Ford Contour Engine and Engine Cooling Problems
Owners have filed 581 complaints with NHTSA about engine and engine cooling problems on the Ford Contour across 7 model years. The 1995 model year has the most (224). The words owners use most often: “water pump” (11% of reports).
- 581engine and engine cooling complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 3mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $1,150typical repair cost reported by owners
- 47%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.
- Water pump: mentioned in 64 of 581 complaints (11%)
- Cooling fan: mentioned in 53 of 581 complaints (9%)
- Head gasket: mentioned in 32 of 581 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 Ford Contour at $1,150, and half of them between $760 and $2,700.
Based on 16 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2007), 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 67 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 581 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 41 a fire, 3 an injury.
Ford Contour engine and engine cooling complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine and Engine Cooling complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 Contour | 1 | 25% | — |
| 2000 Contour | 14 | 7% | 64,007 |
| 1999 Contour | 52 | 12% | 60,000 |
| 1998 Contour | 132 | 16% | 71,000 |
| 1997 Contour | 35 | 16% | 89,000 |
| 1996 Contour | 123 | 22% | 80,500 |
| 1995 Contour | 224 | 25% | 91,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Engine and engine cooling
Model years: 1995, 1996
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…
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…
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…
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford contour. The contact stated that bolts were missing from the engine and transmission. He did not know the bolts were missing at the time the vehicle was purchased. The dealer stated that they did not have the necessary parts available, but would have them ordered…
Original start date 1-12-07. Timing belt shredded. Had shop fix the problem. 4-2-07 belt broke again replaced again. 10-18-07 timing belt broke again. Shop did not want to replace again said it is dealer problem. Dealer says shop problem. Shop says it will fix on 11-2-07. Shop finally fixes on…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Contours have engine and engine cooling problems?
No. NHTSA has 581 owner complaints about engine and engine cooling for the Ford Contour. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 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.
How much does it cost to fix engine and engine cooling problems on the Ford Contour?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,150 (half paid between $760 and $2,700), from 16 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine and engine cooling problems on the Ford Contour?
The most frequent phrase is “water pump”, in 64 of 581 complaints, followed by “cooling fan” (53).
Other Ford Contour problems
- Electrical System problems (551)
- Power Train problems (391)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (276)
- Suspension problems (276)
- Fuel System, Gasoline problems (243)
- Structure problems (226)
- Air Bags problems (215)
- Visibility problems (207)
See all Ford Contour problems.