AK

WHILE DRIVING NOTICED A FIRE ON RIGHT SIDE OF VEHICLE IN COOLING FAN. CAR WAS TOTALED. *AK *NLM

I WAS DRIVING A 1997 FORD CONTOUR. THIS WAS THE CAR I DROVE TO AND FROM WORK. I WAS DRIVING TO LONGVIEW COMMUNITY COLLEGE(LVCC) FOR A REHEARSAL AND LESSON ON THE BRUCE WATKINS DRIVE (HIGHWAY 71) SOUTH. THE TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY AS THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT AT THE GRANDVIEW TRIANGLE. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE LANE JUST AT THE 87TH STREET EXIT. A VEHICLE CUT IN FRONT OF ME TO EXIT AT THIS TURN OFF. I WAS SLOWED TO ABOUT 35 MPH AND WAS DRIVING ACROSS A BRIDGE. AT THE END OF THAT BRIDGE WAS A HUGE BUMP. AS I HIT THAT BUMP, THE AIR BAG EXPLODED. I COULD NOT SEE WITH THE POWDER, SMOKE AND THE SMELL ( WHICH WAS BURNING MY EYES.) I RAN INTO THE BACK OF A TRAIL BLAZER. THE TRAILER HITCH RAMMED THROUGH THE RADIATOR. THE DRIVER DID NOT KNOW THAT I EVEN HAD HIT HIM. 60 SECONDS AFTER THE ACCIDENT, A POLICE CAPTAIN DETECTIVE ON HER WAY HOME FROM THE METROPOLITAN POLICE STATION, ASKED ME IF I WAS OK. SHE SAID, "I SAW THE AIR BAG DEPLOY BEFORE YOU HIT THAT CAR IN FRONT OF YOU." THE NOISE OF THE HORN WAS LOUD. THE FRONT WINDSHIELD WAS BROKEN BY THE HOOD, WHICH WAS BENT BACK LIKE A BANANA. ALL OF THE GLASS IN THE FRONT WAS ALL BROKEN. I WAS CHECKED OUT BY THE MAST AMBULANCE. THE CAR WAS LOADED ON A TRUCK AND PULLED ONTO THE PROPERTY OF DICK SMITH FORD IN RAYTOWN, MO. I CALLED MY AGENT WITH STATE FARM INSURANCE, AND HE GOT ME IN TOUCH WITH THEIR UNDERWRITERS AFTER THE CAR WAS WRITTEN OFF AS BEING A TOTAL WRECK. I HAD INFORMED HIM WHAT HAPPENED. THE UNDERWRITERS SAID, "THEY WOULD HAVE TO PICK AND CHOSE THEIR BATTLES WITH A BIG COMPANY LIKE FORD." I ALSO CALLED FORD IN MICHIGAN AND INFORMED THEM ABOUT THIS SITUATION. I HAVE FOUND ON THE INTERNET 13 OTHER EXAMPLES OF THIS KIND OF ACCIDENT. I DID NOT RECEIVE A TICKET OR ANY NOTICE OF WRONGFUL DRIVING. I DID GO TO MY DOCTOR FOR SEVERAL ADJUSTMENTS ON MY NECK AND BACK. *TR

I WAS REAR ENDED INTO ANOTHER CAR ON OCT.29 2002 AND NIETHER THE AIR BAG WORKED AS WELL AS THE SEATBELT DID NOT LOCK. I HAD HEAD, NECK, AND BACK INJURIES AT THAT TIME. I DID'T QUESTION THESE THINGS NOT WORKING BECAUSE I WAS NOT HIT HARD. OCT. 27,2003 I WAS INVOLVED IN THE EXACT SAME TYPE OF ACCIDENT ONLY THIS TIME I WAS HIT HARD FROM BEHIND AND HIT THE CAR INFRONT OF ME HARD. AGAIN NOTHING WORKED AND THIS TIME THE POLICE EVEN QUESTIONED THE AIR BAG. AGAIN I HAVE INJURIES TO MY FACE, HEAD, NECK, SHOULDER, AND BACK BUT TO WHAT EXTENT I DO NOT KNOW YET. I WAS AT A COMPLETE STOP IN BOTH ACCIDENTS AND HIT STRAIGHT ON IN THE REAR. IN 2002 I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT STRAIGHT ON AND NOW IN 2003 I HIT THE FRONT CAN WITH THE CENTER TO PASSENGER SIDE. MY CAR IS SAID TO BE TOTALED.

ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2000 THIS VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN THREE CAR CRASH. UPON IMPACT THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FULLY AND REMAINED INFLATED ALTHOUGH THE DRIVER WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT IN THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVERS SIDE AIR INFLATED 50% THE DEFLATED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO HER CHEST/RIBS. THE DEALER REPLACED THE AIR BAG SENSOR. *NLM

THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY, THE DRIVER WAS INJURED. *JB

SEATBACK COLLAPSED DUE TO A REAR END COLLISION FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE WHILE SITTING STILL. SPEED FROM OTHER VEHICLE WAS 55 MPH. TRUNK CRUMBLED, AND VEHICLE HAD BEEN TOTALED FROM THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. DRIVER DID SUSTAIN A SEVERE HEAD INJURY.*AK

WHEN MAKING A TURN AT ABOUT 5-10 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HEAD ON, CAUSING VEHICLE TO START SPINNING ON THE STREET. UPON IMPACT, NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. *AK AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AFTER IMPACT, WHILE SPINNING, FIVE PEOPLE WERE INJURED. *JG

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJURY TO THE DRIVER. IN WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED.*AK *JB

CONSUMER HAD JUST PUT ON NEW BRAKES. BUT, 2 DAYS EARLIER BRAKES FAILED WHILE WIFE WAS DRIVING, RESULTING IN A HEAD-ON COLLISION. DRIVER AND PASSENGER OF OTHER VEHICLE WERE INJURED. *AK CONSUMER STATES A VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED IN FRONT OF THEM AND WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE LEFT AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE HEAD ON. *SLC

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS AT A INTERSECTION AND ANOTHER VEHICLE VEERED INTO IT. CONSUMER AND HIS WIFE WAS THROWEN FORWARD. SEAT WAS KNOCKED AT A 45DEGREE ANGLE. SEAT BELT BROKE AND LATCH FAILED. ALSO, THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND PASSENGER'S SEAT BROKE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THERE WERE MINER INJURIES.*AK

CONSUMER HAD A HEAD-ON COLLISON, AND THE AIR BAGS CAME OUT WITH SUCH A FORCE THAT IT KNOCKED OFF CAP ON DRIVER'S HEAD AND HIS GLASSES. CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE 3 MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL WAS ISSUED. RECALL 99V243000. *AK *ML

IN A CRASH DRIVER'S SEATBACK BROKE, CAUSING INJURIES TO OCCUPANT. *AK *ML

CONSUMER HAD REAR END COLLISION, AND BOTH FRONT SEATS COLLAPSED BACKWARD. CONSUMER INJURED HIS BACK. *AK

WHEN TRAVELING 31 MPH CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD-ON COLLSION IN WHICH NEITHER DRIVER'S SIDE NOR PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED UPON IMPACT. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, VEHICLE WAS TOTALED . VEHICLE ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN, LOST CONTROL, HIT AN EMBANKMENT HEAD-ON *AK

ON 7/25/99, THE CAR ACCELERATED MYSTERIOSLY WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON I-75 CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND ACCIDENT. LATER, NOTIFICATION OF THROTTLE CABLE RECALL WAS RECIEVED. ALSO, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT SHOWED PROBLEM WITH OXYGEN SENSOR. THERE WAS MAJOR DAMAGE OVER $5,000 TO THE CAR. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AND PASSENGER SHOULDER HARNESS FAILED TO LOCK.

WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH AND COMING TO A STOP AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, IT WAS HARD AS IF SOMETHING WAS KEEPING IT FROM BEING PUSHED. BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND AT ALL, CAUSING CONSUMER TO STRIKE ANOTHER VEHICLE IN THE REAR. CONSUMER SUFFERED A CONCUSSION TO THE LEFT SIDE OF HEAD. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. *AK