Problems · NHTSA complaints
2000 Ford Contour problems
Owners filed 251 complaints about the 2000 Ford Contour with NHTSA between Nov 1999 and Jun 2020. The most-cited component is structure (82).
Complaints
251
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
12
Reported by owners
Fires
10
Reported by owners
Injuries
12
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Structure82
- Fuel system, gasoline34
- Visibility29
- Electrical system28
- Engine and engine cooling20
- Air bags12
- Vehicle speed control10
- Service brakes, hydraulic9
- Exterior lighting6
- Seats6
- Tires5
- Suspension5
- Equipment5
- Power train5
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 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
1
8
25
26
45
44
46
19
21
5
0
5
2
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 1 |
| 2000 | 8 |
| 2001 | 25 |
| 2002 | 26 |
| 2003 | 45 |
| 2004 | 44 |
| 2005 | 46 |
| 2006 | 19 |
| 2007 | 21 |
| 2008 | 5 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 0 |
| 2016 | 0 |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 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
Structure
82 reports1 crash
“DASHBOARD IS DELAMINATING AND PEELING UPWARD INTERFERING WITH AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, DEFROSTERS AND VISIBILITY. FORD HAS ONGOING ISSUES WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM ON OTHER FORD PRODUCTS. I FEEL THIS IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE AND QUALITY ISSUE. *TR”
Fuel system, gasoline
34 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REFUELING, A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL WAS EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT EXAMINED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FILLER PIPE GROMMET WAS LEAKING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V350000 (FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 173,000.”
Visibility
29 reports
“IN MY WIFES CAR THE DASHBOARD NEAR THE WINDSHIELD IS STARTING TO COME UP ITS RIGHT NEAR THE VENT IN THE CAR IT MAKES DRIVE THE CAR MORE DIFFICULT DUE TO THE DASH IS NOW BLOCK PART OF THE WINDSHIELD I WAS TOLD THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SOME ONE BEFORE AND I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THIS LOOKED INTO. *TR”
Electrical system
28 reports5 fires
“INSTRUMENT PANEL WARPING, LOOSE BEZEL - THE WARPING MAY ADVERSELY AFFECT PERFORMANCE OF THE AIR BAG SYSTEM AND DOES CREATE LOOSE INSTRUMENT PANEL COMPONENTS (SUCH AS THE DEFROST BEZEL) THAT WAS A PROJECTILE DURING A QUICK STOP AT A RED LIGHT - FOR THOSE READING - I DO INCLUDE PERSONAL INFO - MY NAME IS [XXX] IF YOU COULD HELP WITH INFO RE THIS COMPLAINT. *TR”
Engine and engine cooling
20 reports1 crash2 fires
“MY 2000 FORD CONTOUR SE STARTING ACTING LIKE THERE WAS NO GAS AT AROUND 1/4 TANK. THIS CONTINUED EVERY TIME MY CAR GOT TO 1/4 TANK. MECHANIC REPLACED FUEL FILTER $54.90 FOR FILTER AND DIAGNOSTIC ON 3/13/07. IT STILL STUTTERING, HESITATED AND NOW WAS STALLING. MECHANIC REPLACED FUEL PUMP $297.22 ON 3/28/07. THE PROBLEM PERSISTED AND NOW IT WAS HAPPENING AT 1/2 TANK. ONCE SUMMER HIT, IT WAS WORSE WITH THE A/C. BETWEEN MARCH AND JUNE 2007, MECHANIC REPLACED PUMP ONCE AND FILTER TWICE. ON 6/27/07, CAR STALLED AND WOULD NOT RESTART, TANK WAS AT 1/2. MECHANIC REPLACED INTAKE MANIFOLD RUNNER CONTROL UNIT AND THE PROBLEM REMAINED. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED WITH HESITATING AND STALLING ESPECIALLY UPHILL. ON 8/21/07 REPLACED ALL THE SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES $234.90. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. MY MECHANIC IS AT HIS WITS END. THE CODE ON THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ALWAYS THE SAME. ON 10/26/07, TOOK THE CAR BACK TO MY MECHANIC WHO HAD TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD RUNNER CONTROL UNIT AGAIN. DECIDED TO TAKE MY CAR TO A DIFFERENT MECHANIC DUE TO MY CURRENT ONE NOT FINDING THE PROBLEM. REPLACED 2 OXYGEN SENSORS THIS WEEK (11/7 AND 11/9) ONE UPSTREAM AND ONE DOWNSTREAM. THE CHECK ENGINE…”
Air bags
12 reports6 crashes
“THE DASHBOARD HAS SEPARATED AND CAUSING VISIBILITY PROBLEMS AS WELL AS PROBLEMS WITH THE VENTING SYSTEM. THE DEFROSTER AIR FLOW IS DIVERTED AND ESSENTIALLY USELESS. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE AIR BAGS COULD NOT DEPLOY IF NEEDED. I ALSO DID NOT GET THE RECALL, FOUND OUT ABOUT IT TOO LATE. LOCAL DEALER SAID CALL FORD. CUSTOMER SERVICE SUGGESTED I GET IT REPAIRED SINCE IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BUT THAT THEY WOULD PROVIDE NO HELP AT THIS TIME. SHE SAID REPORTS LIKE THESE ARE WHAT GET THE ENGINEERS TO CONSIDER RECALLS---WHEN?”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.