Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1995 Ford Contour submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 76 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 76, in the owner's own words
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD CONTOUR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE AND THE STEERING COLUMN BEGAN OVER HEATING CONTINUOUSLY. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE BURNING SMELL; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE. AT TIMES, THE KEY WAS TOO HOT TO REMOVE FROM THE IGNITION. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 83000 WHEN THE FIRE OCCURRED.
MY '95 FORD CONTOUR HAS BEEN OVERHEATING, SMELLING HOT, WITH THE STEERING COLUMN HEATING UP TO THE POINT OF THE CAR KEY, IN THE IGNITION, GETTING TOO HOTTO HANDLE--FOR SOME TIME, NOW. FEARING THAT THERE MIGHT BE A FIRE HAZARD, I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER. HE SAID MY CAR, PER IT'S VIN NO., HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED; SO HE DID NOTHING ABOUT MY CONCERNS. NOW, A WEEK AGO TODAY (12/3/09), AND A WEEK OR SO AFTER BRINGING MY CAR IN FOR THE FIRST TIME, I WAS DRIVING 20-30 MPH, DOWN A CITY STREET IN MY SMALL TOWN, WHEN, SUDDENLY, I HEARD A POPPING SOUND; AND THE ELECTRICITY IN THE CAR TURNED OFF. THE CAR STOPPED DEAD IN IT'S TRACKS, AS I WAS TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT! I TRIED TO PUT THE HAZARD LIGHT ON; BUT IT WOULD NOT TURN ON. THE STEERING WHEEL & STEERING COLUMN WERE VERY HOT. I TURNED THE KEY, IN THE IGNITION, IN AN ATTEMPT TO TURN THE CAR BACK ON. INSTEAD, IT MADE ANOTHER POPPING SOUND; AND DIED COMPLETELY! SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. WHEN I OPENED THE HOOD, THE BATTERY WATER WAS BOILING OVER, SIZZLING, AND SMOKING. WHEN I CALLED MY INS. ROADSIDE ASSIST, AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED, THEY TOLD ME TO CALL THE FIRE DEPT. SO, I CALLED THE FIRE DEPT. THEY CAME AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY; AND NOTED THAT THE BATTERY WAS SMOKING. THEY PUSHED MY CAR TO A PARKING SPOT, FROM WHERE I HAD IT TOWED IT TO MY LOCAL FORD DEALER. THE FORD DEALER MAN SAID THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT; AND I LEFT IT THERE, IN THEIR PARKING LOT. I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR, FOR FEAR IT MIGHT START ON FIRE, SINCE I HAVE SEEN, ON THE INTERNET, THAT THE '95 FORD CONTOUR HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR IGNITION FIRES!!! BEING CAUGHT IN A BURNING FIRE, WITH MY SEAT BELT ON, IS VERY SCARY TO ME! THE QUESTIONS, AT THE BOTTOM, RIGHT, OF MY SCREEN, ARE CUT OFF, SO I CAN ONLY SEE HALF OF THE QUESTIONS, STARTING WITH: "WAS THERE...." "PROPERTY DA...." "WAS THERE A..." "REPORTED TO...." I'M SORRY,I HAVE NO WAY OF ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS, HERE. *TR
I'M A HEARING IMPAIRED DRIVER/OWNER OF FORD '95 CONTOUR GL (LOW-INCOMER, AVERAGE $21,000 A YEAR). I'VE BOUGHT THIS CAR IN 1997 FROM A MINNEAPOLIS-AREA FORD DEALERSHIP (QUALITY AUTO DEALERSHIP IN BLOOMINGTON, MINNESOTA). AT THE TIME, I HAD LESS THAN $10,000 TO PAY FOR A RECENT USED CAR(ONE THAT IS WITHIN 2-3 YEARS AFTER IT CAME ON THE MARKET). I TRIED OUT FEW CARS AND THE WHITE 1995 FORD CONTOUR GL. THE DEALER INSISTED THAT '95 FORD CONTOUR GL WAS A GOOD BUY AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE. I WAS WILLING TO TRADE UP MY OLD CAR TO REDUCE THE PRICE BUT IT WAS STILL TOO HIGH FOR ME SINCE IT DIDN'T INCLUDED OTHER FEES LIKE THE TITLE AND REGISTRATION