Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 1997 record →
WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN WET CONDITIONS, THE POWER STEERING STOPS FOR ABOUT 3-5 SECONDS. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON TWO OCCASIONS, DEALER STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND WORKING ON A CORRECTION. *AK
MAIN COMPUTER TROUBLE CAUSING VEHICLE TO HAVE STARTING PROBLEMS.
POWER STEERING PRESSURE SWITCH FAILED CAUSING FLUID TO LEAK, RESULTING IN ENGINE FIRE.
REAR BRAKES VIBRATE.
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).
VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH A LIGHT POLE WITH ENOUGH FORCE TO BREAK THE LAMP FROM THE POLE, HOWEVER THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLY AND THE DRIVER SUSTAINED A BROKEN NOSE.
DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE LANES, GOT INTO RIGHT LANE AND TOUCHED BRAKES LIGHTLY TO STEER CAR STRAIGHT, STEERING LOCKED UP, COULDN'T STEER LEFT OR RIGHT, STEERING STUCK IN SLANT POSITION. PUMPING BRAKES AND THE BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING. CAR RAN INTO GUARDRAIL AND FLIPPED THREE TIMES. AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *AK
TRANSMISSION DESIGN ALLOWS VEHICLE TO ROLL BACKWARDS WHEN FOOT IS REMOVED FROM BRAKE PEDAL WHILE IN DRIVE GEAR.
OWNER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE IN APRIL, CONTACTED DEALER AND WAS TOLD PARTS HAD TO BE ORDERED. PARTS ARE STILL UNAVAILABLE. RECALL # 97V067000. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT (65) MPH THE WHEEL ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE IN THE FRONT FELL OFF FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE VEHICLE IS BEING LOOKED AT BY DEALER. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON ANF OFF. CONSUMER THINKS THAT THIS MEANS THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE AIR BAG SENSOR. THIS VEHICLE IS A 1998, BUT IT IS NOT LISTED IN THE COMPUTER YET SO HAD TO KEY IN 1997 FOR YEAR. *AK
DESIGN OF OVERDRIVE LIGHT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO STEER WHILE DRIVING THROUGH WATER.
WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED , THE BRAKES START MAKING LOUD NOISES. HAD THE PADS REPLACED LAST MONTH AND NOW THE SAME NOISE HAS RETURNED AGAIN. DEALER SAID THAT ROTORS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK
LIGHT THAT INDICATES OVERFLOW OF COOLANT TANK FAILED TO GO OFF. SENSOR WAS REPLACED BY DEALERSHIP AND A SERVICE BULLETIN #10159 WAS PERFORMED. THIS DIDN'T CHANGE THE LIGHTING FAILURE. *AK
COOLANT OVERFLOW TANK ' LOW LEVEL LIGHT' CAME ON WHEN THERE WAS SUFFICIENT LEVEL IN THE TANK.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON/OFF. *AK
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON/OFF. *AK
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 1997 Ford Contour → · Every Contour year → · How the figures are calculated →