Complain about a product or service

Ford ABS

Barbara of Jamaica NY (8/21/03):
We have a 1997 Ford Contour. The ABS light came on and would not go off. The car drives fine, there are no other problems. We had oil changes, tune-ups, etc. the light remained on. Took the car to a local Ford dealership for the ABS problem. We were advised that so many lights came on when they did the diagnostic that it would cast too much money to find the problem, and that since the car was 5 years old and had 140,000 miles, it would be better to purchase another car.

I called the Ford Motor Company and wanted to know if they had any info as to why the ABS light would stay on. They referred me back to the dealer. Since there were no other problems, we thought the manufacturer could tell us why the ABS light would stay on. We are retired and did not plan on purchasing another car, also we cannot afford to put thousands of dollars into a car, which is what the dealer said it would cost just to diagnose the problem. Should not the manufacturer have an answer as to why the ABS light is continuously on and is this dangerous?

This is the kind of question that can't be answered. It might be nothing. Then again, there might be a problem with the ABS. If Barbara slams on the brakes on a wet pavement someday and the ABS is not working, it could cause problems. Barbara should find a reputable independent repair shop that can advise her further.

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