Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Ford Contour submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 12 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
COULD NOT GET AN INSPECTION STICKER - NO MECHANIC COULD FIND OUT WHY THE CHECK ENGINE WILL NOT GO OFF -VERY COSTLY. IT STALLS WHEN RAINING, THE PASSENGER DOOR HANDLE DOES NOT WORK, IT HAS TO WARM UP FOR 5 MINUTES BEFORE IT WILL MOVE, THE TAIL LIGHTS CAME LOOSE, CAUSING MELTING OF HOUSING, EVERY VALVE IMAGINABLE HAS BEEN REPLACED, BELT SQUEALS WHEN AIR OR DEFROST TURNED ON. *TR
STARTING EVERY SPRING, LASTING THROUGH THE SUMMER, THERE IS A FUEL SMELL IN THE CABIN. EVERY FORD DEALER CLAIMS NOT TO SMELL IT, AND THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THE PROBLEM. IT USUALLY OCCURS IN OVER DRIVE. *JB
THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSE FOR A MELTED FUEL PUMP. PH
I AM TRYING TO FIND ANY INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO AUTOMOBILES THAT HAVE DUAL/ALTERATIVE FUEL SYSTEMS. MY VEHICLE HAS A PROPANE TANK IN THE TRUNK OF THE CAR, AND RUNS ON EITHER GASOLINE OR PROPANE BY FLIPPING A SWITCH LOCATED ON THE DASHBOARD. MY VEHICLE HAS HAD CONTINUAL PROBLEMS - CUTTING OFF WHILE IDILING. NONE OF THE LOCAL FORD DEALERS WILL WORK ON THE AUTO BECUASE THEY SAID THEY HAVE NO ONE TRAINED ON THESE TYPE OF FUEL SYSTEMS, AND HAVE NO INFORMATION ON FORD HAVING EVER MANUFACTURED A VEHICLE WITH THESE TYPE ENGINE OR FUEL SYSTEM.*AK
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
AC/HEATER SWITCH WHICH PREVIOUSLY FAILED (VERY SIMILAR TO EXISTING INVESTIGATION # PE00023) IN OCT 2000, HAS FAILED AGAIN. THE AC/HEATER SWITCH WILL INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO ENGAGE THE HVAC SYSTEM AND WILL FAIL TO ENGAGE THE AC COMPRESSOR WHEN AN AC MODE IS SELECTED. THIS IS THE SECOND FAILURE OF THIS PART AND I NOTICED SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PART IN THE DATABASE.
REAR SUSPENSION CREAKING NOISE HAS BEEN PERSISTANT, "FIXED" 4 TIMES BY DEALER, YET PROBLEM PERSISTS; FUEL GAUGE FLOATS CANNOT SEEM TO BE FIXED (3 NEW GUAGES, 2 FUEL SENDERS, 1 NEW FUEL TANK & FLOAT). *AK
VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND FIRE STARTED INSIDE VEHICLE TOWARDS THE REAR, AND WENT THROUGH THE FRONT. INSPECTOR CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
FUEL SMELL IN THE PASSENGER CABIN, MAKES NO DIFFERENCE WHETHER THE TANK IS EMPTY OR FULL AND DETECTABLE AT SLOW, FAST, OR NON SPEED
CAR WILL CRANK OVER, BUT WILL NOT START. IT HAS OCCURRED 5 TIMES. FOUR TIMES IT REQUIRED TO BE TOWED TO THE SERVICE DEPT AT FORD FOR REPAIRS. ONLY ONCE DID THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING APPROX 40 MILES AN HOUR. THE FUEL PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE CAR, HOWEVER WHEN THE CAR GETS TOWED INTO THE DEALERS, THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO REALLY DETERMINE WHAT IS THE DEFECT WITH THE CAR. *AK
VEHICLE IN NUMBER OF TIMES FOR POWER ASSIST GOING OUT WHEN DRIVING IN RAIN OR WATER. 2/99 ACCELERATION LOST WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE IN TRAFFIC, NO POWER. HAD VEHICLE IN PREVIOUS WEEK BEFORE WAS SUPPOSEDLY REPAIRED.
OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE IN APRIL, CONTACTED DEALER AND WAS TOLD PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED. PARTS ARE STILL UNAVAILABLE. RECALL # 97V067000. *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
Data on this page last refreshed .