Ford Contour Complaints

3,154 consumer complaints on file.

#751179August 27, 2001
SUSPENSION:FRONT, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN A "LEMON" SINCE PURCHASED NEW IN AUGUST, 1997 FROM SAM GALLOWAY FORD IN FORT MYERS, FLORIDA. FROM THE BEGINNING, THE CAR DROVE "ROUGH" NOT SMOOTH. THE VEHICLE CONSTANTLY WAS VIBRATING, AND SIMPLY GOT WORSE OVER TIME. THE VIBRATIONS WOULD OCCUR AT SPEEDS AS LOW AS ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR, INCREASING THE FASTER YOU DROVE. YOU COULD ACTUALLY FEEL AND SEE YOUR BODY SHAKE. THE RIDE WAS THE TOTAL OPPOSITE OF A SMOOTH ONE. ROUGH AND BUMPY, EVEN ON SMOOTH, FLORIDA ROADS. THE VEHICLE FELT LIKE YOU WERE "PUSHING" OR "FORCING" IT TO DRIVE. THE GEAR SHIFT HAS ALWAYS BEEN DIFFICULT TO MANUVER, GENERALLY STICKING WHILE TRYING TO CHANGE GEARS. A COUPLE OF TIMES, THIS NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, DUE TO THE INABILITY TO CHANGE GEARS. WHEN REPORTED TO FORD, THE ONLY RESPONSE THAT THAT "PER THE MANUAL, THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED SOME TYPE OF OVERHAUL, AT A COST OF ABOUT $500. ALSO, SEVERAL TIMES, THERE WAS SMOKE AND A BURNING RUBBER TYPE SMELL EMITTING FROM THE AIR VENTS. THIS WAS BROUGHT INTO FORD SEVERAL TIMES, AND NOT FIXED. THE FINAL TIME, THE ENTIRE CAR FILLED WITH SMOKE--I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER, MARLON HANSON, FROM THE VEHICLE ON MY CELL PHONE, BECAUSE I WAS SCARED THAT THE CAR MAY BURST INTO FLAMES. HIS REMARKS MADE IT SOUND LIKE "NO BIG DEAL" JUST BRING IN THE CAR. MEANWHILE, I HAD TO PULL OVER, I WAS SO SCARED, NOT KNOWING IF THE VEHICLE WAS GOING TO START ON FIRE OR EVEN BLOW UP. THIS VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT IN TWICE MORE FOR THIS REPAIR, AND FINALLY APPEARS TO BE FIXED. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS SOME WIRING THAT WAS BURNING, OR STARTING ON FIRE. OUR ONLY COMPENSATION FOR THAT WAS A FREE RENTAL CAR, AFTER I PRESSURED THE SERVICE MANAGER. THE CASSETTE PORTION OF THE RADIO BROKE EARLY ON. NEVER ADDRESSED THAT ISSUE WITH DEALER OR FORD. STEERING COLUMN IS INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO MANUEVER-VERY HARD TO TURN. AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT INTERMITTENDLY COMES ON, AT ANY SPEED. TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED, BUT NEWER TIRE KEEPS DEFLATING--PER TBS, COIL SPRING PROBLEM?*A
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#895177August 24, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE STALLS FOR NO REASON. CONSUMER WILL GO TO START VEHICLE, AND IT WILL NOT START. WHEN GOING IN LOW SPEED OR COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP VEHICLE STALLS. SOMETIMES WHEN TRYING TO PULL OFF VEHICLE STALLS. CONTACTED DEALER.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#562639August 22, 2001
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DRIVESHAFT
WHILE DRIVING, THREE MOUNTS ON THE TRANS MOUNT AXLE RUSTED AND SHEARED OFF, CAUSING THE INTAKE MANIFOLD TO CUT THE BRAKE LINES, CONSUMER WENT THROUGH A RED LIGHT, LUCKILY THERE WAS NOT AN ACCIDENT, CONSUMER STATES THE SHEARED MOUNTS CAUSED OTHER DAMAGES AS WELL BUT DID NOT ELABORATE, CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 00S03 AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND HAS CONTACTED FORD, HOWEVER THEY WILL NOT RESPOND BACK, CONSUMER NO LONGER OWNS THIS VEHICLE. *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#894952August 22, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
VEHICLE STALLS OUT WHILE DRIVING. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WAS FIXED SO CONSUMER WOULD SEE THE WARNING SIGN. PROBLEM WAS INTERMITTENT, BUT CURRENTLY AN ONGOING ISSUE. ENGINE NEEDS A VCT SOLENOID REPLACED AT THE CONSUMER'S COST.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#750907August 22, 2001
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER DEFECTS I HAVE LISTED ON THE QUESTIONAIRE, MY VEHICLE OCCASIONALLY DOES NOT GO INTO FORWARD GEAR, AND THEN VIOLENTLY JERKS INTO GEAR.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#562582August 21, 2001
TIRES
THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE INSIDE WALL HAS A HUGE BUBBLE (FIRESTONE GTA FIREHAWK,TIRE SIZE P205-60R15).
