1997 Ford Contour Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT PERSONALLY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC. THE CONTACT REPLACED THE TIMING BELT, SERPENTINE BELT, WATER PUMP, FUEL INJECTOR, AND PULLEYS. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000. UPDATED 2/21/13 *CN STATUS UPDATE 03/19/13

NHTSA ID

10496621

Incident

Mar 15, 2012

Mileage

134,000 mi

THE WIRING HARNESS HAS DETERIORATED TO WHERE THE ENGINE RUNS LEAN AND DIES. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. ONCE HOME I CHECKED EVERYTHING I COULD UNTIL THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT COOLED THEN NOTICED THE WIRING ON THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER. THE MORE I LOOKED I COULD SEE ALL THE INJECTOR PLUGS WERE DETERIORATED BADLY WITH NUMBER 4 BEING WORSE. JUST TOUCHING THE HARNESS CAUSES THE INSULATION TO FLAKE OFF AND BARE WIRES TO BE EXPOSED. I PURCHASED A CODE READER TO ALLOW PROPER INDICATIONS OF WHAT CODES WERE INDICATED WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. NOW FORD WANTS ME TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER SO THEY CAN CHARGE ME AND TELL ME WHAT I ALREADY KNOW AND CAN PLAINLY SEE! *TR

NHTSA ID

10469368

Incident

Jun 21, 2012

Mileage

134,000 mi

BOUGHT A 1997 FORD CONTOUR AND 4 DAYS LATER THE HEAD GASKET BLEW. AFTER BEING IN SHOP OVER A MONTH AND MANY OTHER PROBLEMS REPAIRED I FINALLY GOT CAR BACK AND THE VERY NEXT DAY THE HEAD GASKET BLEW AGAIN WITHIN 2 MILES FROM MY HOUSE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10208704

Incident

Sep 22, 2007

Mileage

105,000 mi

I HAVE 1997 FORD CONTOUR SE. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH IT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON CONSTANTLY, RADIATOR LIGHT COMES ON CONSTANTLY, RUNS POORLY. I HAD ALL CHECKED WHEN THEY HAPPEN ON MULTILPLE OCCASIONS. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, I FOUND THAT THERE MAY BE A PROBLEM WITH THE WIRING HARNESS IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I WAS TOLD BY A FREIND THAT HE HAD HEARD OF A PROBLEM LIKE THIS AND FORD WAS FIXING THEM, AND I SHOULD CALL THE DEALER. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THEY CONFIRMED THERE WAS A RECALL BUT BASED ON MY VIN I WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO THE AGE OF MY CAR. THIS WAS DONE AT BRANDON FORD AROUND THE JULY/AUGUST TIME FRAME. THINKING THAT I HAD TO DO THE REPAIR MYSELF, DUE TO THE COST AT THE DEALERSHIP (OVER $3000.00), I STARTED LOOKING FOR PARTS MYSELF ON THE INTERNET. THERE I FOUND THE RECALL/EXT. WARRANTY INFO. 99M03 AND IN THIS IT STATES 10 YEARS OR 100,000 MILE. I AGAIN GOT HOPE THAT MAYBE THEY HAD MISSREAD THE RECALL AT THE DEALER SHIP. I THEN RETURNED WITH VIN AND THE INFO 99M03 IN HAD AND ONE OF THEIR SERVICE ADVISERS CONFIRMED THAT IT SHOULD BE COVERED. I THEN MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE NEXT DAY TO DROP THE CAR OFF AT 8:30AM TO HAVE IT DONE. I CALL THAT SAME DAY AT 2:30PM TO CHECK TO SEE IF AND FOR HOW LONG I WOUNLD NEED A RENTAL CAR. I WAS TOLD AT THAT TIME THAT MY CAR WAS NOT COVERED DUE TO IT'S AGE AND THAT IT RAN OUT ON 10/26/06. HAD THE FIRST PERSON LOOKED THE INFO. UP PROPERLY BACK IN THE JULY/AUGUST TIME FRAME IT WOULD HAVE BEEN FIXED. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT THE REPAIR WOULD TAKE THEM APPROX. 3 DAYS TO DO, AND FOR ONLY GIVES THEM 6-7 HRS TO DO IT, SO THEY LOSE MONEY TO DO THESE REPAIRS. BASED ON THE 99M03 INFO I SHOULD HAVE RECIEVED A LETTER STATING THE EXT. WARRANTY WHICH I DID NOT, BUT HAD RECIEVED OTHER RECALL INFO. *NM

