1999 FORD CONTOUR — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data
N/A
Safety Rating
616
Owner Complaints
5
Recalls
26
Service Bulletins
1
Investigation
Overview of the 1999 FORD CONTOUR
The 1999 FORD CONTOUR has received a total of 616 safety complaints filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There have been 5 recall campaigns affecting this vehicle, covering issues with SUSPENSION, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY. 26 technical service bulletins have been issued by Ford Motor Company for this model year. The most commonly reported problems involve the Structure (82 complaints), Unknown Or Other (47 complaints), and Tires (24 complaints).
Recalls for the 1999 FORD CONTOUR
NHTSA has recorded 5 recalls for the 1999 FORD CONTOUR, potentially affecting up to 458,862 vehicles.
Recall 08E033000 — SUSPENSION
| 6,903 vehicles affected
Defect: FEDERAL MOGUL IS RECALLING 6,903 AFTERMARKET BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES SHIPPED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 9, 2007 AND MARCH 26, 2008, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS. THE PART NUMBERS PACKAGED WITH INCORRECT NUTS ARE: K7147, K7329, K8683, AND 104353. THESE PARTS WERE MADE FOR USE ON THE VARIOUS VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE.
Consequence: THE NUTS INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGING FOR THESE BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES ARE MISSING THE INTENDED PREVAILING TORQUE (SELF-LOCKING) FEATURE. IF THE INCORRECT NUT WAS TO BECOME LOOSE, THE JOINING MEMBERS MAY LOOSEN LEADING TO A SEPARATION OF THE BALL JOINT. THIS MAY RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: FEDERAL MOGUL WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND REPLACE THE PARTS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 22, 2008. OWNERS CAN CONTACT FEDERAL MOGUL AT 877-489-6659.
View full details →Recall 06E022000 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
| 7,440 vehicles affected
Defect: CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT BRAKE CYLINDERS FOR CERTAIN FORD, DAIMLERCHRYSLER, AND JEEP PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF NAPA, RAYBESTOS, AIMCO, AC DELCO, CARQUEST, BENDIX, AND WAGNER. ONLY PRODUCTS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 27, 2005 THROUGH JANUARY 17, 2006 (DATE CODES 0529 THROUGH 0602) ARE SUBJECT TO THIS...
Consequence: LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID CAN LEAD TO A DECREASE IN BRAKE LINE PRESSURE AND AN INCREASE IN STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy: AFFINIA (BRAKE PARTS, INC.) WILL REPLACE THE SUBJECT BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 20, 2006. OWNERS CAN CONTACT AFFINA GROUP CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-800-323-0354.
View full details →Recall 00V350000 — FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
| 3,750 vehicles affected
Defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: BI-FUEL VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE A FUEL TANK FILLER PIPE GROMMET THAT COULD HAVE BEEN DAMAGED DURING THE INSTALLATION OF THE BI-FUEL SYSTEM. IF THE GROMMET IS DAMAGED, FUEL COULD LEAK. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK FILLER PIPE GROMMET.
Consequence: IF THE GROMMET IS DAMAGED, FUEL COULD LEAK. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL TANK FILLER PIPE GROMMET.
View full details →Recall 00V075000 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
| 436,200 vehicles affected
Defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES NOT EQUIPPED WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS). A PRESSURE CONSCIOUS REDUCING VALVE (PCRV) IN THE REAR BRAKES MAY BE SUBJECT TO CORROSION AND RESULT IN MALFUNCTION, WHEN OPERATED IN AREAS THAT USE SALT COMPOUNDS ON THE ROADWAY FOR DE-ICING OR DUST CONTROL.
Consequence: IF BOTH PCRV'S MALFUNCTION, VEHICLE HANDLING COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED DURING BRAKING AS A RESULT OF THE REAR WHEELS LOCKING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL IMPROVED PCRV'S IN THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM. THIS RECALL WAS EXPANDED IN SEPTEMBER 2000 TO INCLUDE 1999 AND 2000 FORD CONTOUR, MERCURY MYSTIQUE AND COUGAR VEHICLES.
View full details →Recall 99V060000 — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
| 4,569 vehicles affected
Defect: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS WHICH UTILIZE A PARK/LOCK SOLENOID. IT IS POSSIBLE TO ROTATE THE IGNITION KEY TO THE LOCK POSITION AND REMOVE THE KEY WITHOUT THE SHIFT LEVER AND TRANSMISSION BEING IN PARK. THESE VEHICLES DO NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 114, "THEFT PROTECTION."
Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN A CRASH AND POSSIBLE PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THESE VEHICLES. VEHICLES THAT HAVE UNITS WITH IGNITION KEYS REMOVABLE IN GEAR POSITIONS OTHER THAN PARK, WILL HAVE THE STEERING COLUMN REPLACED.
