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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 →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

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

What owners actually said

419 reports
40,090 miles · Jun 12, 2009
Structure

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR. APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AGO, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS FALLING APART IN HER VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. SHE FIRST NOTICED THE ISSUE WHEN THE DEFROST VENT WAS BEGINNING TO PUSH OUTWARD DUE TO THE BENDING OF THE DASHBOARD. WHEN THE GLOVE BOX IS OPENE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR. APPROXIMATELY SIX MONTHS AGO, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS FALLING APART IN HER VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. SHE FIRST NOTICED THE ISSUE WHEN THE DEFROST VENT WAS BEGINNING TO PUSH OUTWARD DUE TO THE BENDING OF THE DASHBOARD. WHEN THE GLOVE BOX IS OPENED, IT FALLS TO THE FLOOR BECAUSE THE ENTIRE DASHBOARD HAS SHIFTED. THERE WAS NO IMPACT TO THE OUTSIDE OR PASSENGER COMPARTMENT OF THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,090.

NHTSA ODI #10273662

160,000 miles · May 28, 2009
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

REAR BRAKE FAILURE ON 99 FORD CONTOUR SE CONTACTED DUTRO FORD ZANESVILE OHIO SAID THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10270171

157,000 miles · Oct 21, 2008
Visibility

HAPPENED AROUND OCT 15, 2008 AT NIGHT, BETWEEN MARSHALL AND OLIVET MI. FAILURE WAS WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE, CAUSING WIPERS TO BLOW OFF THE VEHICLE. PART IS HARD TO FIND, LOOKING TO GET IT FIXED FOR SAFETY OBVIOUSLY. WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE WELL, SINCE NEXT EXIT WAS STILL MILES AWAY. NO EASY WAY TO FIX THIS IN AN EMERGENCY, LIKE T…

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HAPPENED AROUND OCT 15, 2008 AT NIGHT, BETWEEN MARSHALL AND OLIVET MI. FAILURE WAS WINDSHIELD WIPER LINKAGE, CAUSING WIPERS TO BLOW OFF THE VEHICLE. PART IS HARD TO FIND, LOOKING TO GET IT FIXED FOR SAFETY OBVIOUSLY. WAS NOT ABLE TO SEE WELL, SINCE NEXT EXIT WAS STILL MILES AWAY. NO EASY WAY TO FIX THIS IN AN EMERGENCY, LIKE THIS. THIS TYPE OF LINKAGE IS UNSAFE, AND I BELIEVE ANY VEHICLES WITH IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10246227

45,000 miles · Oct 19, 2008
Structure

DASHBOARD IS CURLING UP STARTED ON THE RIGHT SIDE. DEAL PUT SOME TYPE OF GLUE ON IT BUT ITS NOT STAYING DOWN. NOW ALMOST THE WHOLE DASHBOARD IS CURLING UP. I READ THERE WAS A RECALL. WHY WERE WE NOT NOTIFIED? NOT HAPPY WITH FORD *TR

NHTSA ODI #10246022

68,000 miles · Oct 11, 2008
Power Train

2 MAJOR POWERTRAIN FAILURES. TIMING BELT PULLEY BROKE AT 68,000 MILES. $600 TO REPAIR. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BROKE AT 85,000 MILES. BOTH OCCURRED OUT OF THE BLUE. CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN TREATED GENTLY, ALL FLUIDS HAVE BEEN CHANGED CONSISTENTLY, AND ALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN COMPLETED ON TIME. TRANSMISSION MUST BE REPL…

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2 MAJOR POWERTRAIN FAILURES. TIMING BELT PULLEY BROKE AT 68,000 MILES. $600 TO REPAIR. AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION BROKE AT 85,000 MILES. BOTH OCCURRED OUT OF THE BLUE. CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN TREATED GENTLY, ALL FLUIDS HAVE BEEN CHANGED CONSISTENTLY, AND ALL ROUTINE MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN COMPLETED ON TIME. TRANSMISSION MUST BE REPLACED OR REBUILT WITH A PRICE TAG OF $2K-$3K. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10245131

Mileage unknown · Sep 8, 2008
Tires

NEW GOODYEAR GS H TIRES PURCHASED FROM SAM'S CLUB IN JUNE '08 HAVE LITTLE OR NO STOPPING OR TURNING TRACTION IN WET WEATHER. NEAR COLLISIONS AND SLIDING ON TURNS. NO ACCIDENT YET. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10241376

Mileage unknown · Aug 14, 2008
Seat Belts

IN THE BACK SEAT I HAVE ONLY 2 SEATBELTS IT'S SHOULD HAVE 3. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10238331

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2008
Visibility

I THINK SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO CORRECT THE CLOUDING OF HEADLIGHT LENS - IT IS DEFINITELY A HAZARD AND VERY DANGEROUS...THERE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BE ANY INCIDENTS BEFORE THIS IS LOOKED INTO..... LETS DO IT BEFORE THERE ARE INJURIES!! *TR

NHTSA ODI #10234642

150,170 miles · Mar 6, 2008
TiresInjury

TIRE WAS PURCHASED ON 9-03-07 AT WALMART IN NORTH MYRTLE BEACH. TODAY IS MARCH 6,2008. DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND GET THE FLAT TIRE SHUDDER. JACK UP CAR, PULL OFF TIRE, SLIT MY HAND ON THREADS ON THE INTERIOR. THE PART OF THE TIRE THAT IS CLOSEST TO THE CAR IS COMPLETELY BALD, AND THREADED. MILEAGE AT TIME OF PURCHASE 144,296. M…

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TIRE WAS PURCHASED ON 9-03-07 AT WALMART IN NORTH MYRTLE BEACH. TODAY IS MARCH 6,2008. DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND GET THE FLAT TIRE SHUDDER. JACK UP CAR, PULL OFF TIRE, SLIT MY HAND ON THREADS ON THE INTERIOR. THE PART OF THE TIRE THAT IS CLOSEST TO THE CAR IS COMPLETELY BALD, AND THREADED. MILEAGE AT TIME OF PURCHASE 144,296. MILEAGE TODAY, WHEN TIRE BLEW 150,177. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10220272

100,000 miles · Jan 14, 2008
Engine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or Other

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.

NHTSA ODI #10214834

Official recalls

3

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

2

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

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