NHTSA ID

10177390

Incident

Dec 20, 2006

Mileage

85,000 mi

I RESPONDED TO A SERVICE ADVISORY ABOUT A FAULTY BLOWER FAN SWITCH. THE SWITCH WAS REPLACED BUT IT WAS APPARENTLY REPLACED WITH ANOTHER FAULTY SWITCH WHICH FAILED. I HAD THE FAN REPLACED AT A LOCAL SERVICE STATION TO THE TUNE OF $192.64. FORD WOULD NOT REPLACE THE FAULTY FAN SWITCH. *NM

NHTSA ID

10163172

Incident

Dec 3, 2003

Mileage

115,000 mi

ENGINE BLOWS WITH NO WARNING TRANY GOES WHILE GOING UPHILL AT 25 MPH

NHTSA ID

10069482

Incident

Nov 15, 2002

Mileage

93,000 mi

I BELIEVE ALL 1997 FORD CONTOURS SHOULD BE RECALLED, OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS I HAVE REPLACED THE CLUTCH, WATERPUMP, BLOWER MOTOR, BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS, BUSHINGS, SWAY BARS, WHEEL BEARINGS, FRONT & REAR BRAKES AND ROTORS(BOTH TWICE!!!!), AXLE, 2 OXYGEN SENSORS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, EGR VALVE, COIL SPRINGS, BATTERY, BALLJOINTS, DOOR LATCH, ALMOST ALL OF THE FULL FRONT SUSPENSION!!!! THERE ARE MORE PARTS THAT I HAD REPLACED BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER ALL THE NAMES OF THE PARTS THERE ARE TOO MANY!! MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF, SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF, SHORT IN THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER WINDOW, THE ENGINE WILL (REV) UP BY ITSELF WHEN IT'S IN GEAR AND WHEN IT'S NOT, SHORT IN THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER SEATS, WATER LEAKAGE IN THE TRUNK, A/C LEAKS ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR, ALL DOORS SQUEAK NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, CARPET IS FALLING OUT, HORN WILL NOT WORK MOST OF THE TIME, SAME FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL, WINDSHIELD WIPER SPRAYER DOES NOT WORK, KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE, ENDED UP IN VERY BAD DEBT BECAUSE OF THIS AND NO ONE WILL TAKE IT, I STILL OWE MONEY ON THE PIECE OF CRAP. CONTACTED FORD MOTOR AT ONE TIME REGARDING ALL THE PARTS I REPLACED AFTER THE FIRST YEAR I HAD IT, THEY SAY IT'S NOT THERE PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP WHO SOLD IT TO ME SAYS IT WAS JUST FINE, BULL CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I BELIEVE THAT THOSE ARE TOO MANY ITEMS FOR A 1997 TO GO WRONG ON. *AK

NHTSA ID

10049024

Incident

Oct 1, 2000

NAR 06/19/2003. *MR THE CONSUMERS WATER PUMP HAD BROKEN AND TO HIS SURPRISE THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE PUMP WAS MADE OF PLASTIC, IN WHICH THEY ARE USUALLY MADE OF METAL. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT FORD SHOULD RECALL ALL CARS MADE WITH PLASTIC PUMPS AND REPLACE THEM WITH METAL ONES. *CB *JB

