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 2000 Ford Contour submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 38 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.
The 25 most recent of 38, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE FUEL TANK WAS HALF FULL, THE ENGINE WOULD HESITATE, LOSE POWER, SURGE AND STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL FILTER WERE REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REFUELING, A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL WAS EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FILLER PIPE GROMMET WAS LEAKING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V350000 (FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 173,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN PUTTING FUEL IN THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL WOULD SPILL ONTO THE GROUND. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FUEL FILTER GROMMET FAILED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL 00V350000 (FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER: STORAGE: TANK ASSEMBLY). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 67,400.
CAR ACCELERATION WAS SLUGGISH WHEN BRAKE WAS APPLIED,A WEEK LATER ENGINE WOULD KILL WHEN DRIVING. CHANGED AIR FILTER,OIL,AND FUEL LINE WAS CLEARED. A MONTH LATER SAME THING IS HAPPENING. MECHANIC SAYS MAY NEED NEW FUEL PUMP,BUT NOT SURE THAT WILL CORRECT PROBLEM. *TR
MY 2000 FORD CONTOUR SE STARTING ACTING LIKE THERE WAS NO GAS AT AROUND 1/4 TANK. THIS CONTINUED EVERY TIME MY CAR GOT TO 1/4 TANK. MECHANIC REPLACED FUEL FILTER $54.90 FOR FILTER AND DIAGNOSTIC ON 3/13/07. IT STILL STUTTERING, HESITATED AND NOW WAS STALLING. MECHANIC REPLACED FUEL PUMP $297.22 ON 3/28/07. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AND NOW IT WAS HAPPENING AT 1/2 TANK. ONCE SUMMER HIT, IT WAS WORSE WITH THE A/C. BETWEEN MARCH AND JUNE 2007, MECHANIC REPLACED PUMP ONCE AND FILTER TWICE. ON 6/27/07, CAR STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART, TANK WAS AT 1/2. MECHANIC REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD RUNNER CONTROL UNIT AND THE PROBLEM REMAINED. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED WITH HESITATING AND STALLING ESPECIALLY UPHILL. ON 8/21/07 REPLACED ALL THE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES $234.90. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. MY MECHANIC IS AT HIS WITS END. THE CODE ON THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ALWAYS THE SAME. ON 10/26/07, TOOK THE CAR BACK TO MY MECHANIC WHO HAD TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD RUNNER CONTROL UNIT AGAIN. DECIDED TO TAKE MY CAR TO A DIFFERENT MECHANIC DUE TO MY CURRENT ONE NOT FINDING THE PROBLEM. REPLACED 2 OXYGEN SENSORS THIS WEEK (11/7 AND 11/9) ONE UPSTREAM AND ONE DOWNSTREAM. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME BACK ON ONCE AGAIN. IF THIS IS AN INTAKE MANIFOLD RUNNER CONTROL UNIT PROBLEM THEN EVERYONE THAT HAS HAD FUEL PUMPS REPLACED WILL HAVE TO HAVE THEM REPLACED AGAIN. THIS IS NOT ENJOYABLE SINCE I DRIVE 40 MILES A DAY TO WORK AND HALFWAY THERE I HAVE TO PULL OVER AND WAIT FOR THE CAR TO IDLE DOWN BEFORE I CAN DRIVE AGAIN OR IT WILL STALL. THIS IS NOT SAFE AS THIS HAPPENS WHILE PEOPLE ARE DRIVING AND FOR NO REASON THE CAR STALLS IN MID DRIVE. SOMEONE WILL GET HURT AND THEN THERE WILL BE A RECALL. THERE WERE NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE EXCEPT FOR TAKING MY CAR FOR INSPECTION WHICH IT PASSED. TWO DAYS LATER MY CAR STARTS STALLING AND LOSING POWER. IN 9 MONTHS I HAVE SPENT CLOSE TO $1000 TO TRY AND FIX A PROBLEM THAT STILL IS NOT FIXED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD CONTOUR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 134,112. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,112. WHILE DRIVING 70MPH THE VEHICLE HESITATED A FEW TIMES AND THEN THE ENGINE DIED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AFTER 15 MINUTES. THE DEALER STATED THE FUEL TANK HAD FAILED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 00V350000 (FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER: STORAGE: TANK ASSEMBLY).
