Problems · NHTSA complaints

1996 Ford Contour problems

Owners filed 581 complaints about the 1996 Ford Contour with NHTSA between Dec 1995 and Sep 2021. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (125).

Complaints
581
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
35
Reported by owners
Fires
25
Reported by owners
Injuries
41
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine and engine cooling125
  2. Electrical system117
  3. Power train73
  4. Exterior lighting61
  5. Service brakes, hydraulic45
  6. Visibility40
  7. Suspension39
  8. Equipment39
  9. Steering31
  10. Vehicle speed control30
  11. Fuel system, gasoline28
  12. Air bags25
  13. Interior lighting18
  14. Structure14

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
19952
199618
199742
199848
1999122
200086
200197
200247
200329
200426
200522
20068
20078
20087
20095
20103
20112
20121
20132
20140
20152
20161
20171
20181
20190
20200
20211

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Engine and engine cooling

125 reports2 crashes6 fires1 related recall
“FIRST MY ENGINE SEEMED TO OVERHEAT A BIT THEN EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IT WOULD SOUND LIKE THE ENGINE WAS GRINDING ON SOMETHING AND WOULDN'T STOP.. SOUNDED LIKE A BUNCH OF CHAINS IN MY HOOD. BUT THEN ON OCCASIONS THE STUPID THING WOULDN'T SHUT OFF WHEN IT WAS MAKING THE CHAIN SOUND, EVEN WITH MY KEY OUT. IT JUST HAPPENED AGAIN AND NOW THE THING SMELLS LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING AND I HAVE NO POWER WHAT SO EVER IN MY VEHICLE. BEFORE WHEN IT FINALLY SHUT OFF IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO SPARK. THEN IT WAS MAKING A CLICKING NOISE THAT WASN'T COOL. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 10, 2008Engine and engine coolingODI 10245079

Electrical system

117 reports15 fires1 related recall
“THE WIRE HARNESS MOTOR, TRANSMISSION AND FUEL INJECTION ARE BAD ,AND WAS STATIONARY 5 YEAR AGO LIKE MANY MANY MANY CONTOURS AND MISTYQUES IN MY COUNTRY , I NEED A SOLUTION PLEASE, COUSE RESPONSABILITY IS FROM FORD COMPANY IN ALL THE WORLD. THANK YOU. I AM IN MEXICO.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 25, 2017Electrical systemODI 10991732

Power train

73 reports1 crash1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD CONTOUR. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT THE GEARS ON THE FLOOR SHIFT, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED INCORRECT GEAR SELECTION. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THEY DID NOT REPAIR VEHICLES AFTER TEN YEARS. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V233000 (POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT); THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 86,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 28, 2008Power trainODI 10235998

Exterior lighting

61 reports3 fires1 related recall
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PLUG ON THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH OVERHEATED AND MELTED THE WIRE IN THE PLUG. HE HAD TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY EVERY TIME HE GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT CAUSED A FAILURE WITHIN THE PARKING LIGHTS. THE PLUG AND HEADLIGHT SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HE FOUND RECALL 99V103000 ONLINE AND WAS TOLD BY BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED TO-DATE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 183,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 180,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 5, 2010Exterior lightingFire reportedODI 10298277

Service brakes, hydraulic

45 reports6 crashes2 fires2 related recalls
“CONSUMER HAS HAD NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE 1996 FORD CONTOUR.*MR THERE HAS BEEN SO MANY RECALLS ON CONSUMER'S VEHICLE THAT SHE WASN'T AWARE OF BECAUSE THE MANUFACTURER NEVER SENT NOTICES. SINCE THEN CONSUMER HAS BEEN PAYING FOR ENTIRE FULL PRICE AND IS ASKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT. HOWEVER, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE IS THE GAS FUMES WHICH IS LEAKING THEREFORE LEAVING POISONOUS CARBON MONOXIDE FUMES COMING IN THROUGH THE HEATER VENTS. THESE HARSH CHEMICALS ARE DAMAGING TO THE LUNGS, BRAIN, RESPIRATORY SYSTEM AND ITS MAKING CONSUMER VERY TIRED AMONG OTHER SYMPTOMS. *TT”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 12, 2005Suspension, Service brakes, hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Fuel system, gasoline, Power train, Electrical system, VisibilityODI 10134493

Visibility

40 reports1 related recall
“BLOWER MOTOR FAILURE. THE BLOWER CONTROLS THE DEFROSTER AND HEATER. THE FAILURE RESULTS IN FOG, FROST ETC SO VISIBILITY IS GREATLY LIMITED. IF ONE CAN SEE WELL AN ACCIDENT IS POSSIBLE. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 3, 2009Electrical system, VisibilityODI 10279197
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.