IllustrationPE-00-020; ORIGINAL EQUIPEMENT ON A 1999, FORD VEHICLE, TIRE SIZE IS BELIEVED TO BE 15 INCHES WIDE, BAND TIRES, DOT NUMBER NOT AVAILABLE, TIRES HAVE 7,873 MILES ON THEM. WHEN DRIVING IN BAD WEATHER CONDITIONS ON ICE AND SNOW, CONSUMER NOTICED NO TIRE TRACTION, WHICH CAUSED POOR VEHICLE CONTORL. *AK
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
What owners actually said
419 reportsVEHICLE WAS PARKED, AND ONE OF THE DOORS WAS OPENED WHILE TALKING FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES. COURTESY LIGHT FELL DOWN DUE TO FIXTURE OVERHEATING AND BURNING OFF THE FASTENER. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND INFORMED CONSUMER TO BRING VEHICLE IN. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
BRAKES WERE NOT OPERABLE WHEN APPLIED. PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY DOWN TO FLOOR AND THERE WAS A SQEAKING NOISE. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE NOISE. *AK
TOTAL STEERING LOSS,ON SLIGHT CURVED RD. TOTAL RIGHT WHEEL AND EVERYTHING ATTACHED CAME OFF. EVEN THE COLLISION REPAIR SHOP SAID THEY NEVER SAW ANYTHING LIKE THAT. I AM SUSAN CANALES AND HAVE MY SON'S POWER OF ATTORNEY HE IS IN THE NAVY AND AT SEA RIGHT NOW THANK YOU. *AK
IN THE REAR SEAT THERE IS A BELT THAT DOESN'T RELEASE. THE BELT HAD TO BE CUT AFTER CONSUMER'S CHILD GOT HER HEAD CAUGHT IN THE BELT. IT LOCKED & THERE WAS NO WAY TO RELEASE IT. DEALER IS LOOKING TO SEE IF THIS IS A DEFECT PROBLEM. DEALER CAN FIX IT, BUT THE CONSUMER DOESN'T WANT IT FIXED UNTIL THEY CAN FIND OUT HOW TO RELE…
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IN THE REAR SEAT THERE IS A BELT THAT DOESN'T RELEASE. THE BELT HAD TO BE CUT AFTER CONSUMER'S CHILD GOT HER HEAD CAUGHT IN THE BELT. IT LOCKED & THERE WAS NO WAY TO RELEASE IT. DEALER IS LOOKING TO SEE IF THIS IS A DEFECT PROBLEM. DEALER CAN FIX IT, BUT THE CONSUMER DOESN'T WANT IT FIXED UNTIL THEY CAN FIND OUT HOW TO RELEASE THE BELT. *AK THE CHILD WAS CAUGHT IN THE BELT STRAP AND WAS CHOCKING IN A MATTER OF SECONDS, BUT THE PARENT CUT THE STRAP WITH KNIFE AND RESCUED THE CHILD. *YH
WHEN BRAKING INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE WILL HEAR A METAL TO METAL GRINDING NOISE. MANUFACTURER CLAIMS IT IS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF VEHICLE. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN.*AK
VEHICLE CUTS OFF WHILE MAKING TURNS AND HESITATES IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
INTERMITTENTLY IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED, AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. DEALER HAS REPLACED IGNITION SWITCH, HOWEVER, PROBLEM HAS REOCCURRED.*AK
SINCE 12-15-99 I HAD COUGAR IN SERVICE 3 TIMES FOR WATER LEAK/ 2 TIMES SHIFT LOCK ,LOCKED DOWN BECAUSE OF BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT REAR BRAKE ELCO NOISE WHEN BACKING UP/ CAR HESITATING AT 50+ MILES AN HOUR /PULLING TO RIGHT WHEN PASSING AND GIVING THE CAR MORE ACCELERATION/CAR IDLING REAL HIGH AND WANTING TO TAK…
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SINCE 12-15-99 I HAD COUGAR IN SERVICE 3 TIMES FOR WATER LEAK/ 2 TIMES SHIFT LOCK ,LOCKED DOWN BECAUSE OF BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT REAR BRAKE ELCO NOISE WHEN BACKING UP/ CAR HESITATING AT 50+ MILES AN HOUR /PULLING TO RIGHT WHEN PASSING AND GIVING THE CAR MORE ACCELERATION/CAR IDLING REAL HIGH AND WANTING TO TAKE OFF WHEN YOU FIRST RELEASE THE BRAKE/ THE WINDOWS NOT GOING UP AND DOWN / THE BATTERY EXPLODED/ THE SERVICE WAS TERRIBLE AT GATEWAY THE NOISE IS STILL IN THE REAR WHEELS . THERE IS MORE WHERE THIS CAME FROM THE COUGAR WILL FALL APART/ THE ENGINE OR TRANSMISSION IS A PROBLEM . *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P/215/S0R1 )
DURING VEHICLE COLLISION NEITHER PASSENGER NOR DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED. NLM
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