Owner-reported complaints naming the suspension system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware. 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. 17 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
1997 FORD CONTOUR GL 4 CYL 123,000 MILES. MY RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING IS BROKEN AND THE OTHER THREE LOOK TO BE HEAVILY RUSTED AND CRACKED. I HAVE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE NO INFORMATION ABOUT THE TSB 98M04 ABOUT WHICH I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED.*AK
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
TWICE I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS SINCE I BROUGHT THE CAR. *NLM
REMEDY FOR RECALL IS NOT PROPERLY DESIGNED. THERE ARE TWO BOLTS THAT HOLD THE CYLINDER LIKE CASE AROUND COIL THAT ARE ABOUT 1 OR TWO INCHES AWAY FROM TIRE ITSELF. *AK
FRONT ROTORS WERE REPLACED, 6000 MILES LATER THEY NEEDED REPLACED AGAIN, BOTH TIMES THE REPAIRS WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, HOWEVER 11000 MILES LATER THEY FAILED AGAIN AND CONSUMER HAD TO PAY FOR REPAIRS, CONSUMER FEELS SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. *SLC
THREE REPLACEMENTS OF FRONT WHEEL BEARING, AND ONE REPLACEMENT OF RIGHT REAR BEARING, ALL REPLACEMENTS MADE FROM TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A CONTINUOUS RUBBING NOISE COMING FROM THE TIRES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY SAID FRONT TIRES NEEDED REPLACEMENT. CONSUMER REPLACED TWO FRONT TIRES. 2 MONTHS LATER, NOISE CONTINUED. CONSUMER PUT ALL NEW TIRES, AND NOISE CONTINUED, AND GOT LOUDER AND LOUDER. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS. *AK
FRONT COIL SPRING FAILED AND CAUSED TIRE TO EXPLODE. *AK
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP/MECHANIC FOR A "ROARING" NOISE COMING FROM FRONT END. THIS NOISE WOULD BECOME LOUDER WITH SPEED. DEALER STATED THAT PROBLEM WAS WITH BEARINGS OF VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
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 EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR DUE TO FRONT END ALIGNMENT PROBLEM. YH
WIRING HARNESS MALFUNCTIONED/SHORTED OUT. ALSO, WHEN TURNING LEFT, VEHICLE MADE A KNOCKING NOISE. *AK
TOOK MY CAR IN FOR RATTLING WHEN DRIVING AND STEERING. THEY ORDERED TACK SHIELD AND BOLTS. TOOK IT BACK IN, THEY INSTALLED PARTS AND SAID IT DIDN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. HAD TO ORDER RACK AND PINION. KEPT THE CAR UNTIL THAT CAME IN AND INSTALLED IT. A FEW DAYS LATER IT STARTED SQUEALING AND SMOKING. TOOK IT BACK IN AND THEY SAID IT WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID BUT THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHY. THEY KEPT IT FOR A WEEK, DECIDED IT WAS A DEFECTIVE PART AND INSTALLED ANOTHER RACK AND PINION. GOT IT BACK AND IT WAS STILL RATTLING AND NOW IT HAS A LOW GROWL SOUND AT AN IDLE. TOOK IT BACK. THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE IDLER PULLEY AND THE RIGHT SWADE BAR LINK. THE GROWL IS STILL THERE BUT THEY'RE SAYING THAT IS NOW NORMAL. IT IS NOT NORMAL. IT WAS NOT THERE UNTIL THEY STARTED SCREWING AROUND IN THERE. THIS CAR IS A PIECE OF JUNK! *AK
WHEN DRIVING THERE IS A VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL, AND WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLYED THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES MORE. DEALER CONTACTED, AND CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. STATES THE PROBLEM IS NORMAL. PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 45 TO 50 MPH STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES, CAUSE UNKNOWN. ALSO, VEHICLE HAS EXCESSIVE BRAKE NOISE. *AK *JB
VEHICLES CONTROL ARM FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLES FRONT WHEEL TO FALL OFF.
CONTROL ARM FAILED CAUSING THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL TO FALL OFF THE CAR.(ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER).
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 .