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 1998 record →
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR THAT THE ROTORS HAD WARPED, IT CAUSES THE STERRING WHEEL TO VIBRATE VOILENTLY ON THE FREEWAY. I HAVE FREIND THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE SAME CAR. *AK
NO SUMMARY MENTIONE DFOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
THE SEAT TRACK OF THE CONTOUR ALLOWS THE SEAT TO ROCK BACK AND FORTH CONSIDERABLY, ESPECIALLY DURING BRAKING AND ACCELERATING. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A SEAT THAT ROCKED BACK AND FORTH LIKE THIS. SO I BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE DEALER. THE DEALER CHECKED FOR PROBLEMS AND FOUD NONE. THE LOOSE SEAT PERSISTS AND WHEN I ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT IT AGAIN I WAS TOLD THAT IT IS 'NORMAL' FOR THE THE SEAT TO SEEM LOOSE AND ROCK BACK AND FORTH ON THIS CAR. THIS DOESNT SEEM RIGHT TO ME, IT IS VERY DISCONCERTING ESPECIALLY SINCE OVER TIME THE SEAT ROCKS MORE AND MORE. I AM CONCERNED THAT EVENTUALLY IT WILL COME LOOSE COMPLETELY. *AK
FRONT BRAKE ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. PROBLEM SIINCE PURCHASE. *AK
CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION IN WHICH VEHICLE WAS HIT BY A SEMI -TRUCK, AND THE DRIVER'S/PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
AT 10,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION HAS TOTALLY MALFUNCTIONED CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
POSSIBLE STEERING FAILURE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT/INJURY TO SEVERAL PEOPLE.
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH THE VEHICLE DIED OUT WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING. ALSO, THERE IS SOME NOISE COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION, AND THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP OVER AND OVER AND THE TRANMISSION HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. BUT DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK
BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING A GRINDING NOISE EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE BRAKES AND A VIBRATION IN STEERING WHEEL OCCURS. ALSO THER E IS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE WHICH MAY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. BEEN TO DEALER 4 TIMES. DEALER REPLACED BRAKE PAD ANDSHOE ASSEMBLY AND DISC BRAKES TWICE. PROBLEM IS REOCCURRING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
SPEEDOMETER FAILED. YH
DRIVER'S SEAT COLLAPSED INTO THE REAR SEAT UPON IMPACT OF A REAR END COLLISION WHILE TRAVELLING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. UPON IMPACT, MY SEAT COLLAPSED BACK, AND I HAD NO PROTECTION FROM NECK AND BACK INJURIES. *AK
THIS VEHICLE AS BEEN UNDER DEALER SERVICE SINCE NEW, THE FRONT DISC ARE COMPLETELY WORN AND THE ROTORS ARE DAMAGED AT 24000 MILES, THE FIRST SERVICE FOR BRAKES ARE AT 30000 MILES. THE DEALER AND FORD REFUSES TO WARRANTY THE BRAKES AFTER 12000 MILES. THE BRAKES SHOULD LAST AT LEAST 40000 MILES BEFORE SERVICE.
THE DRIVER'S SEATBACK COLLAPSED INTO THE REAR SEAT UPON A REAR-END COLLISION WHEN I STANDING STILL IN TRAFFIC. THE OTHER DRIVER REAR-ENDED MY CAR AT APPROXIMATELY 30MPH. SIGNIFICANT BACK AND NECK INJURIES RESULTED. *AK
CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH EXHAUST PIPES. CONSUMER SMELL FUMES COMING THROUGH THE HEATER VENTS. THE MANUFACTUERE HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK
SHIFT LIGHT INDICATOR FAILED PRIOR TO NOTICE, NOT ABLE TO BE REPAIRED DUE TO LACK OF PARTS.
FRONT BRAKES FAILED.
SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED. *YC
AIR BAG SENSOR FAILED. *YC
FUEL FILLER CHECK VALVE FAILED. MJS
AUTOMATIC TRANSAXLE SHIFT INDICATOR RECALL BUT NOT REPAIRED DUE TO LACK OF PART.(98V-233).
THE ANTI THEFT ALARM SYSTEM DOESN'T START. YH
AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT INTERMITENTLY FAILING. YH
RADIO FAILED. YH
UNABLE TO HAVE RECALL DONE DUE TO LACK OF PARTS. *YC (98V-233)
TRANSMISSION FAILED ON THREE OCCASIONS. *YC
AT 9,000 MILES TIRES WENT FLAT AND A BUBBLE IN ONE TIRE (GENERAL TIRES).
