Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1998 Ford Contour owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
1.ABS brake fuse and blower motor fuse are one and the same, darn cold in minnesota, and hard to get too to replace. Must pull out battery first. To replace the hydraulic pump for ABS brakes to fix problem...$3000.00, more than the car is worth for trade in or resale value. I found this out after hitting a deer on nov. 26 2004. And does not include cosmetic damage. Air bags did not deploy either. 2.front and back window molding is shrinking and forcing windows out, very drafty. 3.shift module failed, took to Ford dealer to replace, when replaced the dash board started smoking. The neighbor module burnt up, and all the dash board wiring. Total cost to repair $1200.00, but the dealership took off $200.00 of the labor costs. 4. I called Ford on several different occasions to complain. They will not stand behind their product. …
Tl contact owns a 1998 Ford Contour. Open electrical circuits and melted housing materials were found under the hood of the vehicle. The contact notified Ford who stated that her VIN was not included in recall # 01V230000 (electrical system). Ford stated that nothing could be done. The dealer stated that the repair was never previously performed. The current and failure mileages were 115,000.
Wiring connector that feeds the HVAC system burned and melted the connector plug and main fuse block at the point of the connector. This wire was a size 10 awg and is oversized for the connector that it is used for. This caused a fire at the connector. I have picture is you would like a copy.
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.
Smoke then flames came from the engine compartment and within 5 minutes of parking in the garage. The fire department extinguished the fire, and indicated that the fire occurred because of an electrical system failure.
Vehicle was purhased in jan of 1998. Vehicle currently has 70,000 miles. Vehicle was taken to a Goodyear for tune up. When picking up the vehicle Goodyear informed me of a fautly wire harness. They also included that the wire harness was flaking off almost as if it was rotten. The vehicle was never in a fire or an accident. I took the vehicle to another ase certified mechanic for a second oppinion. They stated that vehicles wire harness was of poor quality and that due to the protective layer over the metal wires flaking off it caused a short once the exposed wires touched metal burning the computer. They also included that it could have caused a fire and or worse while operating the vehicle. I contacted Ford and even took the car to them and they refused to even look at the vehicle claiming that Goodyear damaged it. …
My vehicle was manufactured on 5/15/97 but is titled as a 1998 vehicle. Ford motor company has issued a recall on 1995-1997 Ford Contour vehicles for a problem where the insulation falls off the underhood wiring. My vehicle has this problem to the extent that bare copper wiring is exposed at every connector under the hood and I am sure in places that are not visible as well. If these wires contact each other, possible engine stalling, loss of lighting, cooling and even engine fires are possible. Ford motor company is refusing to make the repairs because the vehicle is titled as a 1998 even though it wwas manufactured in 1997 with the same parts as the vehicles they are offering to repair. I am refering to their warranty extension 99m03 which calls for all wiring harnesses to be replaced at no cost to the consumer. …
My car stopped running while I was in motion at around 45 MPH. Fortunately, traffic was light and I was able to move my disabled vehicle to a safe location off the roadway. The computer was determined to be the problem and was replaced. After picking up the car from the dealer, I drove around thirty miles and noticed that the "check engine" light was on. Returning to the dealer, I was informed it was a faulty sensor. I replaced that, and about 4 miles later, the car died again, while I was on the road, in motion. The dealer mechanic said it was a faulty wiring harness which would cost $2000 to $4000 to repair. We took it to another mechanic who got the car running again for $1400, and the car has died again. …
1) A/C blower shut off and upon investigation a 60 amp fuse broke under the fuse box in the front of the car under the engine hood were damaged. And further inspection showed several open wires coming from the battery and one comming from the fuse box which is believed to have caused the fuse to break. 2) notified by 2 different auto-electrical repair shops they had seen simular damage and informed me off the costs of a replacement wiring harness and labor which ranged from $3800 - $4400. Checking other various web sites showed a lot more people with the same problems which ranged from fires to having to drive with broken fuses or having to pay high amounts to replace it. …
The 1998 Ford Contour have many known problems, the one I am currently having an issue with is a faulty headlight switch that causes the dashboard lights to go out creating a situation where a driver can not see their safe speed and worse the running lights also stop working, preventing people from seeing your car from behind. The brake lights and turning lights work but not the running lights. On a dark road the car is not visible from behind. Both these conditions make it extremely unsafe to operate the vehicle at night. There is a recall from Ford covering this exact problem however for some reason the Ford can not tell me, my car is not included. I have a 1998 Ford Contour. So far no one at the dealer will help me to determine why my car is not included although they agree it is the same problem and calls to Ford have gotten me no where as well. What can I do now? …
Related recalls
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…
NHTSA investigations
Blower switch/resistor or wiring harness
There is no summary currently available
Blower switch/resistor or wiring harness
There is no summary currently available
Electrical complaints in other Contour years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 1998 Ford Contour?
NHTSA has 130 complaints about the electrical system of the 1998 Ford Contour, 15% of the model year's 846 complaints. The component named most often is wiring › fuses and circuit breakers (18 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1998 Ford Contour electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 01V-230 (electrical system, Jul 9, 2001). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1998 Ford Contour electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 85,000 miles, and 2% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 13 fires and 2 injuries to electrical system 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.