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S GAS TANK STRAP DETACHED ON 07/01/06. A STRAP WAS OBSERVED HANGING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE WHILE PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THAT THE RIGHT HAND FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY STRAP HAD BECOME DETACHED. THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER TO ORDER FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY STRAP. THE MANUFACTURER DETERMINED THAT THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY STRAP WAS ON BACK ORDER AND THAT THERE WAS NOT A SPECIFIC DATE WHEN THE PART WOULD ARRIVE.
THE DASHBOARD, WHICH WAS ONCE RECALLED, THE RECALL HAS SINCE EXPIRED. IS DELAMINATING OFF THE FOAM , PREVENTING PROPER DEFROSTING OF WINDSHIELD AND HINDERING VIEW OUT OF FRONT WINDOW. THE FUEL PUMP WHICH WAS RECALLED ON OTHER FORD MODELS FOR EXACTLY THE SAME PROBLEM, FAILS, PREVENTING ACCELERATION ONTO HIGHWAYS. THE WATER PUMP, WHICH IS PLASTIC, DISINTERGRATES IN THE MOTOR.*JB
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE PLASTIC DASHBOARD DELAMINATED FROM THE FOAM. THE DASHBOARD LAMINATE WAS PUSHING UPWARD, THUS HINDERING THE CONTACT'S VISION THROUGH THE FRONT WINDOW. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS UNDER REVIEW, AND THAT IT WAS COSMETIC. ALSO, HE IS ALSO EXPERIENCED FUEL PUMP AND WATER PUMP PROBLEMS. UNDER HARD ACCELERATION THE FUEL PUMP SHUT OFF. THE DEALERSHIP STATED THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW FUEL PUMP. THE BEARINGS ON THE WATER PUMP FAILED AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. *AK.
THE CAR HESITATES, STALLS, LOSES POWER, SURGES, ETC. WHILE ACCELERATING ONTO THE FREEWAY, GOING UP HILLS, TURNING ONTO A HIGHWAY ETC. WE'VE BEEN LUCKY THAT IT HAS ONLY HAPPENED WHEN WE HAD A SHOULDER TO COAST ON TO. WE COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN REAR-ENDED BY OTHER VEHICHLES IN TRAFFIC. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES : AT FIRST IT ONLY HAPPENED WHEN THE GAS TANK WAS LESS THAN 1/4 FULL, THEN AT 1/2 TANK, NOW 3/4 FULL. WE TRY TO KEEP THE TANK FULL. NHTSA HAS A RECALL ID # 04V421000 FOR THE 1999 AND LATER MERCURY COUGAR THAT HAS THE IDENTICAL FUEL DELIVERY MODULE AS THE 2000 FORD CONTOUR (V-6). THIS RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED TO INCLUDE FORD CONTOUR AND MERCURY MYSTIQUE V-6 MODELS AT THE VERY LEAST. NHTSA HAS ALSO RECALLED THE 2000 FORD FOCUS WITH SIMILAR FDM DESIGN DEFECTS AND PERFORMANCE PROBLEMS
FUEL TANK WARPAGE - PLASTIC FUEL TANK CAN WARP CAUSING FUEL TO FAIL TO FEED. BECAUSE USABLE FUEL QUANTITY IS UNKOWN, ENGINE CAN STALL AT UNPREDICTABLE INSTANCES. REPLACED FUEL TANK & PUMP/SENDER ASSEMBLY.*AK
THE CONSUMER NOTICED WHILE FILLING UP AT THE GAS STATION, WHEN HE RETURNED TO THE VEHICLE A FUEL ODOR WAS COMING INSIDE THE VENTS. GASOLINE WAS LEAKING FROM THE FILLER NECK ONTO THE GROUND. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE DRIVER THAT THE FUEL TANK ASSEMBLY NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
FOR THE PAST YEAR I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO DRIVE MY 2000 FORD CONTOUR SE WHEN THE GAS TANK GETS BELOW 1/2 TANK. I T BEGINS SPUTTERING AND STALLING BELOW THAT. IT DIES OUT ENTIRE.LY AT 1/4 TANK. I THOUGHT IT WAS WATER IN THE FUEL AT FIRST. AND KEPT MY TANK FILLED AND UTILIZED A "HEET" TYPE PRODUCT. IT BEGAME APPEARANT DURING THE SPRING AND SUMMER THAT THE ISSUE WAS NOT WATER ICING UP IN THE FUEL.*AK
CAR HESITATES, SPUTTERS AND STALLS. AFTER TOWED STARTS WITH NO PROBLEM. ALSO,HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES LAST SUMMER. SEEMS TO OCCUR WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPATURES ARE HOT.*AK
