32 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1997 Ford Contour cite power train, 14% of all 234 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD CONTOUR. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT GEARS, THE GEAR INDICATOR DISPLAYED AN INACCURATE READING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 98V233000 (POWERTRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:LEVER AND LINKAGE:FLOOR SHIFT). THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE POWERTRAIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000. UPDATED 01/29/08 *BF UPDATED 01/29/08 *TR”
“TRASMISSION FAILURE AT 48000 MILES AND AGAIN AT 101000 MILES BOTH REQUIRING COMPLETE REBUILD. BOTH FAILURES WERE SUDDEN ONSET AND THE SECOND OCCURED AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITCH NEARLY CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT (THANK GOD FOR THE QUICK THINKING DRIVER BEHIND ME) TOOK TO 5 DIFFERENT SHOPS FOR DIAGNOSES. ALL SAID THAT THE CD4E TRANSIMISSION WAS A NOTORIOUSLY BAD TRANSMISSION ON BOTH FORDS AND MAZDAS”
“I BELIEVE ALL 1997 FORD CONTOURS SHOULD BE RECALLED, OVER THE PAST 3 YEARS I HAVE REPLACED THE CLUTCH, WATERPUMP, BLOWER MOTOR, BOTH LOWER CONTROL ARMS, BUSHINGS, SWAY BARS, WHEEL BEARINGS, FRONT & REAR BRAKES AND ROTORS(BOTH TWICE!!!!), AXLE, 2 OXYGEN SENSORS, CATALYTIC CONVERTER, EGR VALVE, COIL SPRINGS, BATTERY, BALLJOINTS, DOOR LATCH, ALMOST ALL OF THE FULL FRONT SUSPENSION!!!! THERE ARE MORE PARTS THAT I HAD REPLACED BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER ALL THE NAMES OF THE PARTS THERE ARE TOO MANY!! MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF, SEAT BELT LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF, SHORT IN THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER WINDOW, THE ENGINE WILL (REV) UP BY ITSELF WHEN IT'S IN GEAR AND WHEN IT'S NOT, SHORT IN THE DRIVERS SIDE POWER SEATS, WATER LEAKAGE IN THE TRUNK, A/C LEAKS ONTO THE PASSENGER SIDE FLOOR, ALL DOORS SQUEAK NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO, CARPET IS FALLING OUT, HORN WILL NOT WORK MOST OF THE TIME, SAME FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL, WINDSHIELD WIPER SPRAYER DOES NOT WORK, KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE, ENDED UP IN VERY BAD DEBT BECAUSE OF THIS AND NO ONE WILL TAKE IT, I STILL OWE MONEY ON THE PIECE OF CRAP. CONTACTED FORD MOTOR AT ONE TIME REGARDING ALL THE PARTS I REPLACED AFTER…”
“CD4E TRANSMISSION IN 1998 FORD CONTOUR GL (SAME COMPLAINT AS THE C4DE IN THE MAZDA 626). TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT DUE TO THE TSS SENSOR BREAKING AND FALLING INSIDE THE TRANSMISSION - WHICH STOPPED THE PUMP AND CAUSED VEHICLE TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE SENSOR IS IN THE DRIVER'S SIDE FENDERWELL, WHERE IT IS EXPOSED TO ROAD HAZARDS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS. NOT A GOOD DESIGN. FURTHERMORE, THE REPAIR COSTS $3000 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION AND ALL THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE FORD PUT THE SENSOR IN A POSITION WHERE IT CAN BREAK AND CAUSE SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. IT'S A LOUSY DESIGN. THE SENSOR SHOULD BE SOMEWHERE UNDER THE HOOD - NOT IN THE FENDERWELL. *LA”
“BOUGHT CAR 4MONTHS AGO, AND TRANSMISSION WENT OUT ALREADY. REQUESTED TEST REPORTS FROM DEALER AND THEY HAVE NOT RETURNED MY PHONE CALL. TRANSMISSION CAN NOT BE SAVE AND IT DIED WITHOUT WARNING, WELL COST 2600.00 TO GET NEW ONE. *AK”
“DEFROSTER WILL NOT WORK, WILL BLOCK THE VIEW AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *AK ALSO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON, COOLANT LEAKING, ENGINE OVERHEATING, TRANSMISSION WAS INOPERATIVE, AND THE WATER PUMP WAS LEAKING.*SLC”
Showing 6 of 32 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FLOOR SHIFT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL CAN BE DAMAGED IF SUBJECTED TO CERTAIN INTERIOR CLEANING PRODUCTS. THE GEAR POSITION INDICATOR CAN DETERIORATE AND NOT CORRECTLY INDICATE THE ACTUAL GEAR POSITION.
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.