Problems · by component
1998 Ford Contour visibility problems
38 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1998 Ford Contour cite visibility, 4% of all 861 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
38
4% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the visibility
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WINDOW CRANK SHAFT (MANUAL WINDOW) SNAPPED OFF CLEAN INSIDE REGULATOR LEAVING WINDOW UTTERLY INOPERABLE. THIS HAPPENED DURING NORMAL OPERATION OF WINDOW DURING NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS AND WARM WEATHER. DEALER CLAIMED "IT HAPPENS A LOT". VERY DANGEROUS IF VEHICLE WAS IN A FIRE, ACCIDENT, SUBMERGED IN WATER ETC. *JB”
“RECALL CAMPAIGN 01V230000 CONCERNING HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR. ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE IDLING IN THE DRIVEWAY. BOTH TIMES CONSUMER EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE, AND VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT THE HEATER BLOWER WAS THE CAUSE OF BOTH FIRES. CONSUMER CONTRACTED THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER. BOTH CONFIRMED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK”
“DURING THE WINTER I TURNED ON MY HEATING UNIT AND IT WOULD NOT BLOW UNLESS IT WAS ON HIGH. I WOULD HAVE TO CONSTANTLY TURN MY HEAT OFF AND ON BECAUSE IT WOULD BE TOO HOT THEN TOO COLD. I NOTICED ON REAL COLD DAYS THE HEATING SYSTEM WOULD MALFUNCTION ON MILDER DAYS THE HEATING SYSTEM WOULD WORK CORRECTLY. MY WINDOW WOULD GET OFF TRACT AND I WOULD HAVE TO CONSTANTLY SET THE WINDOW IN PLACE WHILE I RAISE THE WINDOW. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT.*AK”
“AFTER TAKING VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR RECALL 01V230000 AND 01V255000 REPAIRS NONE OF THE TWO RECALLS WERE DONE PROPERLY. NAME OF THE DEALER IS BRAD MARTIN FORD IN YOUNGSTOWN OH 330-793-2444.*AK”
“CONSUMER STATED THE HEATER CORE IS INOPERATIVE, WILL NOT BLOW OUT HEAT, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND REPAIRED IT, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. THIRD TIME THAT PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED, THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE HEATER / AIR CONDITIONER BLOWER SWITCH ONLY OPERATES ON HIGH SPEED. * JG *AK”
“AFTER GETTER THE RECALL PART REPLACED FOR THE FUEL SYSTEM, NOTICED THAT WHEN THE TANK IS FILLED THE CAR WOULD LEAK FUEL FROM AROUND THE FUEL PUMP. VEHICLE IS LEAKING WATER IN TRUNK AREA DURING RAIN, FAILED SEAL, REPLACE REAR BACK GLASS SEAL AND RESEAL BACK GLASS. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON, WEAK, REPLACE CANNISTER PURGE AND VAPOR CANISTER.”
Showing 6 of 38 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 6, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.