IllustrationTHE 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.
1999 Ford Contour
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Ford Contour do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 218.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Contour years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
140–25K
3325–50K
4950–75K
2275–100K
12100–150K
7150K+
137 reports with mileage · 282 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- 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
Unknown Or Other complaints
46 reportsI WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF ANY RECALLS. I HAVE HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE REPLACED STARTER AND BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES FEELS LIKE SUSPENSION IS FALLING APART AND NEVER NOTIFIED I HAVE SMALL AND OLDER CHILDREN SHAMEFUL. THESE EVENTS STARTING TAKING PLACE WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 1999 ARM CONTROL 3 …
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I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF ANY RECALLS. I HAVE HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE REPLACED STARTER AND BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES FEELS LIKE SUSPENSION IS FALLING APART AND NEVER NOTIFIED I HAVE SMALL AND OLDER CHILDREN SHAMEFUL. THESE EVENTS STARTING TAKING PLACE WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 1999 ARM CONTROL 3 TIMES REPLACED I WAS LIED TO BY FORD AND SAID I MUST OF HIT A BUMP BUMP MY BUMP 3 TIMES ALMOST DEAD. *TR
LETTER ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE CONCERNS ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE WARPING DASH ON VARIOUS FORD PRODUCTS SUCH AS HIS 1999 FORD CONTOUR. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED FORD ISSUED A RECALL IN 2001 TO REPLACE THE DASH BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE WARPING. APPARENTLY, FORD NEVER FIXED THE MANUFACTURING FLAW BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT DASH STARTED TO …
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LETTER ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE CONCERNS ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE WARPING DASH ON VARIOUS FORD PRODUCTS SUCH AS HIS 1999 FORD CONTOUR. *NJ THE CONSUMER STATED FORD ISSUED A RECALL IN 2001 TO REPLACE THE DASH BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE WARPING. APPARENTLY, FORD NEVER FIXED THE MANUFACTURING FLAW BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT DASH STARTED TO WARP SOON AFTERWARDS. THE CONSUMER STATED IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE THE DASH WARPED UPWARDS, IMPACTING THE VISIBILITY OF THE DRIVER. THE WARPING ALSO IMPACTED THE OPERATION OF THE DEFROSTER, SO THE FRONT WINDOW WAS NOT BEING DEFROSTED WHICH CAUSED VISIBILITY ISSUES. *JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER STATING THAT THE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT WAS MADE, THE DASHBOARD DEVELOPED A GAP NEXT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE VENT, WHICH OVER TIME, CAUSED THE VENT TO SINK BEHIND THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHIC…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE MANUFACTURER STATING THAT THE DASHBOARD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AFTER THE REPLACEMENT WAS MADE, THE DASHBOARD DEVELOPED A GAP NEXT TO THE PASSENGER SIDE VENT, WHICH OVER TIME, CAUSED THE VENT TO SINK BEHIND THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER (KEN GORDON FORD) AND HAD IT REPAIRED. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPAIRED. A FEW DAYS LATER THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED AGAIN. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE TIMING BELT AND WATER PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000.
