Structure. Review the 93 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Electrical System. Review the 65 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 52 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

28 crash reports9 fire reports22 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

52 reports

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Mileage unknown · Apr 9, 2002

Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED CAR CUT OFF WITHOUT ANY INDICATION, AND WILL NOT START BACK UP. DEALER CONTACTED, FIXED PROBLEM 3 TIMES, BUT DIDN'T INFORM CONSUMER OF WHAT PART. PROBLEM STILL REOCCURRING.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8007199

Mileage unknown · Feb 5, 2002

Engine And Engine CoolingService Brakes, HydraulicCrash

DRIVER WAS TRAVELING AT 30 MPH WHEN ANOTHER DRIVER CROSSED IN FRONT OF CONSUMER, CONSUMER HIT THE BRAKES, AND REAR OF VEHICLE HYDROPLANED AND FLIPPED OVEDR 3 TIMES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED THAT THE PCV WAS DEFECTIVE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #8003590

Mileage unknown · Oct 15, 2001

Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE WILL SHUTDOWN WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ODI #897766

Mileage unknown · Sep 12, 2001

Engine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolineSuspension

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WITHIN 6 MONTHS OF THE PURCHASE OF MY VEHICLE, THE CAR STARTED HAVING PROBLEMS WITH VIBRATIONS, SHAKING, AND SEVERE NOISE WHILE DRIVING. THE ENGINE IDLED ROUGH AND GOT MORE SEVERE WHEN THE HEATING OR COOLING SYSTEM WAS USED. ALL TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED, A MAJOR BRAKE JOB WITH ROTORS TURNED WAS COMPLETED, AND THE STRUTS WERE REPLACED. REGARDLESS OF THIS WORK, THE SHAKING IN THE CAR HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FIVE TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS. THEY HAVE EITHER SAID THAT IT WAS "NORMAL CONTOUR" OR THAT IT WAS THE TIRES. FINALLY, THEY INDICATE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM BUT THEY CANNOT DETERMINE WHAT IT IS. MY CAR MAKES A THUMPING NOISE AND A SQUEALING NOISE WHEN I MAKE SLOW RIGHT TURNS. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MY FOOT HAS BEEN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND MY CAR SURGED FORWARD. AT ONE POINT I THOUGHT THAT THE PERSON BEHIND ME HAD HIT ME BECAUSE THE CAR JERKED SO HARD AND SO UNEXPECTEDLY. AGAIN, I AM TOLD THAT THIS IS NORMAL. THIS IS THE WORST CAR THAT I HAVE EVER OWNED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #752090

Mileage unknown · Jun 26, 2001

Engine And Engine Cooling

MY CONTOUR CONTINUES TO STALL WHILE DRIVING. I WAS FIRST TOLD BY DEALER SERVICE THAT IT WAS THE FUEL PUMP, THEN THE FUEL FILTER, AND FINALLY THAT IT WAS A SENSOR. THIS VEHICLE SEEMS TO STALL WHEN MY GAS GAUGE IS CLOSE TO A QUARTER TANK OF GAS. I JUST GOT THIS CAR OUT OF THE SERVICE DEPT. 4 DAYS AGO, NOW IT IS STILL STALLING AND …

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NHTSA ODI #747433

Mileage unknown · May 15, 2001

Engine And Engine Cooling

THERE WAS A BAD OIL LEAK THAT COULD CAUSE A FIRE, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS CRANKSHAFT SHIELD. *AK CONSUMER STATES SHE CONTACTED THE DISPUTE SETTLEMENT BOARD AND WAS DENIED HER ANY TYPE OF ASSISTANCE. *JB

NHTSA ODI #888262

Mileage unknown · May 8, 2001

Engine And Engine Cooling

ENGINE WILL STALL WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY GIVEN SPEED/TEMPERATURE. DEALERSHIP HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE AND CANNOT DETERMINE A CAUSE FOR THIS DEFECT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #887743

Mileage unknown · Apr 20, 2001

Engine And Engine Cooling

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN IT SUDDENLY STALLED OUT FOR NO REASON. HAD NO PRIOR WARNING OF ANY PROBLEMS. VEHICLE CAN BE RESTARTED AFTER WAITING FOR A WHILE. HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 6 TIMES FOR STALLING, BUT CAUSE OF PROBLEM COULD NEVER BE LOCATED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #886380

Mileage unknown · Jan 24, 2001

Engine And Engine Cooling

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WOULD CRANK, BUT WILL NOT START. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND UNABLE TO LOCATE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #878978

Mileage unknown · Oct 24, 2000

Electrical SystemEngine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING, CONSUMER TOOK THE PROBLEM TO THE DEALER WHO FOUND THAT SOME WIRES HAD MELTED AND MUST HAVE SHORTED SOMETHING OUT. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #556839

Official recalls

00V350000 · Fuel System, Other:storage:tank Assembly

Oct 30, 2000

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 & remedy

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.

00V075000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components

Mar 9, 2000

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 & remedy

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.

99V060000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch

Mar 17, 1999

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 & remedy

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.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

DP06004 · Instrument Panel Cover Warpage

Opened Oct 23, 2006 · Closed Apr 10, 2007

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Structure; Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System:fan/motor

THE AGENCY HAS DENIED A PETITION REQUESTING AN INVESTIGATION OF INSTRUMENT PANEL WARPAGE FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. THE NOTICE OF DENIAL WAS PUBLISHED IN THE FEDERAL REGISTER, VOLUME 72, NUMBER 67, ON MONDAY, APRIL 9, 2007, PAGES 17605 AND 17606.SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH FOR DETAILS.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Structure

Visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac System:fan/motor

EA01001 · Blower Switch/resistor Or Wiring Harness

Opened Jan 5, 2001 · Closed Jul 31, 2001

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System

There is no summary currently available

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System

There is no summary currently available

Electrical System

There is no summary currently available