NHTSA ID

10024446

Incident

Jan 1, 1901

Mileage

37,000 mi

IN OCTOBER 2001 (AT 67000 MILES), COOLANT WAS LEAKING FROM THE WATER PUMP ON MY 1997 2.5-LITER V6 FORD CONTOUR. WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED. ON JUNE 2002 (AT 73000 MILES), THE WATER PUMP STARTED LEAKING AGAIN. WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED AGAIN. ON DECEMBER 2002 (AT 80000 MILES), THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN, I.E. THE PUMP WAS LEAKING. WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED. ON APRIL 2003 (AT 85000 MILES), THE WATER PUMP AGAIN BEGAN TO LEAK FROM AROUND THE SAME SPOT (PER THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN). WATER PUMP WAS REPLACED. WITH THIS LATEST OCCURRENCE THE FORD DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN (@ CENTURY FORD IN ROCKVILLE, MD) CALLED FORD HOTLINE WITH THE HISTORY OF THE PROBLEMS. THE HOT LINE CALLED BACK LATER AND INFORMED THE TECHNICIAN THAT THEY HAD DISCOVERED THAT THE FIBER MATERIAL FROM INSIDE THE RADIATOR HOSE WAS SHREDDING, WITH THE END RESULT BEING THAT THE PARTICLES WOULD FLOW INTO THE WATER PUMP AND RUIN THE SEALS, THUS NECESSITATING CHANGING THE WATER PUMP. NO FORD TECHNICAL BULLETIN EXISTS ON DEFECTIVE RADIATOR HOSE. AT NO TIME DID DEALERSHIP RECOMMEND THAT RADIATOR HOSE BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS DEFECTIVE OR BECAUSE IT LOOKED WORN OUT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10018359

Incident

Apr 15, 2003

Mileage

85,000 mi

CONSUMER STATED WAS BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND HEARD A "CLICKING" NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. CONSUMER PULLED BACK INTO DRIVEWAY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MECHANIC THE NEXT DAY WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER HAD BROKEN. TS

NHTSA ID

8022995

Incident

Aug 30, 2002

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD (5) WATER PUMPS SINCE OWNERSHIP REAPLACED DUE TO LEAKING. LAST WATER PUMP WAS MADE BY NAPA. NEW WATER PUMP WHICH IS THE 5TH IS LISTED AS "NWP4091". PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

8018503

THERE IS A SPRING CLIP THAT BELONGS WITH TENSIONER BELT THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THERE COMES A KNOCKING NOISE AND SHAKING FROM VEHICLE WHEN CONSUMER IS DRIVING. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.*AK

NHTSA ID

8012269

Incident

Jun 2, 2002

DEFROSTER WILL NOT WORK, WILL BLOCK THE VIEW AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON, COOLANT LEAKING, ENGINE OVERHEATING, TRANSMISSION WAS INOPERATIVE, AND THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING.*SLC

NHTSA ID

8001306

Incident

Jul 3, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY MPH ENGINE WILL OVE HEAT WITHOUT A PRIOR WARNING. CONSUMER HAS TO STOP AND REFILL RADIATOR WITH ANTI-FREEZE, AND ENGINE WILL COOL DOWN, THEN COULD KEEP DRIVING. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8001305

Incident

Jul 3, 2001

THERE SEEMED TO BE NO WARNING REGARDING THIS PROBLEM, OTHER THAN A SLIGHT HIGH PITCHED WHINING NOISE IN THE AM., MUCH LIKE THE SOUND OF A SERPENTINE BELT.THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL WAS APPROPRIATE WHEN CHECKED. THE COMPUTER READING HAS STATED SEVERAL PROBLEMS, INCLUDING A BAD CLUTCH.IT WILL COST $2000.00 FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION.

NHTSA ID

755989

Incident

Dec 6, 2001

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST THE POWER STEERING WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. HAD TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8000581

Incident

Dec 10, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH WHEN ENGINE STOPPED WORKING WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING CONSUMER HAD TO CONTROL OF VEHICLE, TOOK IT TO THE SIDE OF ROAD. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

8000579

Incident

Dec 10, 2001

ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY REPLACED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

563480

Incident

Jul 6, 2001

ENGINE OVERHEATED AND STALLED PREMATURELY. *AK

NHTSA ID

752171

Incident

Jun 20, 2001

WHILE CONSUMERS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING VEHICLE, ALL OF A SUDDEN ENGINE STOPPED, VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS INFORMED IT WAS JUST THE PART ITSELF THAT WENT OUT.(DAUGHTER ON BEHALF OF MOTHER)*JB