View full details →Owner Complaints for the 1999 FORD CONTOUR
616 complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 1999 FORD CONTOUR. Below is a breakdown by vehicle component.
Most Recent Complaints
The dash is curling up
REAR FRAME, SUSPENSION RUSTED COMPLETELY INTO AN WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND THREW ME INTO DITCH. THIS IS COMPLETELY NOT ACCEPTABLE. I HAVE 1960'S CARS %100 BETTER THAN THIS . I KNOW THIS IS A 1999 BUT THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. CAN ANYTHING BE DONE.
THE BRAKE LINES UNDER THE CAR HAVE RUSTED TO THE POINT OF BREAKING APART. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 100K MILES AND WAS NOT SUBJECT TO ANY EXTREME CONDITIONS. THE BRAKE FLUID LEAKS OUT OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE ALMOST AS QUICKLY AS IT IS POURED IN AND HAS LEFT THE CAR UNDRIVEABLE WITHOUT EXPENSIVE REPAIRS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO WOBBLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
THE FUEL TANK STRAP IS COMPLETELY CORRODED AWAY, AND THE FUEL TANK IS READY TO FALL OFF. THE PROTECTIVE COATING IS DEFECTIVE AND HAS COMPLETELY FALLEN OFF, CAUSING THE FUEL STRAP TO BE EATEN AWAY BY RUST AND CORROSION. THE FUEL TANK IS GOING TO FALL OFF EVENTUALLY. THE FUEL FILLER NECK AND EMISSION FITTINGS AT THE TANK, ARE CORRODING BADLY TOO. *TR
Safety Rating for the 1999 FORD CONTOUR
NHTSA has not yet tested the 1999 FORD CONTOUR in its New Car Assessment Program.
Technical Service Bulletins for the 1999 FORD CONTOUR
Ford Motor Company has issued 26 technical service bulletins (TSBs) for the 1999 FORD CONTOUR. TSBs are notices sent by manufacturers to their dealers describing a known issue and the recommended repair procedure.
03102 — FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG). ROUGH IDLE OR NO START WHEN COLD. VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CNG BI-FUEL ENGINE ONLY. *TT
0346 — STRUCTURE
INSTRUMENT PANEL WARPAGE REPAIR. *TT *JB
022001 — EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL
REPLACEMENT SPEAKER INSTALLATION TIPS. *TT
0037 — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
VEHICLE MAY EXPERIENCE THE MALFUNCTION INCIATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATION WITH DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES (DTCS). *MJS
0015 — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
INFORMATION REGARDING THE NEW TRANSMISSION COOLER FLUSHER- SERVICE TIP. *MJS
13830 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
SOME VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.5L ENGINE AND BUILT AFTER MAY 5, 1999 MAY EXHIBIT AN INTERMITTENT HARD/NO START, ROUGH IDLE OR HESITATION AFTER A HOT SOAK OF APPROXINATELY 30 MINUTES. *MJS
99237 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
OBJECTIONABLE EXHAUST, SULFUR, OR ROTTEN EGG ODOR AGGRESSIVE DRIVING ON VEHICLES WITH 2.5L ENGINE AND CD4E TRANSAXLE. *TT
13386 — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
INFORMATION ON INVESTIGATING HARD START / NO START CONDITIONS ACCOMPANIED BY OVERFUELING IN AMBIENTS BELOW 32F/0C, ON VEHICLES WITH VCT EQUIPPED 2.0L ZETEC ENGINES. *TT
6907 — UNKNOWN OR OTHER
EXHIBITING A BUZZ OR RATTLE TYPE NOISE FROM THE RIGHT SIDE AREA OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. *TT
13209 — SUSPENSION:REAR
INFORMATION REGARDING REAR SPRING CREAK/SQUEAK. *MJS
Showing 10 of 26 technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Investigations for the 1999 FORD CONTOUR
NHTSA has opened 1 investigation into potential safety defects in the 1999 FORD CONTOUR.
Other Model Years of the FORD CONTOUR
- 1994 FORD CONTOUR — 13 complaints
- 1995 FORD CONTOUR — 1,323 complaints
- 1996 FORD CONTOUR — 858 complaints
- 1997 FORD CONTOUR — 314 complaints
- 1998 FORD CONTOUR — 1,189 complaints
- 1999 FORD CONTOUR (current)
- 2000 FORD CONTOUR — 248 complaints
- 2001 FORD CONTOUR — 4 complaints
Other FORD Models
- FORD F-150 — 45,660 total complaints
- FORD EXPLORER — 42,140 total complaints
- FORD ESCAPE — 34,654 total complaints
- FORD FOCUS — 29,539 total complaints
- FORD FUSION — 28,243 total complaints
- FORD TAURUS — 23,867 total complaints
- FORD WINDSTAR — 19,456 total complaints
- FORD EDGE — 17,247 total complaints