Y FUEL PUMP FAILED ON MAY 21, 2003. CAR TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP (MILEAGE 41,711). MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY, TOTAL COST TO CONSUMER FOR REPAIR: $463.80. DEALERSHIP THAT COMPLETED REPAIRS ADVISED THAT FUEL FILTER ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED OR WARRANTY ON NEW FUEL PUMP WOULD BE VOIDED. THIS WAS THE SECOND FUEL PUMP TO FAIL. ORIGINAL FUEL PUMP FAILED ON JUNE 6, 2001 (MILEAGE:8,884). MANUFACTURER COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. DEALERSHIP DID NOT INSTALL NEW FUEL FILTER. MARCH 28, 2003 ALTERNATOR FAILED (MILEAGE: 38,307). MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY. COST TO CONSUMER FOR REPAIR: $377.36. (ON OR ABOUT JANUARY 31, 2003 (MILEAGE 35,290) CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE EXAMINED DUE TO BATTERY LIGHT HAVING COME ON FROM TIME TO TIME. FORD TSB 15830 ADVISES THAT THE LIGHTING OF THE BATTERY LAMP MAY INDICATE THAT THE VEHICLE IS IN FACT OPERATING PROPERLY. THIS SERVICE BULLETIN MAY HAVE LEAD THE FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO NOT CONSIDER THAT THERE WAS IN FACT A MORE COSTLY PROBLEM (I.E. ALTERNATOR FAILURE).)*AK
DASH IS WARPING, RECEIVED RECALL BUT AT THE TIME IT WAS NOT WARPING SO I DIDNT FEEL IT NEEDED REPLACING. ALSO FUEL PUMP HAD TO PE REPLACED AT 70,000 MILE. DEALER CHARGE $800. WHICH IS UNBELIEVEABLE FOR A VEHICLE IN THE PRICE RANGE. DEALER SOLD ME AN AFTERMARKET EXTENDED WARRANTY WHEN I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN 2001. THEY DIDNT INFORM ME IT WAS NOT A FORD WARRANTY. WHEN I TRIED TO FILE A CLAIM I WAS INFORMED THEY WERE IN BANKRUPCY AND WOULD NOT PAY. THIS WILL BE THE LAST FORD I WILL OWN. *AK
WHEN VEHICLE GETS TO ABOUT 1/4 TANK OF GAS IT STARTS HESITATING USUALLY WHEN I AM ON THE ON RAMP TO THE INTERSTATE... NOT GOOD MERGING INTO TRAFFIC GOING 80MPH AND YOUR ONLY GOING 40. I AM TOLD I NEED TO REPLACE FUEL PUMP HOWEVER THIS FUEL PUMP ALONE FROM FORD IS $314 FOR PART ONLY. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING 70 MPH DASH INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN AND THEN STALLED. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. A TECHNICIAN TRACED THE PROBLEM TO THE FUEL TANK. *AK
WHEN THE FUEL PUMP MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE FUEL PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM
STALLS FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IT APPEARS THAT WHEN FUEL GETS DOWN TO APPROX. 1/2 TANK, IT WILL STALL OUT AT ANY TIME. FILL TANK AND IT WILL BE OKAY. CHAPMAN FORD IN COLUMBIA PA. SAID IT WOULD COST ABOUT $500.00 TO FIX. I ASKED WHY AND THEY SAID THATS THE WAY FORD MADE IT. HE ALSO SAID THE FOCUS HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT, WE HAVE HAD CLOSE CALLS. VARIOUS INCIDENT DATES FOR PAST SIX MONTHS. EVEN IF ITS FIXED, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE HOW LONG IT WILL LAST. I THINK IT'S A LOUSY ANSWER. *AK
I HAVE A FORD CONTOUR 2000. I BOUGHT IT TWO YEARS AGO, AND IT HAS BEEN IN AND OUT OF FORD REPAIR SHOP SINCE I HAVE IT. HAD TROUBLE WITH FUSE IN DRIVER DOOR-FUSE BURNED AND SHIFT WAS HARD TO PUT INTO GEAR;CRUISE,BLINKERS,AC AND HEAT DID NOT WORK.AND FOR A YEAR NOW,IT IS STALLING. DEALER HAS REPLACED WIRE HARNESS FROM WIRES TO GAS TANK. WORKED WITHOUT STALLING FOR FEW MONTHS,NOW IS STALLING AGAIN. DOES NOT STALL WITH DEALER-DEALER CANNOT FIND CAUSE. ALSO, DASHBOARD HAS WARPED AND DEFROSTER GRILL HAS POPPED UP.AS OF TODAY, DEFROSTER STILL WORKS.
