Ford / Contour
Each year is counted over the same span: complaints received up to two calendar years after its model year. A year is compared only when that span is over and it holds at least 50 complaints. Median of the comparable years: 104.
| Model year | All complaints | First three years | Most reported system | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 563 | 104 | Engine | |
| 1997 | 218 | 71 | Electrical System | |
| 1998 | 846 | 363 | Engine | most complaints |
| 1999 | 419 | 123 | Body & Structure | |
| 2000 | 199 | 50 | Body & Structure | fewest complaints |
Engine is the largest group in 2 of the 5 compared years.
A model year gets its own page when four sources cover it, it holds at least 50 complaints, and it either compares with the other years of its generation or shows one system in 40% or more of the complaints that name a component. The rest are listed here with their figures.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Investigations | Bulletins | Combined MPG | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 563 | 11 | 5 | 223 | 21–25 | yes |
| 1997 | 218 | 8 | 4 | 203 | 21–24 | yes |
| 1998 | 846 | 12 | 7 | 253 | 21–25 | yes |
| 1999 | 419 | 5 | 2 | 182 | 20–25 | yes |
| 2000 | 199 | 7 | 1 | 91 | 21–25 | yes |
| System | Complaints | Share | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 371 | 17% | 85,000 mi |
| Engine | 362 | 17% | 72,000 mi |
| Powertrain | 264 | 12% | 80,000 mi |
| Brakes | 223 | 10% | 90,000 mi |
| Body & Structure | 210 | 10% | 50,000 mi |
Shares are over complaints that name a component; a complaint naming several systems is counted under each.
Owner report MY CAR WAS RECALLED IN 2001. THE PAST 6 MO MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SMELLS LIKE ITS BURNING OR SOMETHING MELTING. ALMOST LIKE ITS GOING TO CATCH ON FIRE
Owner report WAS DRIVING DOWN ROUTE 322 ON DAY AND HAD TO HIT THE BREAK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY WENT TO THE FLOOR. I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED MY BREAK FLUID RESIVOUR AND IT WAS EMPTY. I THINK THE PASSENGER SIDE DRUM BREAK IS LEAKING FLUID.
Owner report TAKATA RECALL I AND OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE CONTACTED FORD REGARDING THE 1998 FORD CONTOUR AND IT'S DEFECTIVE PARTS INCLUDING THE ENGINE WIRE HARNESS YET THEY ARE REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE NOR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM STATING IT'S NOT UNDER RECALL T*JBREATING EACH PERSON WHO HAS CONTACTED THEM AS IF…
Owner report TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROX…
Owner report TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REVERSE GEAR FAILED TO OPERATE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 98V233000 (POWER TRAIN). HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT LISTED UNDER THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPRO…
Owner report WAS ON I65 WAS DRIVING FINE HIRD A LOUD EXPLOSION ENGINE STARTED TO REV UP A PIECE OF THE TRANSMISSION CASING WENT INTO MY TIRE CAUSING A BLOW OUT, CAR BECAME OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT GAURDRAIL. *TT
| Campaign | Component | Filed | Vehicles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99V103000 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH | 1999-05-05 | 605,581 |
| 98V028000 | EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS | 1998-02-10 | 571,800 |
| 01I009000 | VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT | 2001-07-09 | 566,979 |
| 00V075000 | SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 2000-03-09 | 436,200 |
| 01V230000 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2001-07-09 | 342,962 |
Whether a recall has been done on a specific car depends on its VIN; check it at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
None open.
Ford issued 952 service bulletins covering these model years, most often about power train.
A bulletin tells dealers how to fix a known condition. It is not a recall and not a defect finding. Most bulletins cover several model years at once, so a bulletin listed here may not be specific to one year. The number of bulletins tracks how long and how widely a model was sold, so it is not a measure of reliability.
| Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 2008-05-16 | ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | FORD: CERTAIN 1999-2001 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN NEW YORK AND CERTAIN 2001 VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN THE STATE OF MAINE, CERTIFIED FOR SALE IN CALIFORNIA-FEDERAL EMISSION WARRANTY REFUND. *PE |
| 2005-03-21 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | GUIDANCE FOR CNG TANK INSPECTION FOR VEHICLES PRODUCED AFTER DECEMBER 2, 1996. *TT UPDATE. *TT |
| 2004-12-13 | POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM) | GENERAL (PCM) POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT |
| 2004-12-13 | VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:REAR WINDOW | REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR. *TT |
| 2004-09-06 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATED - SYSTEM LEAN DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTC'S) - SERVICE TIPS. VARIOUS MODELS INCLUDING 2004 F-SERIES. *TT |
| 2004-08-09 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATED WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE(S) P0420 AND/OR P0430. *TT |
| 2004-08-09 | VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT | REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR. *TT |
| 2004-07-12 | VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT | INOPERATIVE ELECTRIC REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER (HEATED BACKLITE) GRID LINES, INTEGRAL ANTENNA CONCERNS. *TT |
| 2004-05-21 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATED WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODE P0420 AND/OR P0430/ 2.5L ENGINE ONLY. *TT |
| 2004-01-01 | STEERING:COLUMN | STEERING COLUMN SHIPPED WITHOUT CRUSH PAD - REUSE ORIGINAL CRUSH PAD IF NOT DAMAGED. *TT |
Complaint counts are not failure rates. A model that sells more cars draws more complaints, and owners file more after news coverage or a recall. That is why years are compared only with other years of the same generation, over the same span, and never with other models.
This page summarises public records; it is not a mechanical inspection.