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
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling125
- Electrical system117
- Power train73
- Exterior lighting61
- Service brakes, hydraulic45
- Visibility40
- Suspension39
- Equipment39
- Steering31
- Vehicle speed control30
- Fuel system, gasoline28
- Air bags25
- Interior lighting18
- 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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
18
42
48
122
86
97
47
29
26
22
8
8
7
5
3
2
1
2
0
2
1
1
1
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1995 | 2 |
| 1996 | 18 |
| 1997 | 42 |
| 1998 | 48 |
| 1999 | 122 |
| 2000 | 86 |
| 2001 | 97 |
| 2002 | 47 |
| 2003 | 29 |
| 2004 | 26 |
| 2005 | 22 |
| 2006 | 8 |
| 2007 | 8 |
| 2008 | 7 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 0 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 1 |
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.
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”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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”
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”
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.