BOUGHT A 2000 FORD CONTOUR TWO YEARS AGO AND HAVE HAD CONTINUAL FUEL SYSTEM PROBLEMS. THIS VEHICLE WILL RUN FINE FOR AWHILE...SOMETIMES DAYS OR WEEKS....THEN JUST SUDDENLY WITHOUT ANY WARNING STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF INTERSTATE OR HIGHWAY LIKE IT IS NOT GETTING FUEL. TWO FUEL PUMPS HAVE BEEN REPLACED IN THE LAST TWO YEARS TO NO AVAIL AND THEY GO OUT IN A LITTLE OVER A YEAR. THE MECHANICS I HAVE TAKEN THIS CART TO ARE PUZZLED AND DON'T NO WHAT THE PROBLEM IS...I PAY TOP HAVE IT FIXED...THEY THINK THEY HAVE IT FIXED AND IT WILL RUN OK FOR A WEEK OR TWO THEN STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD AGAIN. THE CAR HAS BEEN PARKED A YEAR AND A HALF OF THE TWO YEARS I HAVE BEEN PAYING ON IT. WE HAVE HAD NEAR ACCIDENTS BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. CURRENTLY WE TAKE THE CAR NO MORE THAN A MILE FROM THE HOUSE WHEN IT IS RUNNING.*JB
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP AND REPLACED IT. THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY $534.16 FOR ALL REPAIRS AND FELLS THAT THEY SHOULD BE REIMBURSED FOR ALL THE TROUBLES. *NLM *CB
CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FUEL TANK IS NOW LEAKING GAS FROM VEHICLE. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
THIS COMPLAINT IS TO REPLACE PREVIOUS COMPLAINT #10023062. I AM SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE, I FEEL THAT I MAY HAVE LEFT OUT PERTINENT INFORMATION. MY VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL FROM THE FUEL TANK PIPE GROMMET. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO ANOTHER AUTO REPAIR SERVICE RATHER THAN THE DEALER WHERE I HAD BOUGHT IT. THIS AUTO REPAIR SERVICE INFORMED ME OF RECALL 00V350000. I THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FROM. I HAD TOLD THEM ABOUT THE RECALL THAT I HAD LEARNED ABOUT. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THIS RECALL WAS NOT FOR MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE DEALERSHIP DOES NOT HAVE MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE ON RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. HOWEVER, IT SEEMS A BIG COINCIDENCE THAT SOME OTHER 2000 FORD CONTOUR VEHICLES DO AND I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM, YET MY VEHICLE IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST. MAYBE THERE ARE MORE THAT DO NEED TO BE RECALLED? I DON'T FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR WHEN IT MAY BE A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. THEY HAVE ORDERED THE PART FOR THE CAR TO REPAIR IT AND WE WILL PAY THE BILL FOR REPAIR. BUT I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS INVESTIGATED AND MAYBE WE CAN BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIR IF IT IS FOUND THAT MY VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE RECALL LIST. I TRUST THE DEALER AND DO NOT WISH FOR THEM TO BE REPRIMANDED FOR THIS. I JUST WANT THIS TO BE INVESTIGATED SO OTHERS LIKE MYSELF TO GO THROUGH THE WONDERING AND SUSPICION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE AND PATIENCE. *NLM
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
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