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1999 Ford ContourProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 419 owner complaints about the 1999 Ford Contour, most often about the structure. It is covered by 3 safety recalls.

54
CarFlaw IndexSolid year15% below the Contour median · #4 of 6 years by complaints
Safety recalls3Free fix at dealersOwner complaints41960 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage50kStructure, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through May 3, 2023. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 1999 Ford Contour has problems

419 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Structure933
Electrical system6510
Engine and engine cooling523
Service brakes, hydraulic425
Visibility382
Suspension322
Air bags2920
Fuel system, gasoline261
Tires254
16 other systems13314

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

1999 Ford Contour recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components

Recall 00V-075 · Mar 9, 2000 · 436,200 vehicles

Risk. IF BOTH PCRV'S MALFUNCTION, VEHICLE HANDLING COULD BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED DURING BRAKING AS A RESULT OF THE REAR WHEELS LOCKING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Ford.

Mileage at failure

When do structure problems start?

50kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 35 structure complaints. 86% were reported before 100,000 miles.

Only 32% of complaints for this model year include a mileage.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
2under 30k miles30under 100k miles5100k miles or more
Best & worst years

1999 vs. every other Contour year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Contour median. How we score

'95'96'97'98'99'00'01
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

1999 Ford Contour safety ratings

1999 Ford Contour 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
2 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 1999 Ford Contour, and the recalls they led to.

  1. INSTRUMENT PANEL COVER WARPAGEDP06004 · closed Apr 10, 2007
    No recall
  2. BLOWER SWITCH/RESISTOR OR WIRING HARNESSEA01001 · closed Jul 31, 2001
    Led to recall 01I009000
In owners' words

What Contour owners report

Recent structure complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

REAR FRAME, SUSPENSION RUSTED COMPLETELY INTO AN WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND THREW ME INTO DITCH. THIS IS COMPLETELY NOT ACCEPTABLE. I HAVE 1960'S CARS %100 BETTER THAN THIS. I KNOW THIS IS A 1999 BUT THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. CAN ANYTHING BE DONE.
Complaint 10954971 · Feb 15, 2017 · 120,000 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD CONTOUR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO WOBBLE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
Complaint 10748430 · Aug 13, 2015 · 110,000 miles
THE FUEL TANK STRAP IS COMPLETELY CORRODED AWAY, AND THE FUEL TANK IS READY TO FALL OFF. THE PROTECTIVE COATING IS DEFECTIVE AND HAS COMPLETELY FALLEN OFF, CAUSING THE FUEL STRAP TO BE EATEN AWAY BY RUST AND CORROSION. THE FUEL TANK IS GOING TO FALL OFF EVENTUALLY. THE FUEL FILLER NECK AND EMISSION…
Complaint 10559782 · Jan 14, 2014 · 100,000 miles

Own a 1999 Contour?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.