1995 Ford Contour Engine and Engine Cooling Problems

Source: NHTSA · Updated Jul 20, 2015 · 224 complaints analyzed

Owners have filed 224 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1995 Ford Contour, 25% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 91,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “cooling fan” (19% of reports).

What owners describe

Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.

  • Cooling fan: mentioned in 42 of 224 complaints (19%)
  • Water pump: mentioned in 24 of 224 complaints (11%)
  • Head gasket: mentioned in 23 of 224 complaints (10%)
  • Consumer states: mentioned in 13 of 224 complaints (6%)

How much does it cost to fix?

Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine and engine cooling repair on the 1995 Ford Contour at $4,500, and half of them between $3,550 and $7,750.

Based on 5 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2002), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.

At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems happen?

Based on 12 complaints that reported the odometer reading.

Under 10k miles0 · 0%
10k–25k miles1 · 8%
25k–50k miles0 · 0%
50k–75k miles3 · 25%
75k–100k miles3 · 25%
100k–150k miles3 · 25%
150k+ miles2 · 17%

How serious are the reports?

Of 224 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 28 a fire, 1 an injury.

Ford Contour engine and engine cooling complaints by model year

Peak: 1995, with 224 complaints
1995: 22419952241996: 12319961231997: 351997351998: 13219981321999: 521999522000: 142000142001: 120011

n = 581 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Model yearEngine and Engine Cooling complaintsShare of that yearMedian miles
2001 Contour125%—
2000 Contour147%64,007
1999 Contour5212%60,000
1998 Contour13216%71,000
1997 Contour3516%89,000
1996 Contour12322%80,500
1995 Contour22425%91,500

When owners reported it

Peak: 2001, with 88 complaints
1995: 5199551996: 551997: 121997121998: 16161999: 191999192000: 27272001: 882001882002: 26262003: 132003132004: 552005: 2200522007: 222009: 2200922010: 112011: 120111

n = 224 complaints · Source: NHTSA

Related recalls (1)

Engine and engine coolingNov 6, 2000 · NHTSA campaign 00V367000 · 262,559 vehicles

Problem: Vehicle description: 1995 passenger vehicles equipped with the 2.0l and 2.5l engines, and 1996 vehicles equipped with 2.5l engines. Tightening of the engine cooling fan motor bearings, up to and including motor stall, can result in increased motor torque and higher than normal motor current and accompanying high motor temperatures.

Risk: Overheating of the cooling fan motor due to excessive current can result in smoke and odors from bearing grease, insulation and other internal motor components. If electrical current continues to be applied to the motor, internal motor components could ignite possibly igniting other engine compartment components.

Fix: Dealers will install a positive temperature coefficient device in-line with each fan motor. Ford will also extend the warranty on the engine cooling fan assembly to a total of 8 years of service or 100,000 miles from the warranty start date, whichever occurs first. If the vehicle already has more than 100,000 miles, this coverage will last until july 31, 2001.

What owners report

Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.

Tl* the contact owns a 1995 ford contour. The contact stated that while parked, a burning odor began to emit from the vents. In addition, the check engine light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostics, where the mechanic stated that the…

Received Aug 16, 2011 · NHTSA complaint 10419680

I recently purchased a 1995 ford contour and i noticed its been smoking the mechanic keeps saying there is nothing wrong or they cant detect a problem. I noticed this model car has had several recalls. Could this used car be affected by a faulty part and can i qualify for a recall part repair if…

Received May 24, 2010 · NHTSA complaint 10331894

Tl*the contact owns a 1995 ford contour. The contact's vehicle was repaired according to nhtsa campaign id number 00v367000(engine and engine cooling) in 2004. Five years later, the fan motors have overheated and caused the electrical components to melt. The dealer and manufacturer stated that they…

Received Jun 23, 2009 · NHTSA complaint 10274718
Ford Contour
1998-200 Ford Contour photographed in USA.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Frequently asked questions

Do all 1995 Ford Contours have engine and engine cooling problems?

No. NHTSA has 224 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the 1995 Ford Contour (25% of the 891 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.

Was there a recall on the 1995 Ford Contour engine and engine cooling?

Yes: 1 safety recall list engine and engine cooling. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.

At what mileage do engine and engine cooling problems start?

The median reported mileage is 91,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.

How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the 1995 Ford Contour?

Owners report a typical cost of $4,500 (half paid between $3,550 and $7,750), from 5 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.

What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the 1995 Ford Contour?

The most frequent phrase is “cooling fan”, in 42 of 224 complaints, followed by “water pump” (24).

Other 1995 Ford Contour problems

See all 1995 Ford Contour problems or engine and engine cooling problems across all Contour years.