1. DASH WARP CAUSES VISIBILITY PROBLEMS, DEFROSTER MALFUNCTION, LOOSE TRIM. I DROVE OVER A SEAM IN THE ROADWAY AT AN OVERPASS (SMALL BUMP) & THE VENT TRIM POPPED LOOSE. THIS IS SIMPLY AN AGING ISSUE AS THERE WAS NO UNUSUAL EVENT. MY CAR IS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR, BUT THIS ISSUE IS ALSO PREVALENT ON THE MERCURY MYSTIQUE 1999 & 2000 …
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1. DASH WARP CAUSES VISIBILITY PROBLEMS, DEFROSTER MALFUNCTION, LOOSE TRIM. I DROVE OVER A SEAM IN THE ROADWAY AT AN OVERPASS (SMALL BUMP) & THE VENT TRIM POPPED LOOSE. THIS IS SIMPLY AN AGING ISSUE AS THERE WAS NO UNUSUAL EVENT. MY CAR IS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR, BUT THIS ISSUE IS ALSO PREVALENT ON THE MERCURY MYSTIQUE 1999 & 2000 , AND SOME 1998 MODELS WITH THE NEWER STYLE DASH. 2. THE TRIM POPPED LOOSE FROM THE DASH WHILE COMMUTING ON I-45 TO WORK. THE VENT TRIM CAME TO REST IN FRONT OF THE AIR BAG & ON MY ARMS AS I DROVE, BUT FORTUNATELY DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. 3. THE VENT TRIM WAS PLACED LOOSELY ONTO THE DASH SO THE DEFROSTER WOULD STILL BE USABLE, BUT THE WARPED DASH PREVENTS IT FROM BEING PROPERLY SECURED. A NEW VENT TRIM WILL NOT FIX THIS PROBLEM. THERE WAS AN OLD RECALL WHICH INCLUDED A 'REPAIR KIT', BUT IT HAS EXPIRED. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE RECALL RE-INSTATED. *JB
INSTRUMENT PANEL PADDING PULLING LOOSE AND CURLING AT WINDSHIELD. ALSO DEFROSTER GRILLE POPPED OFF. INTERFERES WITH DEFROST AIR FLOW. PADDING GLUED AND STAPLED AND OLD DEFROSTER GRILL ATTACHED WITH SCREWS. WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED TO HAVE WORKING ROOM. REPAIR WAS MADE BY AN AUTO TRIM SHOP WITH A COST OF $400.00 *JB
THERE IS NO INCIDENTS TO REPORT. HOWEVER THE DASH ON THIS VEHICLE IS WARPED. I HAVE SEEN THIS SAME PROBLEM ON FORD CONTOURS AND MERCURY MSYTIQUE'S THAT WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1999. THE WARPAGE REDUCING DRIVER VISIBILITY AND PREVENTS THE DEFOGGER FROM OPERATING PROPERLY. *JB
DASH WARPAGE ON 1999 FORD CONTOUR: DASH HAS WARPED AT LEAST 3 INCHES. DEFROSTER VENT CAN NO LONGER FIT INTO DASH CAUSING DEFROSTING ISSUES FOR DRIVER. WARPAGE IS VERY NEAR FRONT PASSENGER DASH AIRBAG. FORD AND THE DEALER RESPOND THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL FOR DASH WARPAGE. I HAVE FOUND A NOTATION FOR A RECALL 01B78 DASH WARP…
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DASH WARPAGE ON 1999 FORD CONTOUR: DASH HAS WARPED AT LEAST 3 INCHES. DEFROSTER VENT CAN NO LONGER FIT INTO DASH CAUSING DEFROSTING ISSUES FOR DRIVER. WARPAGE IS VERY NEAR FRONT PASSENGER DASH AIRBAG. FORD AND THE DEALER RESPOND THAT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL FOR DASH WARPAGE. I HAVE FOUND A NOTATION FOR A RECALL 01B78 DASH WARPAGE ON A SERVICE INVOICE FROM SEPT. 2001. DEALER RAN CHECKED RECALL AND FOUND NO WARPAGE AT THIS TIME. *JB
1-GRADUAL WARPING OF THE DASH STARTING FROM THE EDGE CLOSEST TO THE WINDSHIELD 2-IT IS STARTING TO SEVERELY INHIBIT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DEFROSTER AND WILL INHIBIT THE LINE OF SIGHT OUT THE WINDSHIELD IF IT CONTINUES TO WARP 3-THIS HAS NOT YET BEEN CORRECTED. *JB
THE DASHBOARD VINYL HAS SEPARATED FROM THE DASH AND CURLED UP WHICH AFFECTS VISIBILITY AS WELL AS REDUCING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DEFROSTER. *JB
Official recalls
300V350000 · 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
2DP06004 · 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
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.
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.
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