LICENSE. AFTER A SHORT, PERSUASIVE NEGOTIATION, I GOT THE DEALER TO AGREE TO MARK DOWN TO $9995 AND I ACCEPTED THAT. SO I BOUGHT THE CAR. AFTER A FEW DAYS, I WAS EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH IT, SO I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND LATER TOLD ME THAT THE WHOLE ENGINE WAS BAD AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS STUNNED BUT THEY WERE WILLING TO DO THE REPAIR FOR FREE. IT TOOK ME A WEEK TO GET MY CAR BACK. EVERYTHING WENT FAIRLY FINE FOR THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS. IN 1999, THE AIR-CONDITIONER IN MY CAR STOPPED WORKING AND IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR AT THE TIME. I MOVED TO COLUMBUS, OH IN JAN. 2000. FOR THE LAST 3 YEARS, THAT CAR HAS BECOME A TROUBLE FOR ME. ONE REPAIR AFTER THE NEXT. THE BIGGEST REPAIR COST I'VE PAID OUT WAS $2060.43 TO REPLACE A FLYWHEEL. I HAVE TRIED TO TAKE GOOD CARE OF MY CAR BY TAKING IT TO JIFFY LUBE FOR OIL/CHECK-UPS EVERY 3-6 MONTHS FAITHFULLY AND I'M STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH MY CAR. RIGHT NOW, IT IS AT ANOTHER FORD SERVICE BECAUSE THERE MAY BE DEFECTED WIRING COILS IN MY CAR (A DEALER RECALL THAT I'M NOT AWARE OF). I HAVE KEPT ALL THE SERVICE MAINTENANCE PAPERS IN FILE FOR ALL THE REPAIRS AND SERVICES ON MY CAR. I WANTED A NEW CAR AND I'M NOT VERY HAPPY. I'M TIRED OF PAYING FOR THE REPAIRS. THANK YOU, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
ABRUPT LOSS OF STEERING POWER WHEN DRIVING THROUGH PUDDLES, RECURRING ISSUE. FOUND DESCRIPTION AFTER INTERNET SEARCH (TSB 97-11-2). DATE CITED IS MOST RECENT EVENT. DEALER AND FORD ACKNOWLEDGE ISSUE BUT WILL NOT INSTALL KIT TO PREVENT RECURRENCE AT THEIR EXPENSE.
STEERING COLUMN IS HITTING ARM OF THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN MAKING SLOW TURNS. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY DEALER .*AK CONSUMER STATES THIS IS NOTICEABLE UNDER 20MPH. *YD
VEHICLE DEVELOPED A NOISE AND DEALER REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP, HOWEVER NOISE DID NOT GO AWAY, DEALER STATED NOISE WAS DUE TO PULLEY THAT HAD RUSTED AND CORRODED, RECALL 00V367, REGARDING THE FAN MOTOR, CAUSED THE PULLEY TO RUST AND CORRODE, THEREFORE CAUSING THE NOISE, VEHICLE HAD OVERHEATED AND DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE ENGINE AND MANY OTHER COMPONENTS DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE RECALL COMPONENT, CONSUMER STATES THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED. *SLC
IN RAINY WEATHER WATER WILL GET UNDER POWER STEERING BELT AND CAUSE POWER STEERING TO GO OUT. THERE WAS A TSB ON INSTALLING A SHIELD TO PROTECT BELT FROM WATER. THIS WAS NOT PROPERLY INSTALLED, AND WATER STILL GETS TO DRIVE BELT.*AK
THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW GRINDS WHEN GOING UP, THE GLASS TRACKS ARE UNEVEN GOING UP CAUSING THE REAR EDGES TO COME OUT OF THE TRACK, THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE REGULATOR AND MOTOR 5 TIMES, THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS DEFECT IS AN ENGINEERING FLAW, THE CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT. NLM
WOULD BE DRIVING VEHICLE OR MAKING A TURN WHEN VEHICLE WOULD STALL. WOULD HAVE NO PRIOR WARNING. ALSO, STEERING WOULD LOCK UP. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP.*AK
THIS VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. I HAD TO REPLACE WITH A NEW VEHICLE IN JUNE 2000. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK
WHEN DRIVING ON WET ROADS AND GOING THROUGH STANDING WATER CONSUMER LOOSES POWER STEERING, THE POWER STEERING BELT HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE, A SPLASH GAURD WAS INSTALLED BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSIST. NLM
WHEN DRIVING THROUGH WATER THERE IS A LOSS OF STEERING FOR A SHORT TIME.HAS BEEN THIS WAY SINCE NEW.WE ARE OLDER NOW & IT IS MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE.I READ WHERE YOU HAD HAD THE SAME COMPLAINT SEVERAL TIMES.WHEN YOU LOOK UNDER LRIGHT FRONT OF CAR YOU CAN SEE WHY THIS HAPPENS.THE BELT DRIVE PULLEY IS EXPOSED SO THAT WATER IS SPLASHED ON IT.WONDER HOW MANY FATAL ACCIDENTS THIS HAS CAUSED.*AK
THERMOSTAT GOES UP TO THE RED. THEN, POWER STEERING WENT OUT. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND LET CAR SIT FOR A WHILE. GAS TANK HAS BEEN REPLACED, WIRING HARNESS PROBLEM. *AK
I HEARD A THUMPING NOISE THAT I THOUGHT WAS A TIRE OR BRAKE CALIPER.DROVE CAR FOR A WEEK.WENT TO DEALER AND WHEN I PULLED IN FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE CAR. POWER STEERING LINE WAS REPLACED ($600), CAR RELEASED TO ME. DROVE HOME. HEARD METALLIC SOUND AND RETURNED CAR THE NEXT DAY. DEALER SAID PROBLEM WAS SHEARED BOLTS ON THE REAR MOUNT. THEY SPECULATED THAT CORROSION STARTED BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION HOUSING IS ALUMINUM AND THE BOLT ARE STEEL.THIS WILL COST ME ANOTHER $600 TO REPAIR. ABOUT A MOTH AGO THE SERPENTINE BELT WAS REPLACE. DON'T KNOW IF ANY CONNECTION TO THE LATER PROBLEMS.
I HAVE HAD AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH MY STEERING WHEEL BECOMING LOOSE. THE NUT THAT HOLDS THE STEERING WHEEL ON LOOSENS EVERY 5 TO 6 MONTHS.I HAVE CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY RECALL DEPT. AND THEY DONT REALLY CARE ABOUT MY PROBLEM.I FEEL THIS IS A VERY BIG SAFETY ISSUE.I AM VERY FORTUNATE TO HAVE A MECHANIC IN THE FAMILY,SO IT DOESNT COST ME $300-$400 DALLARS EVERY TIME THIS OCCURS.BUT IT IS STILL A WASTE OF MY TIME AND MY MECHANICS TIME EVERY TIME THIS PROBLEM ARISES. I WOULD APPRECIATE IF SOMEONE WOULD GET BACK TO ME ON WHETHER OR NOT THIS PROBLEM IS GOING TO LOOKED INTO OR NOT.....THANKS DAWM M BAN. *AK
HAD TO REPLACED BRAKES. HEADLIGHTS DIM WHEN BRAKE IS PRESSED,INTERIOR LIGHTS STAY ON WHEN LEFT TAIL LIGHT GOES OUT (REPLACED 4 TIMES SINCE 1996) STEERING WHEEL BOUNCES UP AND DOWN WHEN SITTING WITH CAR RUNNING AND IN GEAR MUST PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL AT STOP LIGHTS OR SITTING IN GEAR, SO AS TO NOT GET VIBRATED TO DEATH, MECH-NOT ABLE TO FIX PROBLEM, JUST THE WAY CAR IS BUILT.
DRIVING THROUGH WET ROADS STEERING WILL LOCK UP, LASTING FOR ABOUT 15 SECONDS, AND CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL. DEALER HAS REPLACED SWAY BAR AND SERPENTINE BELT, BUT DEFECT KEEPS OCCURRING. CAUSE IS STILL UNKNOWN. *AK
DRIVING THROUGH SMALL PUDDLES CAN THROW WATER ON THE DRIVE BELT FOR THE POWER STEERING PUMP. A GAP IN THE FRONT WHEEL WELL LINER ALLOWS THE WATER TO BE THROWN ON THE BELT. THE PROBLEM IS MORE COMMON WHEN TURNING RIGHT. THE BELT SLIPS AND ALL POWER STEERING IS LOST. IF THE DRIVER IS NOT AWARE OF THE PROBLEM SOON ENOUGH, THE CAR WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TURN FAST ENOUGH TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. OTHER CONTOUR OWNERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. IT IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS FOR WOMEN AND OLDER PEOPLE THAT MAY NOT HAVE THE ARM STRENGTH TO TURN THE CAR AFTER A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING.