CHECK AIR BAG LIGHT ON. YH
GOODYEAR GT TIRE FAILED. YH
THE REPLACEMENT OF IGNITION KEY IS VERY DIFFICULT AND EXPENSIVE TO OBTAIN, CONTAINS CHIP NECESSARY TO START VEHICLE. MJS
VIOLENT DEPLOYMENT OF PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DURING COLLISION CAUSED INJURY TO CONSUMER FACE. YH
CONSOLE TRANSMISSION COVER FAILED. YH
STARTER FAILED. YH
FUSE FOR COMPUTER FAILED. YH
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON.
CAR POWER IN THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR CUTS OFF THEN THE ENGINE STALLS OUT. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE 7 TIMES AND CAN'T FIND A SOLUTION. *AK
COMPUTER BOARD HAS A PROGRAMMING ERROR, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL OUT AND NOT REGISTER. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED AND IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. STATED THAT THE SOFTWARE PACKAGE WILL BE AVAILABLE IN MID 2/99. AS OF 18 FEB 99 PARTS STILL NOT RECEIVED. *AK
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLS, AND WITHIN 6 SECONDS OF ITS STALLING THE ENTIRE VEHICLE JUST SHUTS DOWN. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
THE VEHICLE WAS REARENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AND BOTH THE DRIVER'S AND THE PASSENGER'S SEATS COLLAPSED. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN THE VEHICLE. *AK
CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR A MFR. RECALL REPAIRS , UNDER DASH FIRE BROKE OUT WHILE IN THE DEALER SHOP FOR REPAIRS; NEEDS HELP ON THIS MATTER. *AK
FUMES ENTER PASSENGER COMPARTMENT THROUGH HEATER VENTS AFTER ENGINE IS WARM. THESE FUMES CAUSE RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS FOR VEHICLE OCCUPANTS. MAY BE SIMILAR TO COMPLAINTS REGISTERED UNDER ODI ID 539092, 828169
FUSE BOX CAN BE OPENED AND THE FUSES CAN NOT BE REACHED. DEALER STATES THAT'S THE WAY IT WAS INSTALLED. *AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE, AND CONTACTED DEALER/MANUFACTURER IN 11/98. PARTS NOT IN AFTER 60 DAYS. OWNER CANNOT GET REMEDY OF PROBLEM. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHEN PUMPING GAS WAS DIFFICULT TO START VEHICLE. A CLICKING NOISE WAS HEARD. NEW GAS TANK WAS INSTALLED. FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WERE KNOCKING AND SQUEALING. REPLACED THREE TIMES. SUNROOF MOTOR WENT OUT. REPLACEMENT MADE. ALSO, STARTER PROBLEMS OCCURRED. DEALER CONTACTED AND REPAIRS WERE MADE BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLOOR SHIFT LEVER WAS DAMAGED, AND THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. ALSO, THE PAINT ON THE VEHICLE HAS ACID RAIN IN IT. *AK
THE AIR CONDITIONER DOES NOT FLOW AIR FROM THE VENTS LIKE IT SHOULD. HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AT LEAST 3 DIFFERENT TIMES. PROBLEM CANNOT BE FOUND. *AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED MFR. RECALL NOTICE #98 S 26 / FORD: SHIFT LEVEL DAMAGE WHICH THE GEAR POSITION INDICATOR CAN DETERIORATE AND NOT CORRECTLY INDICATE THE ACTUAL GEAR POSITION. *AK
WHENEVER DRIVING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS THE ENGINE WOULD LOCK UP. VEHICLE WOULD BUCK BEFORE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. BEEN TO DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 8 DIFFERENT TIMES. TOLD NO PROBLEM EXISTS. NOW NEEDS PARTS FOR REPAIR. *AK
OWNER TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AFTER RECEIVING RECALL NOTICE #98V233000. DEALER HAD CHECKED VEHICLE & COULD NOT SHIFT LEVER. INFORMED OWNER PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. WOULD NEED TO ORDER PARTS. *AK
CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL LETTER. CONTACTED THE DEALER, NO PARTS AVAILABLE TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. RECALL NUMBER 98V233000. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS NOT STAYING ON TRACK, AND THE CONSUMER STATES THE COVER IS COMING OFF THE TRACK OF THE SEAT BELT. *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 1998 Ford Contour → · Every Contour year → · How the figures are calculated →