Steering complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I was never notified of any recalls. I have had to pay out of pocket expenses lost control of vehicle replaced starter and brakes several times feels like suspension is falling apart and never notified I have small and older children shameful. These events starting taking place when I purchased the vehicle in 1999 arm control 3 times replaced I was lied to by Ford and said I must of hit a bump bump my bump 3 times almost dead.
Total steering loss,on slight curved rd. Total right wheel and everything attached came off. Even the collision repair shop said they never saw anything like that. I am susan canales and have my son's power of attorney he is in the navy and at sea right now thank you.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 Ford Contour. While driving approximately 40 MPH on a wet road, the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the coil springs were damaged. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact stated that the failure recurred every time the road was wet. The approximate failure mileage was 137,000.
My 1998 Ford Contour 4-door sedan recently experienced a devastating failure. While my daughter was driving through a parking lot at low speed, a sub-frame assembly under the dash fell down on her feet. The assembly is held in place with two bolts which had come loose. As a result of this, the steering linkage was allowed to disconnect, permitting the steering wheel to spin freely. Had this happened on the highway she would have completely loss control, and because the frame fell on her feet, she probably couldn't have applied the brake. No steering and no brake! I think this is a potentially fatal design defect. Of course, the dealer and Ford apologized but refused to correct the problem because the car is out of warranty.
22 yr. Old son matt crashed his 1997 Ford Contour into utility pole-feels bearings caused him to lose control of steering. Inner windshield driver's side post at corner came apart, plastic on interior-which stopped at top of post and wasn't connected to anything on inside of roof-popped out and lacerated his left eyeball. The eyeball interior was protruding and surgery was necessary to stitch the eyeball back together. He will eventually need a cornea transplant to get decent vision from that eye. The right eye sustained blunt trauma which caused a hematoma to develop which caused blindness until it's recent removal. Restoration of eyesight in the right eye is a slow progress.
Driving approximately 45mph and attempting to change lanes, got into right lane and touched brakes lightly to steer car straight, steering locked up, couldn't steer left or right, steering stuck in slant position. Pumping brakes and the brakes were not working. Car ran into guardrail and flipped three times. Air bag deployed.
Occasionally, when the vehicle rolls through a puddle, the steering will fail and the battery light will appear, with the engine almost stalling. This has happened with the car going as fast as 35 MPH and as slow as 5 MPH. The problem has been reported to the dealer on several occasions, and the dealer has reportedly contacted the manufacturer regarding this particular problem. Additionally, the first time the vehicle was taken back to the dealer to report the problem, the service personnel was aware that the problem existed with the specific model. After repeated returns to the dealer (at least three separate complaints), the dealer informed us that the problem was fixed and that the car was even "driven through several puddles" without any steering failure. The last time the vehicle was taken in was approximately August, 1999. …
Steering wheel, column, dash board, and now I can feel it in the drivers seat ,vibrate when car is at a complete stop. Vibration lessens slightly when the car is placed in park. The Ford service dealer in warner robins, ga diagnosed the problem as "correction diag and needs air bag, radiator support and steering wheel damper" I was also advised none of the repairs were covered under my ESP plan as these were external probalms and the warranty only covers internal. My warranty runs at at either 72000 or on nov 10, 2000. I am concerned about the air bag specifically. Will it deploy when it should, or shouldn't or not at all? I asked the service department if their records indicate any serious damage would be done if I did not have the repairs done and they told me no. This I don't beleive as I feel the problem getting worse. …
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Contour years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1995 (76), 1998 (33), 1996 (30), 1997 (16) and 1999 (12) model years. Steering complaints make up 9% of all complaints for the 1995.
Is there a recall for Ford Contour steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for any Ford Contour model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Ford Contour steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 74,000 miles; 25% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the hydraulic power assist system (54 mentions), followed by the hydraulic power assist › pump (22).
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.