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curling dash


mike88

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I have a 2000 contour with the top of the dash curling up,which I'm sure alot of you have heard about. Any ideas on how to fix this without pulling the windshield.

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:welcomeani: to the site.

 

Sorry your having a problem, but as you said many other folks have had the same issue, myself included. Attached is a pdf of the fix from ford. You can get the kit from Bill Jenkins - teamfordparts.com. Bill is one of us and gives us a discount on parts so be sure to mention you are a member. I think the kit is about $70 or so.

 

To fix my 99, I went to the junk yard, found a dash that had the fix already done to it in the proper color (just fortunate) and after doing some repairs to it, I installed it. The issue is the adhesive used does not stick to the plastic frame and the pad pulls loose from it due to the UV exposure.

 

There is more to the problem than just the curling you see which is why I fixed it before installing the new dash in my car. It is not just on top, but also on the front, the sides, in the instrument area, and around the glove box. In short everywhere. There are more loose spots than stuck parts.

 

To repair it I used a heat gun to heat the pad and then reform it and clamp it into position. After it cooled I then took some spray adhesive for vinyl and plastic and reglued and clamped it into place. After that I reinstalled the kit except for the big metal cover which I have and if it returns I will install. Once the dash was ready to go I just swapped them transferring the wiring harness of course. That is a good time to do any mods like the fog light mod and adding a clock back in where it ought to be. Removing the windshield is never a good idea since it is easily broken taking it out.

 

There is much information on this you can do a search and find many posts. Others have tried different ways to repair this, very few have been successful. I think I read every word on the issue before fixing mine. IMO no one has had a better solution than the ford repair kit, and my fix is just a variance of that method.

 

Hope this helps contact me if you need more info. Also put up some pics of your car and tell us about it B)

 

contour_dash_1_.pdf

 

Regards,

AF

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your welcome..... lol...... after all we're just a bunch of folks all driving obslete cars that can have a few challenges.... we need to help each other all we can B)

 

AF

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Is there a particular glue that anyone can recommend for fixing the dash. I have heard that epoxy based glues work well. I will not be using the Ford OEM recall dash repair kit as I do not like the big black defrost plate. I would hate to go thru the trouble of removing the dash fixing it, reinstalling and only to find that glue I used let go under the heat of the sun.

 

thanks

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IMO it needs to be a spray type adhesive to get everywhere you need to put it. I don't think the epoxy's would be a good choice, that's why I used the 3M spray adhesive for vinyl and plasticts. The dash is mostly plastic with some metal parts added with fasteners or molded in. The dash pad is a vinyl over a foam core and another vinyl back. The factory glue appeared to have stuck well to the pad but not the dash. the spray glue stuck to both. I first reformed the pad using a heat gun on a low setting and when I could strech it I put it into place and clamped it until it cooled. In a some spots I had to do this a couple of times until it was the way I wanted it. Be careful not to apply too much heat. Once reformed I removed the clamps and lifted the pad, applied the glue in a couple of coats then put them together like contact cement, and clamped it for 48 hours before messing with it again. You have to watch how you place the clamps so you don't leave marks on the pad.

 

That's how I went about it others may have their own thoughts on this. When I researched the issue I could find no one that was really successful in the repair other than by using the kit. Most methods worked for a bit then came loose again. I didn't find anyone that I can recall who did it the way I did using heat to reform the pad. The type of adhesive is very important in this application. Mine has been in place for about 7 months now and no problems have shown themselves. I guess this summer will really tell the tale.

 

my 2 cents,

AF

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  • 5 weeks later...
I have a 2000 contour with the top of the dash curling up,which I'm sure alot of you have heard about. Any ideas on how to fix this without pulling the windshield.

I have a 99 Contour SVT. And if I remember correct, there was a Ford recall on Contour dashes back in the early 2000s. The dealer installed like a cap that went over the heater/defroster duct work. It was supposed to give the dash more support. I guess they were having trouble with the sun causing Contour dashes to warp. My 2 cents.

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I have a 99 Contour SVT. And if I remember correct, there was a Ford recall on Contour dashes back in the early 2000s. The dealer installed like a cap that went over the heater/defroster duct work. It was supposed to give the dash more support. I guess they were having trouble with the sun causing Contour dashes to warp. My 2 cents.

 

 

Did you read post #2 and see the attachment????? ....... :rolleyes: LOL

 

Now you owe me 2 cents ....LOL

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  • 2 weeks later...

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