Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Ford Contour owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I have had problems with the seat belts in my car for about a year. Both seat belts in the front don't seem to retract and get tangeled and twisted all the time. I have manually adjusted them everytime I drove. Just 5 months ago I was involved in a car accident, I was stopped in traffic at a light and was rear ended causing me to hit the car infront of me. I hit my head on the steering wheel causing me a concusion. My seat belt did not retract to hold me back and the air bag did not deploy. I have called Ford and they told me that I should pay for the seat belts to be fixed and they did not metion anything about the airbag. I managed to untangle the seat belts on my car and I have noticed that the buckles are facing the wrong way. This I compared to other cars and fords as well.
While wearing my seat belt which I always check to be sure it is fastened I fell asleep at the wheel. I hit the left barrier and jerked the wheel. That is all I remember. When I woke up the car was upside down and I was laying on the roof on my stomach facing forward. The seat belt came unbuckled and the air bag did not deploy. It appears I was thrown into the empty passenger seat as it was broken. I am upset the belt came unbuckled. The car was a 1999 Ford Contour se. I had no buckle problems in the past.
I was in an accident and the seat belt on my three year old son's car seat came undone. It was the belt that goes from the car to the car seat. The car flipped and his seat went flying around in the car. The air bags never deployed when the car flipped and hit a dirt embankment.
Entire air bag system failed to deploy upon a full frontal impact. Consumer noted that Ford stated that vehicle's air bags are specified to deploy at 8 to 14 MPH. Consumer cannot start vehicle until moving steering wheel up and down with the key in ignition. Consumer has contacted dealer. Seat belt failed also.
The front seat belts constantly get twisted and locked up. You have to stop and undo it to get it fixed. Also interior light will just come on. At 4 am on morning I just happened to look out and it was on.?????? Ts
Several items first the dash bowed in from both sides,a month after picking the car up the air conditioner went out the dealership said my problem, the tires were bad we replaced them they are bad all the time have to be replaced more then a normal tire should , the car broke down last year on the highway again my problem the rotors and other things were bad somthing I as a consumer would not have known about , cannot get car inspected because the horn does not work and cannot be fixed due to airbag again my problem o yes was in a finder binder airbag did not work minor injries , the drivers seat rocks the rear seat belt will not work more problems this car is worth nothing I on;y drive to and from work in it and the way it is falling apart youd think I travel across country in it ...this is not a good car to ever purchase will never buy from Ford again!!! …
In the rear seat there is a belt that doesn't release. The belt had to be cut after consumer's child got her head caught in the belt. It locked & there was no way to release it. Dealer is looking to see if this is a defect problem. Dealer can fix it, but the consumer doesn't want it fixed until they can find out how to release the belt. The child was caught in the belt strap and was chocking in a matter of seconds, but the parent cut the strap with knife and rescued the child.
The vehicle had poor gas mileage. The drivers window jammed. The rubber piece around the frame of the right side rear passenger's seat constantly came off. The shoulder harness on driver's side and in the rear seats twisted and jammed. The dashboard cover came loose. The radio operated poorly. The trunk latch often required multiple pulls to open the trunk. The air bag light intermittently came on. While driving there was a whining/grinding noise.
Seat belt retractors consistently jam. This makes them useless in the event of an accident. The design of the front seatbelt mechanism (regardless of how far up or back the seat is adjusted) cause the belts to twist and jam. In order to unjam them, you must stop the car and fight with the seatbelts. Any movement loosens them and they do not retract. If there is an accident, the seatbelts are likely to cause more harm than protection.
The passenger side seat belt locked while I was driving on the interstate. The econd time, it just would not release, and I had to cut the seatbeat so the passenger could get out. Air conditioner blower switch just went out one day. The air conditioner will only work if I keep the control turned to "high." I would like to have both of these items replaced by Ford, if possible. "
Seat Belt complaints in other Contour years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat belt problems on the 1999 Ford Contour?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the seat belts of the 1999 Ford Contour, 6% of the model year's 419 complaints. The component named most often is front › retractor (7 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Ford Contour seat belt problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seat belts recall for the 1999 Ford Contour, though it has 3 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.
At what mileage do 1999 Ford Contour seat belt problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 0 fires and 7 injuries to seat belts 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.