Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1995 Ford Contour owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Going 40-45mph towards a curb. Applied brakes, vehicle failed to stop. Steered to side of road. Steering hard to control. Crossed median & hit metal fence pole. Air bags did not deploy upon impact.
I hvae had problems ever since I first purchased the car 8 months ago, starting with engine failure due to a missing vacuum cap. Next, I encountered a drive belt that was on the verge of breaking, it was severly cracked. The brake calipers were sticking causing major veering when stopping at speeds over 40, and this also resulted in warping my rotors. Also, for the first 7 months, my check engine light would come on periodically, but after a couple of fuel injector cleaners, it was much better. Then, on a cross country trip, the car's idle worsened, its power decreased,at a stop, the car would start having a convulsion like feel and sound, from a stop, it wouldn't accelerate until a click in the engine could be heard. Then the acceleration was very lurching and sputtery. After a diagnostic, I was informed that it was not the original engine. …
The parking brake stick and causes the traction control and ABS to fail when the traction control and ABS are reset by re-starting the vehicle, on two occasions the traction control has activated, causing sharp application of the brakes during acceleration for no reason. The first incident occured at 45 MPH on the freeway druing a snow storm and the second occured at 25 MPH on a side road during a snow storm. Parking brake only appears to stick in cases where the car is warm and sits for a long period of time in below freezing temps. With the parking brake applied. There seems to be a direct link between the parking brake sticking and the failure of the ABS and traction control. The failure of the ABS and traction control has happened on better than than five occasions, the slamming on of the brakes caused by the brakes sticking has happened twice.
Failure of defective manifold gasket caused power assist failure in accident avoidance situation. Had I not been able to swerve around stopped car, vehicle would not have stopped in time to avoid collision due to drastic reduction in braking. Dealer reports that this has occurred on a number of different model years recently. Gasket is unavailable for replacement for over 2 weeks because it is being redesigned. Customer service stated not to take in personal that they would not cover this safety defect. The problem with this defect is that it is sudden and without notice. Car ran rough for a few days, but gave no indication of potential brake failure until it was almost too late. Thank you for your consideration.
Gas sensor failed early on, had it fixed. Shortly thereafter the emergency brake failed, had that fixed. Now both rear springs have broken, one front bearing has been replaced and there might be a problem with front stabiliser bar. Contacted Ford this morning and was informed that I would have to take the vehicle to a Ford dealer for "verification purposes" unfortunately the vehicle poses a danger due to a loose spring in the back. The vehicle has been maintained by "grosse pointe autoworks" located 1/2 block off my house since the day I bought it. Dealerships are ca 9+ miles away and have never been consumer friendly when I have contacted them. Please advise as to recourse regarding the irresponsive Ford motor co.
The transmission started to shift really hard, and I noticed that the transmission fluid was low. I added fluid and the problem lessened, but was still there. Also there was a strange high pitched sound coming from the transmission. As it turned out, we had a brake system failure as well. So I took the car to the dealership. After fixing the brakes (apx $600) they informed me that the transmission had to be replaced. I wanted a second opinion, so I paid for the brakes and left. A few days later while my wife was driving the car the transmission locked and destroyed itself. I had the car towed to the closest place which was aamco resulting in a $2,500 bill and a car that is still in the shop.
My ABS light has been on continuously for many years. A search of the internet allowed me to find many others who have the same issue with the Ford Contour. It appears to not be specific to any one model year. My vehicle is a 1995, but I have seen internet queries for many other newer vehicles. What is in common is that the ABS system on the Ford Contour is faulty causing one to have to spend $4,000 to get it repaired, or drive with less affective brakes. Have you received any other queries about the Ford Contour ABS failure?
Traction control and ABS brake warning light came on. Took to dealer. They said consumer needed a new computer , totalling $1200. Consumer paid to have it fixed, and there is still no traction control or ABS brakes. Currently, dealer indicated that consumer needed wiring harness that connects to computer. A mechanic said it was a problem with these particular cars that water gets in the wiring harness and shorts out the computer. Also,consumer said if braking in skid car would keep going.
ABS light illuminated,Ford dealer spent 2.2 hours diagnostic time, charging $139.00 to advise ABS module failed due to water intrusion. Dealer says they have received several similair compaints and even a technical bulletin on manufacturing defect. Dealer advised they would charge me only $1277.00, parts and labor to replace the defective ABS module. I feel this totally the manufacturers failure to design the ABS module properly, to withstand normal underhood conditions.please help!
They don't know why my engine cuts out. I believe problem is left over from all the work they did on ABS and cat. Converter changeover. They will not warranty car now that factory warranty expired. Refused to install "flight recorder" to troubleshoot. Dealer refused to offer extended warranty at no charge since they are the cause of the problems. Dealer replaced entire lh wiring harness when repairing ABS, left many "loose ends" all over the car.
Brake complaints in other Contour years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 1995 Ford Contour?
NHTSA has 85 complaints about the brakes of the 1995 Ford Contour, 10% of the model year's 891 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (31 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1995 Ford Contour brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 1995 Ford Contour, though it has 8 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 0 fires and 10 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.