Ford Contour Power Train Problems
Owners have filed 391 complaints with NHTSA about power train problems on the Ford Contour across 7 model years. The 1998 model year has the most (128). The words owners use most often: “automatic transmission” (8% of reports).
- 391power train complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $3,850typical repair cost reported by owners
- 41%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.
- Automatic transmission: mentioned in 33 of 391 complaints (8%)
- Shift lever: mentioned in 25 of 391 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical power train repair on the Ford Contour at $3,850, and half of them between $1,200 and $4,900.
Based on 11 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (1998–2011), 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 power train problems happen?
Based on 58 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 391 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 1 an injury.
Ford Contour power train complaints by model year
| Model year | Power Train complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 Contour | 1 | 25% | — |
| 2000 Contour | 4 | 2% | 40,000 |
| 1999 Contour | 25 | 6% | 66,500 |
| 1998 Contour | 128 | 15% | 84,221 |
| 1997 Contour | 30 | 14% | 97,000 |
| 1996 Contour | 77 | 14% | 81,124 |
| 1995 Contour | 126 | 14% | 89,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift
Model years: 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
Problem: 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.
Risk: This condition can result in incorrect gear selection.
Fix: Dealers will replace the automatic transmission floor shift control.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 1995 ford contour. While driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was restarted after fifteen minutes and driven to the contact's residence. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who stated that a new transmission sensor was…
Tl*the contact owns a 1998 ford contour. The contact stated that the reverse gear failed to operate. The contact referenced nhtsa campaign number: 98v233000 (power train). However, the vin was not listed under the recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of…
Was on i65 was driving fine hird a loud explosion engine started to rev up a piece of the transmission casing went into my tire causing a blow out, car became out of control and hit gaurdrail. *tt
I have never received any recall notices, but i need to know if there are any. I have a 1999 ford contour, purchased new, one owner, where the dash is curling back, the headlamps collect moisture, the tail lamp has been replaced repeatedly, and now the torque converter is showing up on a read-out…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Contours have power train problems?
No. NHTSA has 391 owner complaints about power train 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 power train?
Yes: 1 safety recall list power train. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix power train problems on the Ford Contour?
Owners report a typical cost of $3,850 (half paid between $1,200 and $4,900), from 11 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about power train problems on the Ford Contour?
The most frequent phrase is “automatic transmission”, in 33 of 391 complaints, followed by “shift lever” (25).
Other Ford Contour problems
See all Ford Contour problems.