Owner-reported complaints naming the interior system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings. 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. 16 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
DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT 1997 FORD CONTOUR WAS HAVING A PROBLEM WITH THE INTERIOR LIGHTS AND THE TAIL LIGHTS. THE CONSUMER BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED, AND FORD TOLD HER THAT THE TAILLIGHTS WERE ON RECALL 99V133000 AND WAS ALREADY FIXED. THE DEALERSHIP WILL NOT FIX THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THE CONSUMER DID NOT WANT TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS, AND SHE WANTED SOME ONE TO FIX IT. THE CONSUMER HAS ONLY OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR ONE MONTH. THE CAR IS AT THE DEALERSHIP RIGHT NOW BEING CHECKED.*AK
CONSUMER STATES WHEN PULLING OFF OR BRAKING THE PASSENGER SEAT MOVES BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS, CAUSING THE PASSENGER TO JERK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS
THE DRIVERSIDE DOOR ON MY 1997 FORD CONTOUR LATCH WAS STICKING. NOW IT DOES NOT STICK BUT IT WILL NOT LATCH. WHEN IT FIRST STARTED YOU HAD TO APPLY ALOT OF PRESSURE TO OPEN THE DOOR AND NOW IT IS EASY BUT DOES NOT STAY SHUT.
TAIL LIGHTS AND INTERIOR DASH LIGHTS WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING. THIS WAS DUE TO LIGHT SWITCH HARNESS CONNECTORS MELTING, SHORTING OUT THE WIRES.*AK
VEHICLE STALLS OUT WITHOUT WARNING, REPLACE SENSOR, IAC VALVE, MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, TRANSMISSION, SHIFT ASSEMBLE.
CONSUMER WAS GOING 55MPH WHEN DRIVER'S DOOR OPENED.CONSUMER HELD IT CLOSED AND CONTINUED DRIVING. CONSUMER HAD TO LEAN AGAINST DOOR TO LOCK DOOR.*AK *SLC
I CARRIED MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR RECALL SERVICE. THE DEALERSHIP NEVER COMPLETED THE RECALL WORK, BUT DID BILL FORD FOR IT. THE DEALERSHIP LATER OFFERED TO FIX THE SYMPTOMS THAT THE FAULTY PARTS WERE CAUSING FOR A FEE OR $279. I DID NOT HAVE $279 AT THE TIME TO PAY FOR THE SERVICE SO I PURCHASED THE PARTS FOR $101. AFTER I HAD INSTALLED THE PARTS, I SAW A NOTE IN THE PACKAGE THAT DESCRIBED WHAT THE DEALER SOLD TO ME. THE DEALERSHIP ACTUALLY SOLD ME THE RECALL REPAIR KIT. I HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION AND ORIGINAL PART TO PROVE THIS IS THE CASE. *AK ALSO TAIL LIGHTS AND DASH LIGHTS ARE INOPERABLE,HEAD LIGHT SWITCH HAS BURNED OUT, CONSUMER STATES HE SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR THE WARRANTY WORK , CONSUMER STATES HE HAS IN HIS POSSESSION THE RECALLED PART AND THAT HTE DEALERSHIP DID NOT PERFORM THE WORK, THAT THEY CLAIM THEY REPLACED, EVEN THOUGH THE WARRANTY WORK WAS NOT PERFORMED BY DEALERSHIP THE FORD MOTOR COMPANY WAS BILLED FOR THE WARRANTY REPAIRS.*JB
WIRES ARE FUSED TOGETHER AND SHORTED OUT. NO FUSE OR CIRCUIT BREAKER OPENNED. FIRE WENT OUT WHEN THE KEY WAS TURNED OFF. *AK
AC FAN / BLOWER SPEED SWITCH FAILED AT THE 3RD SPEED SETTING, REQUIRING THE ENTIRE CONTROL ASSEMBLY TO BE REPLACED.
THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE THE SAME AS NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE00023. THE FAN SWITCH AND HARNESS CONNECTOR SHOW BURN DAMAGE, A RELATED PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE THAT THE FUSE PROTECTING THE CIRCUIT DID NOT FAIL. THE FUSE SHOULD HAVE BURNED OUT WHEN THE CONNECTOR FAILED.
THIS ITEM WAS COVERED ONCE UNDER MY ORIGINAL WARRANTY AND ONCE UNDER MY EXTENDED WARRANTY. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED. *AK
THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS I HAVE EXPERIENCED INCLUDE; FAILURE OF TEMPERATURE GAUGE, FAILURE OF CLOCK LIGHT, FAILURE OF ELECTRIC WINDOWS AND EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT IGNITING WHEN EMERGENCY BRAKE DISENGAGED.
DASH PANEL LIGHTS WENT OUT. CAUSE UNKNOWN. CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER SHORTLY AFTER THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED, INDICATING THAT THERE WAS A SHORT IN THE UNDER DASH WIRE HARNESS. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP, HE WANTED THE CONSUMER TO PAY FOR REPAIRS. *AK
REAR DOOR INTERMITTENTLY OPENS AT WILL. VEHICLE IN/OUT OF SHOP ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND NO CORRECTION HAVE BEEN MADE.SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK
SEAT MOVES/ROCKS BACK AND FORTH. SHIFTS LEFT AND RIGHT DURING VEHICLE TURNS AND STOPS. DISCONCERTING DURING DRIVING; WEAKENS PRECISION OF VEHICLE CONTROL. CONCERNED ABOUT FUTURE CONTINUED DEGRADATION OF SEAT TRACK. *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 .