Ford Contour Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 276 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the Ford Contour across 6 model years. The 1998 model year has the most (102). The words owners use most often: “front coil” (23% of reports).
- 276suspension complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 5mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $980typical repair cost reported by owners
- 30%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.
- Front coil: mentioned in 63 of 276 complaints (23%)
- Spring broke: mentioned in 31 of 276 complaints (11%)
- Springs broken: mentioned in 18 of 276 complaints (7%)
- Provide further: mentioned in 17 of 276 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical suspension repair on the Ford Contour at $980, and half of them between $850 and $1,500.
Based on 8 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2000–2008), 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 suspension problems happen?
Based on 65 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 276 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 5 an injury.
Ford Contour suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Contour | 4 | 2% | 27,201 |
| 1999 Contour | 32 | 8% | 75,785 |
| 1998 Contour | 102 | 12% | 79,405 |
| 1997 Contour | 17 | 8% | 123,000 |
| 1996 Contour | 38 | 7% | 78,000 |
| 1995 Contour | 83 | 9% | 93,598 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Suspension:front:springs:coil springs
Model years: 1998
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles built at the kansas city assembly plant and originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, and wisconsin, and the district of columbia. The front coil springs may fracture as a result of corrosion in high corrosion environments. Depending on the location of the fracture, a broken spring could move past the spring seat and contact a front tire.
Risk: Some tires have deflated due to contact with a broken spring.
Fix: Dealers will install spring catcher brackets. Owner notification began october 23, 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 1-866-436-7332.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Vehicle won't pass inspection due to a Broken or cracked coil spring front passenger side. It was in a recall that we never received notification. And I don't feel like we should be out over $200 to get it licensed.
My car was recalled in 2001. The past 6 mo my electrical system smells like its burning or something melting. Almost like its going to catch on fire
Corrosion under the car (police inceptor ). Car was purchase from a local dealer in bamberg, sc that sell many crown victorias. He indicated my car came from up north, pennsylvania. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 1995 ford contour. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 mph, the contact noticed that the front passenger side tire was flat. The tire was replaced with a spare, which was also punctured. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for diagnostic…
I printed out all of the recalls on 1996, ford contour but when i went to the ford place they said the recalls are not on my particular car. So is that so? That cars are made in batches and only certain batches are recalled. I have a 1996 ford contour, 4 cylinder motor. That does have all of the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all Ford Contours have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 276 owner complaints about suspension 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 suspension?
Yes: 1 safety recall list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix suspension problems on the Ford Contour?
Owners report a typical cost of $980 (half paid between $850 and $1,500), from 8 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the Ford Contour?
The most frequent phrase is “front coil”, in 63 of 276 complaints, followed by “spring broke” (31).
Other Ford Contour problems
See all Ford Contour problems.