NHTSA ID

562220

Incident

May 4, 2001

I REQUESTED FOR THE AUTO TO BE RETURNED DUE TO DEFACT OF THE ENGINE PART AND NOT HAVE NEGATIVE REPORT. MY DAUHGHTER, LA TOSHA D. WRIGHT IS HANDLING MY AFFAIRS DUE TO ME HAVING CONGESTED HEART FAILURE. SHE WAS DRIVING THE AUTO WHEN INCIDENT OCCURRED. I ALSO HAVE OTHER COMPLAINTS OF INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH FORD'S AUTO. BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, FORD PROCLAIM THAT THERE ARE NOT RESPONBILE FOR THEIR PARTS AFTER WARRANTY. THIS IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE IT IS SAYING THAT FORD DOES NOT STAND BEHIND THE PARTS AND PRODUCTS FOR THE AUTOS. TO MY UNDERSTANDING THE CONTOURS ARE NO LONGER BEING MADE. WHY? IS DUE TO THE NUMBER OF RECALLS AND DEFACTS OF THEIR AUTO PARTS. PLEASE SEND ME A LIST OF COMPLIANTS ALSO AGAINST FORD REGARDING THEIR CONTOURS. THIS WAS NOT MY FAULT AND CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR FORD'S CARELESS OF PRODUCTION. I DO NOT WANT TO PURCHASE ANY MORE FORDS. LATOSHA WROTE A LETTER TO JACK NASSAR, CEO OF FORD, ON JUNE 21, 2001 AT 16800 EXECUTIVE PLAZA DRIVE, PO BOX 6248, DEARBORN, MI 48212 AND HAVE NOT HEARD FROM HIM. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED. *AK

NHTSA ID

748196

Incident

May 2, 2001

THERE IS A FUEL SMELL INSIDE OF VEHICLE. DEALER REPLACED CATALYTIC CONVERTER SENSOR 4 TIMES, AND ONCE COOLANT SENSOR.BUT, IT DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

892206

Incident

Aug 1, 1997

I ONLY HAVE 2 SPEEDS ON MY HEATER BLOWER,LO AND 2. I ALSO HAVE HAD SMOKE COMMING FROM UNDER THE DASH OR FROM A HEATER VENT WHEN THE HEATER HAS BEEN ON. WHEN I GO OVER A BUMP REGARDLESS OF HOW SMALL THERE IS A THUMP SOUND THAT COMES FROM THE TRUNK AREA. THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM SEEMS TO HIT REALLY HARD WITH ANY KIND OF BUMP IN THE ROAD. I ALSO HAD TO HAVE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH ASSY FIXED ACCORDING THE RECALL BECAUSE OF TAILLIGHT AND PANEL FAILURE.*AK

NHTSA ID

738894

Incident

Apr 1, 2000

TEMPERATURE GAUGE DIDN'T WORK ALL THE TIME. CAR OVERHEATED, TOOK CAR TO PEP BOYS THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG, PAID FOR RADIATOR SERVICE. ABOUT 5 DAYS LATER CAR OVERHEATED AND BLEW A HEAD GASKET. TOWED CAR HOME. 2000 MILES OVER WARRANT. WHAT TO DO?*AK

NHTSA ID

738869

Incident

Nov 28, 2000

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 65MPH ON EXPRESSWAY AND WARNING LIGHT CAME ON, VEHICLE WAS SMOKING. SHE PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER, AND PUT SOME WATER INTO VEHICLE TO GET HOME. SHE ONLY COULD DRIVE 10MPH ON THE ROAD AND VEHICLE STARTED LOSING OIL. SHE TOOK IT TO GARAGE, AND MECHANIC TOLD HER THAT CYLINDER BLOCK WAS CRACKED. CONSUMER CONTACTED FORD.*AK

NHTSA ID

870297

Incident

May 1, 2000