Radiator Hose problems of the 1996 Ford Contour

Ever since buying our 1996 2. 5l Contour in Aug. Of 1999 we have had nothing but problems out of it. Our first problem we experienced was a loud howling coming from the engine compartment, later to discover the factory installed mass air flow intake hose kit had been revised thus leaving us to have to purchase the new at a total price of $97. 00 dollars to fix the problem. Shortly after getting this one problem fixed another arose. This time both the check engine light and cooling system lights are on continuosly despite having proper fluid levels. Along with the other problems every time the car is started in the morning or any time the engine is cold it idles roughly for about 20 seconds and then quits and no one can explain this weird phenomena but is sure seems to happen to the majority of these cars. Needless to say with Ford's lack of attention to these matters not just mine but all of them this will be my last auto bearing the Ford name.

The motor froze after overheating. The reason for the failure was the heater hose rubbed against an electrical connector at the location near the firewall. There is no sleeve on this hose to protect it as other hoses are protected. Over time it had worn a hole in the hose and the marjorty of the coolent leaked out and the speed that I was traveling I could not tell the car was overheating because of the relative speed that I was traveling. I never saw the vehicle overheat and it blew the motor while I was going down the highway. My car is out of warranty, but I wanted to let other know there is a potential hazard with the motor freezing up and ofcourse it is too late. My motor started to cough, that was the only indication that there was a problem.