1997 FORD CONTOUR — Owner-Reported Problems

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

• Campaign 97V203000 was reported 31 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
• Campaign 98V233000 was reported 287 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
• Campaign 99V103000 was reported 772 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
• Campaign 00V075000 was reported 1,065 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
• Campaign 01I009000 was reported 986 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.

Safety Recalls (8)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

1. Manufacturer action

   Recall campaign 00V075000

   Report date

   Mar 9, 2000

   Component:

   SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

   Consequence:

   IF BOTH PCRV'S MALFUNCTION, VEHICLE HANDLING COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED DURING BRAKING AS A RESULT OF THE REAR WHEELS LOCKING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

   Remedy:

   DEALERS WILL INSTALL IMPROVED PCRV'S IN THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM. THIS RECALL WAS EXPANDED IN SEPTEMBER 2000 TO INCLUDE 1999 AND 2000 FORD CONTOUR, MERCURY MYSTIQUE AND COUGAR VEHICLES.

   View authoritative NHTSA record →

2. Manufacturer action

   Recall campaign 01I009000

   Report date

   Jul 9, 2001

   Component:

   VISIBILITY

   Consequence:

   THIS COULD CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE.

   Remedy:

   FORD WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL WARRANTY COVERAGE FOR THE HEATER BLOWER SWITCH FOR 10 YEARS FROM ORIGINAL DATE OF SALE OF THE VEHICLE OR 150,000 MILES, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR AND A NEW WIRE JUMPER HARNESS FREE OF CHARGE.

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3. Manufacturer action

   Recall campaign 01V230000

   Report date

   Jul 9, 2001

   Component:

   Not available in the source record

   Consequence:

   THE OPEN CIRCUIT COULD LEAD TO ELECTRICAL ARCING THAT COULD MELT THE CONNECTOR HOUSING MATERIAL CREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE.

   Remedy:

   DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR AND A NEW WIRE JUMPER HARNESS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 29, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

   View authoritative NHTSA record →

4. Manufacturer action

   Recall campaign 06E022000

   Report date

   Mar 13, 2006

   Component:

   Not available in the source record

   Consequence:

   LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID CAN LEAD TO A DECREASE IN BRAKE LINE PRESSURE AND AN INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

   Remedy:

   AFFINIA (BRAKE PARTS, INC.) WILL REPLACE THE SUBJECT BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 20, 2006. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AFFINA GROUP CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-323-0354.

   View authoritative NHTSA record →

5. Manufacturer action

   Recall campaign 08E033000

   Report date

   Apr 14, 2008

   Component:

   Not available in the source record

   Consequence:

   THE NUTS INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGING FOR THESE BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES ARE MISSING THE INTENDED PREVAILING TORQUE (SELF-LOCKING) FEATURE. IF THE INCORRECT NUT WAS TO BECOME LOOSE, THE JOINING MEMBERS MAY LOOSEN LEADING TO A SEPARATION OF THE BALL JOINT. THIS MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.

   Remedy:

   FEDERAL MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE PARTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 22, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL MOGUL AT 877-489-6659.

   View authoritative NHTSA record →

6. Manufacturer action

   Recall campaign 97V203000

   Report date

   Nov 17, 1997

   Component:

   FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER

   Consequence:

   FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

   Remedy:

   FORD HAS REQUESTED OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES TO HAVE THE CNG FUEL SYSTEM DISABLED UNDER A PREVIOUS RECALL CAMPAIGN AND TO ONLY USE GASOLINE FUEL UNTIL A PERMANENT CORRECTIVE ACTION IS DEVELOPED. OWNERS ARE BEING ALERTED TO THIS SOLENOID VALVE CONCERN AT THIS TIME. THE TIMING OF CORRECTIVE ACTIONS IS BEING DELAYED TO ALLOW BOTH CONDITIONS TO BE REMEDIED AT ONE TIME. IN THE MEANTIME, THERE IS NOT RISK AS LONG AS THE NATURAL GAS SYSTEM HAS BEEN DISABLED AND THE VHEICLE IS ONLY OPERATED ON GASOLINE.

   View authoritative NHTSA record →

7. Manufacturer action

   Recall campaign 98V233000

   Report date

   Sep 18, 1998

   Component:

   POWER TRAIN

   Consequence:

   THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN INCORRECT GEAR SELECTION.

   Remedy:

   DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLOOR SHIFT CONTROL.

   View authoritative NHTSA record →

8. Manufacturer action

   Recall campaign 99V103000

   Report date

   May 5, 1999

   Component:

   EXTERIOR LIGHTING

   Consequence:

   THE DAMAGE COULD RESULT IN DISTORTION OF THE TERMINAL CAUSING AN OPEN CIRCUIT IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATION, PARKING LAMP, AND TAIL LAMP CIRCUITS.

   Remedy:

   DEALERS WILL INSTALL A HEADLAMP SWITCH WIRING CONNECTOR CONTAINING BRONZE TERMINALS AND AN INSPECTION, AND REPLACEMENT IF NECESSARY, OF THE HEADLAMP SWITCH.

   View authoritative NHTSA record →