Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
Exterior Lighting. Review the 9 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

4 crash reports3 fire reports2 injury reports

What owners actually said

71 reports

Mileage unknown · Aug 28, 2001

Steering

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #751272

Mileage unknown · Aug 16, 2001

Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

CONSUMER HAD RECEIVED RECALL 99V703000 NOTICE BEFORE ON WIRING HARNESS FAILURE THAT AFECTED HEADLIGHTS. PROBLEM HAD HAPPENED AGAIN. BUT, DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR, AND CONSUMER HAD RECEIVED A NOTICE ON BRAKES AS WELL.*AK

NHTSA ODI #894578

Mileage unknown · May 23, 2001

Vehicle Speed ControlCrash

WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AND SHIFTING INTO PARK ENGINE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED, AND VEHICLE HIT A BUILDING WALL. NO INJURY WAS REPORTED. REPAIRS WERE BEING DONE AT DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ODI #888973

Mileage unknown · May 17, 2001

Power Train

GEAR SHIFT IS BEGINNING TO FALL APART, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE IN WHICH GEAR VEHICLE IS IN. THERE IS RECALL LISTED 98V23300 FOR THIS DEFECT. HOWEVER, DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #888493

Mileage unknown · Apr 9, 2001

Power Train

VEHICLE WILL JUMP OUT OF GEAR. ALSO, RECALL 98V233000 DEALS SAME PROBLEM. THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCULDED IN RECALL DUE TO VIN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ODI #885434

Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 2001

Electrical SystemInterior LightingVisibility

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHORTED OUT, CAUSING HAZARD LIGHTS/ INTERIOR LIGHTS ON DOOR, AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS TO WORK INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE CAUSE.*AK DEALER CLEANED EVERYTHING AFTER PULLING DOWN FUSE PANEL, VEHICLE WAS BACK IN SHOP A FEW DAYS LATER, AFTER LAST VISIT CONSUMER HAS NO…

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NHTSA ODI #883452

Mileage unknown · Jan 8, 2001

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #739029

Mileage unknown · Jan 5, 2001

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

RECALL 00V075000, REPAIRS PERFORMED, BUT BRAKE PROBLEMS STILL EXIST. BRAKES LOCK UP AND VEHICLE SLIDES FORWARD. DEALER REFUSES TO REPAIR FREE OF CHARGE.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ODI #877507

Mileage unknown · Dec 19, 2000

Electrical SystemFire

WHILE DRYING VEHICLE AFTER WASHING IT AT CARWASH NOTICED SMOKE FROM UNDER HOOD. LIFTED HOOD & ELECTRICAL WIRES WERE ON FIRE. HAD FIRE EXTINGUISHED. THERE WAS SOME DAMAGE TO WIRES, INCLUDING WIPER MOTOR. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO REPAIR DAMAGE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #876754

Mileage unknown · Dec 7, 2000

Engine And Engine Cooling

GASKET BLEW... FORD 'FIXED'. TWO GASKETS BLEW... FORD CLAIMED ENGINE WAS NOT HARMED. I GOT RID OF THE CAR BEFORE MY WARRANTY RAN UOT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #737454

Official recalls

01V230000 · Electrical System

Jul 9, 2001

ON CERTAIN MY 1996-1998 PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT AT THE KANSAS CITY, CUAUTITLAN ASSEMBLY PLANTS OR ON MY 1999 PASSENGER VEHCLES BUILT AT THE AUTOMOTIVE ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY PLANTS, THE ROUGH SURFACE OF THE HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR'S STAINLESS STEEL BLADES CAN DAMAGE THE COPPER SURFACE OF THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR. THE DAMAGE COULD, OVER TIME, CAUSE INCREASED RESISTANCE IN THE CONNECTOR AND, DUE TO SUBSEQUENT TERMINAL RELAXATION, RESULT IN AN OPEN CIRCUIT CONDITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE OPEN CIRCUIT COULD LEAD TO ELECTRICAL ARCING THAT COULD MELT THE CONNECTOR HOUSING MATERIAL CREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR AND A NEW WIRE JUMPER HARNESS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 29, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT FORD AT 1-800-392-3673.

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.

99V103000 · Exterior Lighting:headlights:switch

May 5, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TERMINALS AT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN EXPERIENCE HEAT DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF OVERHEATING.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THE DAMAGE COULD RESULT IN DISTORTION OF THE TERMINAL CAUSING AN OPEN CIRCUIT IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATION, PARKING LAMP, AND TAIL LAMP CIRCUITS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A HEADLAMP SWITCH WIRING CONNECTOR CONTAINING BRONZE TERMINALS AND AN INSPECTION, AND REPLACEMENT IF NECESSARY, OF THE HEADLAMP SWITCH.

98V233000 · Power Train:automatic Transmission:lever And Linkage:floor Shift

Sep 18, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE FLOOR SHIFT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION CONTROL CAN BE DAMAGED IF SUBJECTED TO CERTAIN INTERIOR CLEANING PRODUCTS. THE GEAR POSITION INDICATOR CAN DETERIORATE AND NOT CORRECTLY INDICATE THE ACTUAL GEAR POSITION.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN INCORRECT GEAR SELECTION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLOOR SHIFT CONTROL.

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