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#894804August 21, 2001
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE TRAVELING AT ABOUT 65 MPH IN POURING RAIN, THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH A CODE 5 AND 2. NEXT MORNING LIGHT WAS OFF. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. CONSUMER FELT LIKE AIRBAG SYSTEM WAS DISABLED, AND MAY NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. DEALER REPLACED FRONT AIRBAGS UNDER RECALL 99 V 243 000.*AK *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#894857August 21, 2001
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
WAS DRIVING AND APPLIED TBRAKES, AND BRAKES LOCKED UP. VEHICLE SLID INTO A DITCH. THIS CAUSED FRONT END TO BE DAMAGED. VEHICLE WAS DRIVABLE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CHECKED VEHICLE AND INDICATED THAT BRAKE PADS WERE THE PROBLEM.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#894878August 21, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#750846August 21, 2001
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, SUSPENSION:FRONT
MY 1996 CONTOUR HAS LITERALLY BROKEN DOWN. I HAVE 99,000 MILES AND HAVE COMPLETELY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION, THE FRONT SUSPENSION SYSTEM, AND THE CAR STILL IS NOT DEPENDABLE, AND THE SAME PROBLEMS RE-OCCUR. I HPAY MORE IN REPAIRS THAN I DO FOR MY MONTHLY PAYMENT.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#894717August 20, 2001
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT
RECALL #98V233000/MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 98S26. CONSUMER CALLED DEALER ABOUT RECALL NOTICE, AND DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO RECALL. CONSUMER CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND THEY ALSO STATED THERE WAS NO SUCH RECALL, TOLD CONSUMER TO CALL NHTSA TO BE CORRECTED ABOUT RECALL.*AK *SLC
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#894722August 20, 2001
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES
RECALL 97V225000/ MANFACTURER'S RECALL 97S95. CONSUMER CALLED DEALER ABOUT RECALL NOTICE, BUT DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO NOTICE. CALLED FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE, AND THEY ALSO STATED THERE WAS NO SUCH RECALL. MANFACTURED TOLD CONSUMER TO CALL NHTSA TO GET RECALL CORRECTED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#750738August 19, 2001
SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:RECLINER
SEATBACK BROKEN SIX INCHES UP FROM BOTTOM ON OUTSIDE POST.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#894622August 17, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
AIR CONDITIONER WAS NOT PRODUCING COLD AIR . ALSO, VEHICLE WAS STALLING, AND ENGINE WAS CRACKED. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEMS. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#750515August 15, 2001
FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER
THIS VEHICLE IS A DUEL FUEL SYSTEM; NATURAL GAS AND GASOLINE. THIS VEHICLE HAS TWO MODES OF OPERATION CONTROLLED VIA A TOGGLE SWITCH: (1) SWITCH IN THE NG POSITION, WHICH OPERATES THE VEHICLE ON NG AND THEN AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHES TO GASOLINE AND (2)SWITCH IS IN THE GASOLINE POSITION, WHICH COMPLETELY BYPASSES THE NG FUEL ALTOGETHER. ON FRIDAY 8/10/01, A 95 DEGREE DAY, THE CAR WAS SET AT THE NG POSTION. AT AN INTERSECTION I WAS WAITING AT A STOP SIGN WITH THE INTENT ON MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN ACROSS TWO LANES OF A FOUR LANE ROAD. AS I PROCEEDED TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY STALLED. THANKFULLY I HAD NOT ACTUALLY ENGAGED THE INTERSECTION. IF I HAD AN ONCOMING DUMP TRUCK WOULD HAVE HIT ME ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. I NOTED THAT THE NG FUEL LEVEL WAS AT ZERO (OR CLOSE TO IT) AND THE ENIGINE SHOULD HAVE SEAMLESSLY KICKED INTO GASOLINE FUEL RESERVE, WHICH WAS FULL. APPARENTLY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN AND RESULTED IN THE STALL. LATER IN THE DAY THIS OCCURRED AGAIN WHILE IN A PARKING LOT. I AM THANKFUL THAT I WAS NOT INJURED AS A RESULT OF THIS PROBLEM.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#894374August 15, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
WHEN DRIVING CONSUMER SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. DEALER SAID ENGINE COOLING FAN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A RECALL 00V367000, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT AFFECTED DUE TO VIN. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#894391August 15, 2001
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
SHIFT LEVER INDICATOR IS WORN. CAN NO LONGER SEE WHAT GEAR IS BEING USED. THERE IS RECALL 98V233000, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT AFFECTED. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#750436August 14, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL
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.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#894234August 14, 2001
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
INTERMITTENTLY UNDER WET CONDITIONS VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT AND DIE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE AND ADJUSTED BELTS. PLEASE SPECIFY WHICH BELTS, AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#894246August 14, 2001
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WILL STALL OUT AND DIE WITHOUT WARNING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. VEHICLE WILL START UP IMMEDIATELY AFTER . DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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