Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Driver assistance reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
13
Latest Jun 21, 2010
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
3%
of 419 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
1
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
3
What this page shows
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1999 Ford Contour submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 13 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.
Owner reports naming driver-assistance
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Driver assistance
Filed Jun 21, 2010
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATE SPEEDS OF 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT DRIVER INTENT. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL UNTIL THE VEHICLE COASTED TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THERE WAS A RECALL ON HIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 99V194000: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED WITH THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 122,000. UPDATED 10/27/10. *LJ
NHTSA ID
10339319
Incident
Jun 18, 2010
Mileage
122,000 mi
Body & structureDriver assistanceOther / unspecified+2 more
Filed Oct 14, 2009
Crash reported3 injuries reported
I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF ANY RECALLS. I HAVE HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE REPLACED STARTER AND BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES FEELS LIKE SUSPENSION IS FALLING APART AND NEVER NOTIFIED I HAVE SMALL AND OLDER CHILDREN SHAMEFUL. THESE EVENTS STARTING TAKING PLACE WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 1999 ARM CONTROL 3 TIMES REPLACED I WAS LIED TO BY FORD AND SAID I MUST OF HIT A BUMP BUMP MY BUMP 3 TIMES ALMOST DEAD. *TR
NHTSA ID
10287331
Incident
Sep 18, 2009
Mileage
37,777 mi
Body & structureDriver assistanceElectrical+4 more
Filed Apr 29, 2005
WELL I HAD THE WORST EXPERIENCE EVER IN MY LIFE SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR. I HAD THIS CAR REPAIRED SO MANY TIME I CANT START TO NAME OFF DATES. I DO KNOW LESS THAN 6 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT THIS CAR I DROVE TO THE BEACH LESS THAN 30 MINUTES ALWAYS AND IT CUT OFF. IT STARTED BACK UP, BUT CUT OFF 4 TIME BEFORE I GOT HOME. NEXT DAY I HAD TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER TO REPAIR IT. SINCE I HAD THIS CAR IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT A BURDEN. I HAD TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINT ONCE BEFORE, AND AS I WRITE THIS LETTER IT IS BEING DONE AGAIN FOR A 2ND TIME. MY HEAT AND AIR STOP WORKING. HEAT ONLY WORKS ON HIGH, AND MY DEFROST TAKE FOR EVER TO CLEAR MY WINDOWS. MY DOOR JUST WONT STAY CLOSED IT POPS OPEN WHILE DRIVING. ON MY PASSENGERS SIDE ON THE FLOOR. IT GETS SOAKED WITH RAIN EVERYTHING. IF ITS RAINY AND IM DRIVING MY CAR MAKES A LOUD SCRATCHING NOISE. MY BRAKES HAVE TO BE CHANGED EVERY 3-4 MONTHS. SHOCKS GAVE OUT LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER BUYING MY CAR. MY ENGINE LIGHT WONT GO OFF. I TOOK MY CAR TO OVER 3 FORD DEALERS AND MANY SHOPS, AND NO CAN SAY WHY THE LIGHT KEEP POPPING ON. SO TODAY I DROPPED MY CAR OFF TO THE SHOP TO HAVE BRAKES,DOOR,ENGINE LIGHT, BALL JOINTS AND TO SEE WHY THE OVER DRIVE OFF LIGHT KEEP BLINKING WHILE IM DRIVING. THIS IS THE WORST CAR EVER MADE BY FORD. I KNOW ITS NOTHING ON MY BEHALF WHY THIS CAR IS SO HORRIBLE BECAUSE IS KNOW 4 OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE OR HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AS ME. THEY WERE SMART ENOUGH TO GET RID OF THIS PIECE OF '!@#$%, I JUST CANT AFFORD IT. WELL I KNOW THIS SUMMER IF I DO HAVE THE PLEASURE AND JUNGIAN THIS CAR, IM GOING TO PUSH IT OFF A BRIDGE MYSELF, AND NEVER EVER BY A FORD AGAIN. I THINK FORD SHOULD BE ASSUMED FOR PUTTING OUT SUCH A BAD MODEL. HOW DARE U TRY AND MAKE A QUICK BUCK INSTEAD OF BUILDING A RELIABLE CAR FOR FAMILIES. *AK
NHTSA ID
10118666
Incident
Apr 27, 2005
Mileage
30,000 mi
Driver assistance
Filed Nov 22, 2004
WHEN DRIVING, THE CONSUMER TOOK HER FOOT OFF OF THE GAS PEDAL AND COULD SEE THE RMP'S AND SPEED OF THE VEHICLE WENT UP. THE VEHICLE ACTUALLY JERKED FORWARD AS THE HIT BRAKES. *BF THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. *SC
NHTSA ID
10103260
Incident
Jan 1, 2000
Driver assistanceVisibility
Filed Jun 24, 2004
