1998 Ford Contour Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 130 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 1998 Ford Contour, 15% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 85,465 miles. The words owners use most often: “wiring harness” (17% of reports).
- 130electrical system complaints
- 85,465median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 27%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Wiring harness: mentioned in 22 of 130 complaints (17%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 45 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 130 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 13 a fire, 2 an injury.
Ford Contour electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Contour | 16 | 8% | 87,000 |
| 1999 Contour | 65 | 16% | 61,000 |
| 1998 Contour | 130 | 15% | 85,465 |
| 1997 Contour | 41 | 19% | 112,000 |
| 1996 Contour | 119 | 21% | 102,000 |
| 1995 Contour | 180 | 20% | 120,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system
Problem: 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.
Risk: The open circuit could lead to electrical arcing that could melt the connector housing material creasing the potential for a fire.
Fix: 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
"takara recall" my heater motor in my 98 ford contour se just stopped working.
Was driving down route 322 on day and had to hit the break and all of a sudden they went to the floor. I pulled over and checked my break fluid resivour and it was empty. I think the passenger side drum break is leaking fluid.
I just traded and got this car, it seems to sway in the back going over wet roads or bumpy roads not sure what it is, but i fear my safety as the previous owner did not tell me about this. I also have noticed that the temperature gauge does not work and the heater blower only works on high. I…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1998 Ford Contours have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 130 owner complaints about electrical system for the 1998 Ford Contour (15% of the 846 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 1998 Ford Contour electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 85,465 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 1998 Ford Contour?
The most frequent phrase is “wiring harness”, in 22 of 130 complaints.
Other 1998 Ford Contour problems
See all 1998 Ford Contour problems or electrical system problems across all Contour years.