Problems · by component

1996 Ford Contour vehicle speed control problems

30 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Ford Contour cite vehicle speed control, 5% of all 581 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
30
5% of all complaints
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the vehicle speed control

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD INDEPENDENTLY ACCELERATE WHEN DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE STARTED INTERMITTENTLY BUT PROGRESSIVELY BECAME WORSE OVER TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 91,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 26, 2010Vehicle speed controlODI 10352020
“SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE PAST 3 MONTHS THE GAS PEDAL/ACCELERATOR SEEMED TO "STICK" OR RACE AND I COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO IDLE TO BACK DOWN UNTIL I PUT IT IN GEAR. JULY 3, WHILE DRIVING IN BUSY TRAFFIC, THE ACCELERATOR/GAS PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO STEER THE CAR AROUND A CORNER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE POLICE WERE ABLE TO PUSH THE CAR INTO A CAR REPAIR PLACE WHERE THE MECHANIC SUGGESTED I CALL FORD ABOUT A RECALL. THE SPEED CONTROL CABLE HAD JUST SNAPPED RIGHT OFF! I CALLED FROM THE REPAIR PLACE AND FORD SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY VIN VEHICLE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY HOME AS I WAS LEAVING TOWN THE NEXT DAY. I HAVE RETURNED NOW AND AFTER SEARCHING YOUR SITE HAVE FOUND WHAT SEEMS TO BE THE RECALL FOR THE VERY PROBLEM I HAVE WITH MY 1996 FORD CONTOUR. I CALLED A FORD DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD MY VIN DID NOT HAVE THE RECALL PROBLEM. WHAT IS MY NEXT STEP, PLEASE? LUCY HOCKING [email protected] 414-541-2326 414-520-8323 MAKE : FORD MODEL : CONTOUR YEAR : 1996 MANUFACTURER : FORD MOTOR COMPANY MFR'S REPORT DATE : DEC 03, 1997 NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 97V225000 COMPONENT: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CABLES POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 2, 2008Vehicle speed controlODI 10236719
“DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH WAS LEAKING FLUID. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL ON OTHER FORD VEHICLES. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, THE REPAIR WERE MADE FOR A FEE. ALSO EVERY 25000 MILES, THE OIL PAN GASKET NEEDED TO BE CHANGED DUE A SMALL LEAK. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THIRD, THE EXHAUST AND INTAKE MANIFOLDS WERE LEAKING CAUSING A NOXIOUS SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE SAME SERVICE DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH MANIFOLDS, AND DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK DRIPPING ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 22, 2006Engine and engine cooling, Vehicle speed controlODI 10160448
“AFTER THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV AT HIGH RMPS. THIS WAS DUE TO THE DEFECT DESCRIBED IN THE ACCELERATOR CABLE RECALL 00V425000, BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL.*AK N *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 15, 2005Vehicle speed controlODI 10102010
“THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE DIDN'T STOP UNTIL IT IMPACTED A BUILDING. PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE WAS AT IDLE IN THE PARK GEAR FOR 5 MINUTES. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES. *AK THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS CONTINUALLY BEING TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER FOR THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED, THERE WAS NO WARNING. THE SERVICE DEALER SUGGESTED THAT THE THROTTLE SENSOR ,SOMEHOW, BECAME STUCK AND THE ENGINE OVERRODE THE BRAKES. *SCC *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 3, 2003Vehicle speed controlCrash reportedODI 10042150
“WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATLEY 60 MPH ENGINE STARTED RUNNING AND RPMS WENT TO 8000. CONSUMER PUT TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND TURNED VEHICLE OFF. UPON START UP AFTER THE ENGINE HAD BEEN SHUT OFF, THE ENGINE BEGAN REVVING AGAIN. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE YET. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 13, 2001Vehicle speed controlODI 894161

Showing 6 of 30 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Vehicle speed control: cables

Free remedy

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL OPTION. THE THROTTLE CABLES WERE DAMAGED DURING VEHICLE ASSEMBLY LEADING TO FRAYING OR SEPARATION OF THE THROTTLE CABLE.

Vehicle speed controlReported Dec 8, 1997NHTSA 97V225000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 6, 2026

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