VEHICLE HESITATES AND JERKS VIOLENTLY ON ACCELERATION, FEELS LIKE IT WANTS TO STALL.DASHBOARD CURLED UP IN FRONT BY WINDSHIELD, OBSTRUCTING VIEW AND POPPED OUT VENT TRIM. DEALER WOULN'T FIX IT BECAUSE THEY SAID THE RECALL ON IT HAD EXPIRED. HAD TO TRY TO GLUE IT DOWN OURSELF.*AK
NHTSA ID
10078763
Incident
Jul 21, 2003
Mileage
68,000 mi
Driver assistanceEngineSeat belts+2 more
Filed Jun 5, 2002
CONSUMER STATES ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES AT ALL TIMES, IT HAS BEEN RESET SEVERAL TIMES. *SLC
NHTSA ID
561480
Driver assistanceEngineFuel system+2 more
Filed Sep 12, 2001
WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE PURCHASE OF MY VEHICLE, THE CAR STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH VIBRATIONS, SHAKING, AND SEVERE NOISE WHILE DRIVING. THE ENGINE IDLED ROUGH AND GOT MORE SEVERE WHEN THE HEATING OR COOLING SYSTEM WAS USED. ALL TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED, A MAJOR BRAKE JOB WITH ROTORS TURNED WAS COMPLETED, AND THE STRUTS WERE REPLACED. REGARDLESS OF THIS WORK, THE SHAKING IN THE CAR HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FIVE TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS. THEY HAVE EITHER SAID THAT IT WAS "NORMAL CONTOUR" OR THAT IT WAS THE TIRES. FINALLY, THEY INDICATE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT THEY CANNOT DETERMINE WHAT IT IS. MY CAR MAKES A THUMPING NOISE AND A SQUEALING NOISE WHEN I MAKE SLOW RIGHT TURNS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MY FOOT HAS BEEN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND MY CAR SURGED FORWARD. AT ONE POINT I THOUGHT THAT THE PERSON BEHIND ME HAD HIT ME BECAUSE THE CAR JERKED SO HARD AND SO UNEXPECTEDLY. AGAIN, I AM TOLD THAT THIS IS NORMAL. THIS IS THE WORST CAR THAT I HAVE EVER OWNED. *AK
NHTSA ID
752090
Driver assistance
Filed Jul 9, 2001
PUSHED CLUTCH IN AND ENGINE REVVED UP TO 4000 RMPS. IT COULD BE IDLING, AND FOR NO REASON IT JUST REVVED UP. CONTACT DEALER, AND DEALER REPLACED SENSOR LIGHT.*AK DEALER HAS ALSO REPLACED THE THROTTLE CABLE, THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR, AND THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY, HOWEVER PROBLEM STILL CONTINUES. *SLC
NHTSA ID
892242
Incident
Feb 9, 2001
Driver assistance
Filed Feb 2, 2001
ENGINE WILL SURGE FORWARD EITHER WHILE DRIVING OR SITTING STILL, CONSUMER HAS MANY CLOSE CALLS DUE TO VEHICLE SURGING FORWARD, DELAER HAS ATTEMPTED TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM 5 TIMES, HOWEVER HAS NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL. *SLC
NHTSA ID
879685
Incident
Dec 20, 2000
Driver assistanceSuspension
Filed Jun 23, 2000
STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED WHEN CONSUMER APPROACHED A SPEED OF 60 TO 70 MPH.ALSO, VEHICLE IDLED HIGH WHEN REMOVING FOOT FROM BRAKE. *AK
NHTSA ID
864167
Incident
May 1, 2000
Driver assistance
Filed May 8, 2000
WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE UNEXPECTEDLY WITHOUT THE OWNER PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
NHTSA ID
861582
Incident
Sep 1, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 24, 2000
IT TOOK THREE TRIES TO MY DEALER TO GET THIS FIXED. I HAVE A RECEIPT IN THERE HANDWRITING STATING THIS FACT.
NHTSA ID
721894
Incident
Sep 14, 1999
Driver assistance
Filed Apr 7, 2000
A POTENTIALLY LEATHAL CONDITION EXISTS WITH REGARD TO THE CRUISE CONTROL.THIS SYSTEM HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY SINCE PURCHASE OF THE VEHICLE, DESPITE NUMEROUS REPAIRS. ON 9/10/99, DURING HEAVY ACCELERATION(LEFT TURN), THE THROTTLE STUCK WIDE OPEN, ON INVESTIGATION I FOUND THE CRUISE CONTROL CABLE CAUGHT ON THE THROTTLE ARM. APPARENTLY ON WOT CONDITIONS, THE CLIP HOLDING THE CABLE TO THE THROTTLE MAKES CONTACT WITH ITS HOUSING DISCONNECTING THE CABLE FROM THE THROTTLE ARM. THE CABLE THEN HANGS LOOSE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, CAUSING THE AFORE MENTIONED PROBLEM. FORTUNATELY, THIS IS A MANUAL TRANS. VEHICLE AND I WAS ABLE TO RAPIDLY DISENGAGE THE CLUTCH, AVOIDING ANY SERIOUS INJURY (ALTHOUGH CREATING AN OVER-REV CONDITION).THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPED WITH TRACTION CONTROL. PLEASE CONTACT ME FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
NHTSA ID
711276
Incident
Dec 19, 1998
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.
Other components reported on this vehicle
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own