Complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | vs. typical* | Recalls | Top problem | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 199 | −63% | 5 | Body | Good |
| 1999 | 419 | −24% | 3 | Body | Average |
| 1998 | 846 | 2.0× | 9 | Engine | Avoid |
| 1997 | 218 | −60% | 5 | Electrical | Good |
| 1996 | 563 | 1.3× | 8 | Engine | Average |
| 1995 | 891 | 2.1× | 8 | Engine | Avoid |
* Complaints compared with the median Contour year at the same age, so new and old years are judged fairly. How this works.
Most common Ford Contour problems
Latest Ford Contour recalls
Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil springs
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles built at the kansas city assembly plant and originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island,…
Remedy: Dealers will install spring catcher brackets. Owner notification began October 23, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
Electrical system
On certain my 1996-1998 passenger vehicles built at the kansas city, cuautitlan assembly plants or on my 1999 passenger vehcles built at the automotive alliance international assembly plants, the rough surface of the heater blower resistor's stainless steel blades can damage the copper surface of the wiring harness connector.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new heater blower resistor and a new wire jumper harness. Owner notification began August 29, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not…
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinder
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles built with an incorrect power brake booster and master cylinder assembly.
Remedy: Dealers will install the correct contour brake booster and master cylinder in each of these vehicles. Owner notification began January 28, 2002.
Engine and engine cooling
Vehicle description: 1995 passenger vehicles equipped with the 2.0l and 2.5l engines, and 1996 vehicles equipped with 2.5l engines. Tightening of the engine cooling fan motor bearings, up to and including motor stall, can result in increased motor torque and higher than normal motor current and accompanying high motor…
Remedy: Dealers will install a positive temperature coefficient device in-line with each fan motor. Ford will also extend the warranty on the engine cooling fan assembly to a total of 8 years of service or 100,000 miles from…
Fuel system, other › Storage › Tank assembly
Vehicle description: bi-fuel vehicles. These vehicles May have a fuel tank filler pipe grommet that could have been damaged during the installation of the bi-fuel system. If the grommet is damaged, fuel could leak. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel tank filler pipe grommet.
Frequently asked questions
What years of the Ford Contour should you avoid?
1995 and 1998 — these years have the most complaints relative to other Contour years at the same age, led by engine & cooling problems in the 1995.
What is the best year for the Ford Contour?
2000 has the fewest complaints compared with other Contour years at the same age, followed by 1997 and 1999. Newer years can look better simply because fewer complaints have come in yet, so we compare like with like.
What are the most common Ford Contour problems?
Across all years, owners report the most problems with the engine & cooling (587), electrical system (551) and transmission & drivetrain (390). Engine complaints peak in the 1995 model year.
How many recalls has the Ford Contour had?
22 recalls across 1995–2000. The model year with the most is 1998. See all Ford Contour recalls by year.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.