DEFECT CORRECTED AT 28,000 MILES, AND RE-OCCURRED AT APPROX 45,000 MILES. DEFECT CORRECTED AGAIN AT 58,000 MILES. THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR THIS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS DEFECT. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AS THEY HAVE ISSUED SEVERAL TSB'S TO DEALERS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM
UNDER WET CONDITION POWER STEERING GOES OUT, CAUSING THE WHEE TOL HAVE TO TURN BACK TO THE NORMAL POSITION MANUALY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
I WAS DRIVING MY 1995 FORD CONTOUR WHEN I LOST MY POWER STEERING. I PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY TO CHECK MY POWER STEERING FLUID. THE FLUID CONTAINER WAS EMPTY. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO FIRESTONE SERVICE TO CHECK THE PROBLEM. I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE MECHANIC ASKING IF I HAD TRANSMISSION WORK DONE ON THE CAR. I INDICATED I DID IN 9/97 WHEN THE FORD DEALER, RITTENHOUSE-KERR, REPLACED THE ORIGINAL TRANS UNDER FORD WARRANTY. I ASKED HIM WHY HE WAS ASKING ABOUT THE TRANS WHEN IT WAS THE POWER STEERING THAT WAS INOPERATIVE. HE INFORMED ME THREE BOLTS THAT HOLD THE TRANS TO THE MOTOR MOUNT WHERE MISSING AND THAT CAUSED THE TRANS TO DAMAGE THE AXLE WHICH CAUSED THE POWER STEERING LINE TO BE CUT RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING. HE SUGGESTED I BRING THE CAR BACK TO THE FORD DEALER FOR REPAIR. RITTENHOUSE-KERR ACKNOWLEDGED THE BOLTS WHERE MISSING BUT COULD NOT GIVE A REASONABLE EXPLANATION WHY. I SUGGESTED THEY WERE DEFECTIVE OR NOT PUT IN PROPERLY. THE DEALER WOULD NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILTY FOR THE FAILURE OF THE BOLTS. I THEN CALLED FORD ON SEVERAL OCCASSIONS AND THOUGH COURTEOUS, THEY ESSENTIALLY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT UP WITH THE DEALER. I THEN BROUGHT THE CAR TO ANOTHER MECHANIC TO GET REPAIRED. I HAD THE POWER STEERING LINE AND AXLE REPLACED BUT COULD NOT GET THE TRANS ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE MOUNT. THE MECHANIC EXPLAINED THERE ARE THREE BOLTS (FORD PART NUMBER W500034-S303) THAT HOLD THE TRANS TO THE ENGINE MOUNT. IN TWO OF THE THREE OPENINGS WHERE THE BOLTS THREAD INTO THE TRANS, THERE WERE PARTS OF BROKEN BOLTS IN THEM AND THE THIRD HAD STRIPPED THREADS PREVENTING THE BOLT FROM HOLDING. I CONTACTED THE DEALER AND FORD AGAIN. NEITHER WOULD ACKNOWLEGDE RESPONSIBILITY. IF USEFUL, I HAVE PICTURES I CAN PROVIDE. YOUR ASSISTANCE IN LOOKING INTO THIS UNSAFE SITUATION IS APPRECIATED. ALSO, DID FORD HAVE A RECALL ON TRANS BOLTS FOR THE 1993 TAURUS MODEL?
THE TIRE FELL OFF DUE TO A DEFECTIVE FRONT KNUCKLE , RESULTING IN HITTING OTHER PARKED VEHICLE, DAMAGES TO VEHICLES COSTED $3,564.03 *AK
THE POWER STEERING LINE IS TOO CLOSE TO THE RIGHT DRIVESHAFT, CAUSING THEM TO RUB AND ULTIMATELY CAUSING A SERIOUS LEAK IN THE POWER STEERING LINE. THIS CAUSES THE ENGINE TO SMOKE AND SQUEL AND POWER STEERING TO FAIL.
DURING RAINY WEATHER THE POWER STEERING UNIT FAILED. REPAIRS WERE DONE, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXIST. *YCS
VERY DANGEROUS MALFUNCTION - SHOULD BE ON A RECALL. DUE TO MY PHYSICAL DISABILITY I DO NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO STEER THE CAR WHEN POWER ASSIST FAILS. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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