NHTSA Data Explorer

Ford Contour

Data refreshed May 30, 2026

Select a model year to filter results to that year of the Ford Contour.

Complaints

3,154

Active records

Recalls

27

Active records

TSBs

482

Active records

Filing history

Monthly totals over the last 20 years. Click a legend item to show or hide that series.

Reported severity

Based on consumer complaints filed since 2000. Recalls and TSBs do not include severity data.

Deaths

15

Injuries

185

Crashes

171

Fires

130

Top reported issues — Ford Contour

Click a category to expand its values.

Condition issue

1,379

Operating state

671

Engine behavior

432

Thermal issue

405

Safety restraint issue

312

Reporting mechanism

304

Noise

245

HVAC behavior

197

Transmission/drivetrain behavior

193

Electrical issue

169

Fluid issue

167

Safety restraint behavior

166

Lighting behavior

165

Braking behavior

150

Steering behavior

126

Vibration/harshness

120

Performance issue

117

Access/entry issue

95

Smell

78

Driver assistance issue

72

Starting behavior

72

Recent change

62

Powering on/off behavior

36

Ride/handling behavior

33

Infotainment behavior

15

Wiper/washer behavior

15

Recent filings

The 10 most recent filings for each type.

1998 FORD CONTOUR

Filed Feb 8, 2024


Vehicle won't pass inspection due to a Broken or cracked coil spring front passenger side. It was in a recall that we never received notification. And I don't feel like we should be out over $200 to get it licensed.

1999 FORD CONTOUR

Filed May 3, 2023


The dash is curling up

1996 FORD CONTOUR

Filed Sep 20, 2021


1 injured
Crash

The contact owned a 1996 Ford Contour. The contact stated that while driving at 25 mph, going downhill, the vehicle hit black ice, then crashed into a parked vehicle. The air bags deployed and detached upon impact, slicing the contact's head open, snapped his fifth and sixth vertebrae, and the seatbelt fractured his ribs. The police were called to the scene of the collision. The police officer informed the contact that the air bag had detached from the steering wheel and was in the rear…

2000 FORD CONTOUR

Filed Jun 15, 2020


DASHBOARD IS DELAMINATING AND PEELING UPWARD INTERFERING WITH AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, DEFROSTERS AND VISIBILITY. FORD HAS ONGOING ISSUES WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER FORD PRODUCTS. I FEEL THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND QUALITY ISSUE. *TR

1996 FORD CONTOUR

Filed Dec 17, 2018


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

1998 FORD CONTOUR

Filed Nov 22, 2018


TAKARA RECALL MY HEATER MOTOR IN MY 98 FORD CONTOUR SE JUST STOPPED WORKING.

1998 FORD CONTOUR

Filed Nov 22, 2018


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.

1996 FORD CONTOUR

Filed May 25, 2017


THE WIRE HARNESS MOTOR, TRANSMISSION AND FUEL INJECTION ARE BAD ,AND WAS STATIONARY 5 YEAR AGO LIKE MANY MANY MANY CONTOURS AND MISTYQUES IN MY COUNTRY , I NEED A SOLUTION PLEASE, COUSE RESPONSABILITY IS FROM FORD COMPANY IN ALL THE WORLD. THANK YOU. I AM IN MEXICO.

1999 FORD CONTOUR

Filed Feb 15, 2017


REAR FRAME, SUSPENSION RUSTED COMPLETELY INTO AN WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND THREW ME INTO DITCH. THIS IS COMPLETELY NOT ACCEPTABLE. I HAVE 1960'S CARS %100 BETTER THAN THIS . I KNOW THIS IS A 1999 BUT THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. CAN ANYTHING BE DONE.

1996 FORD CONTOUR

Filed May 10, 2016


Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT WOULD FAIL TO START DUE TO A MELTED WIRE IN THE ENGINE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ODOMETER FAILED TO PROVIDE THE ACCURATE READING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

Data sourced from NHTSA's public datasets. Issue classifications are generated by Repair Surge. About this data.

Updated May 30, 2026. Refreshed nightly.