1997 Ford Contour Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe electrical and wiring trouble — headlight and blower switch heat damage, underhood harness deterioration, and instrument or tail lights that quit — followed by engine cooling complaints such as coolant leaks and overheating. Transmission complaints center on the automatic gearbox failing or refusing to engage, and brake complaints describe a pedal that sinks or a vehicle that will not stop. Many reports come in between roughly 80,000 and 140,000 miles, and several owners describe problems that returned after repairs.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Headlight and blower switch overheating, melted wiring

   • 49 complaints (22%)
   • median 102,500 mi at 9.6 yrs old (10 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2012

   Owners describe headlights, tail lights, park lights, dash lighting and the defroster quitting, with heat damage or melting at the headlight switch, its connector, or the blower motor resistor and jumper harness. Some report smoke or flames from the steering column or near the windshield wipers, and one owner says an underhood wire harness burned. Dealers in these complaints often said the vehicle was not covered by a campaign by VIN, or that the work had already been done. Reported from around 78,000 to 138,000 miles, with several owners noting the problem came back after a switch or harness repair.

   Recall 01V230000Recall 99V1030002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether campaigns 01V230000 (blower resistor/connector) and 99V103000 (headlight switch) were performed and whether the paperwork shows it. Check that all exterior, dash and blower speeds work and look for browning or a burned smell at the headlight and blower switches.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I have 1997 Ford Contour se. I have had several problems with it, check engine light comes on constantly, radiator light comes on constantly, runs poorly. I had all checked when they happen on multilple occasions. After doing some research on the internet, I found that there may be a problem with the wiring harness in the engine compartment. I was told by a freind that he had heard of a problem like this and Ford was fixing them, and I should call the dealer. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10177390, filed 2006-12, 85,000 miles

   “Hi, we have had so many problems I can't believe that Ford dosen't recall the 97 contours.we only had the car 1 month and the e.g.r valve to the exhaust manifold was replaced.the p.c. Valve has been serviced 4 times.the EGR pressure feedback /back pressure was replaced.the rotor on the brakes was cracked and had to be replaced.we have had the car in the shop a total of 58 days.we took the car in 5 times telling them about this burning odor coming from the A/C vents. Recall about wire harness. They said could not verify concern. …”

   NHTSA complaint #718571, filed 2000-02
2. 2
   Brakes

   Brake pedal goes low, extended stopping distance

   • 17 complaints (8%)
   • median 149,500 mi at 10.6 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 3 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1997–2007

   Complaints describe the brake pedal sinking toward the floor, the vehicle not stopping as expected, and in one case a leaking hydraulic vacuum line found after a tow. Some owners report the same brake repair being done more than once, and another describes a brake hose worn through and bursting. One owner notes a cracked rotor needing replacement. Reported mainly on higher-mileage cars, from about 83,000 up past 140,000 miles.

   Recall 00V075000

   What to check: Press the pedal firmly and hold it to see whether it stays hard, and check for fluid at the wheels, along the hydraulic lines and at the rear pressure valve. Ask whether the rear pressure reducing valve campaign 00V075000 applies and has been performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “While driving the consumer noticed that the brake pedal descended to the floor and the vehicle experienced extended stopping distance. The vehicle has been in for the same repairs three times.”

   NHTSA complaint #10012324, filed 2003-03

   “When brakes are applied , the brakes start making loud noises. Had the pads replaced last month and now the same noise has returned again. Dealer said that rotors needed replacement.”

   NHTSA complaint #810811, filed 1997-04
3. 3
   Electrical system

   Underhood wiring harness deterioration and electrical faults

   • 33 complaints (15%)
   • median 112,000 mi at 9.5 yrs old (8 state mileage, few)
   • 10 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1998–2012

   Owners describe the engine wiring harness crumbling, with insulation flaking off the injector plugs and bare wires exposed, causing a lean-running engine, stalling and a check engine light. Others report a bad ground in the main harness that took the electrical system down, and one says the car caught fire while parked with a possible electrical short. Some owners say the dealer confirmed a wiring recall existed but that their VIN was not included. Reported from about 85,000 to 134,000 miles; one owner describes the harness wiring visible with the engine running poorly on short trips.

   Recall 01V2300001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Open the hood and look at the injector connectors and harness for cracked or missing insulation, and scan for stored check engine codes. Ask whether the underhood harness work described in the extended-coverage bulletin was ever done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The wiring harness has deteriorated to where the engine runs lean and dies. The check engine light came on while driving. Once home I checked everything I could until the engine compartment cooled then noticed the wiring on the number 1 cylinder. The more I looked I could see all the injector plugs were deteriorated badly with number 4 being worse. Just touching the harness causes the insulation to flake off and bare wires to be exposed. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10469368, filed 2012-08, 134,000 miles

   “The vehicle caught on fire after being parked for 2 minutes. The local fire department arrived to extinguish the fire. The fire marshall informed the consumer that the cause might have been an electrical short. The dealer was not notified at this time.”

   NHTSA complaint #10119131, filed 2005-06, 92,708 miles
4. 4
   Engine cooling

   Coolant leaks, water pump and head gasket / overheating

   • 15 complaints (7%)
   • median 95,000 mi at 9.1 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1997–2013

   Owners report coolant leaking from the water pump, repeated water pump replacements at short intervals, and the engine overheating without warning so that they had to stop and refill the radiator. Some describe a blown head gasket, in one case twice within days of getting the car back, and one owner notes the pump was plastic rather than metal. Dealers performed the pump replacements in several of these complaints. Reported from roughly 37,000 to 134,000 miles, with several owners describing repeat leaks within a few thousand miles of each repair.

   What to check: Look under the water pump and around the engine for coolant residue or a sweet smell, and check the coolant level and condition. Ask whether the water pump or head gasket has been replaced and when, and watch the temperature gauge on a longer test drive.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Bought a 1997 Ford Contour and 4 days later the head gasket blew. After being in shop over a month and many other problems repaired I finally got car back and the very next day the head gasket blew again within 2 miles from my house.”

   NHTSA complaint #10208704, filed 2007-11, 105,000 miles

   “In october 2001 (at 67000 miles), coolant was leaking from the water pump on my 1997 2.5-liter v6 Ford Contour. Water pump was replaced. On june 2002 (at 73000 miles), the water pump started leaking again. Water pump was replaced again. On december 2002 (at 80000 miles), the same thing happened again, I.e. The pump was leaking. Water pump was replaced. On april 2003 (at 85000 miles), the water pump again began to leak from around the same spot (per the service technician). Water pump was replaced. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10018359, filed 2003-05, 85,000 miles
5. 5
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Automatic transmission will not engage or fails suddenly

   • 20 complaints (9%)
   • median 97,000 mi at 7.2 yrs old (3 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2000–2007

   Complaints describe the overdrive light staying on, the automatic transmission refusing to engage or slipping, burned fluid, and rebuilds or replacements. Some owners say the failure came without much warning, at times at highway speed, and one owner points to a sensor inside the transmission breaking. The gear position indicator on the floor shifter can also read the wrong gear, and dealers sometimes declined coverage under the shifter campaign based on VIN. Spread across the sample, with reported failures from about 48,000 to 101,000 miles and repeated transmission work at higher mileage.

   Recall 98V2330001 related service bulletin

   What to check: On a test drive, check that every gear engages promptly from cold and that the overdrive light behaves normally, and ask whether the transmission has been rebuilt. Confirm whether campaign 98V233000 was done and whether the shifter indicator matches the actual gear.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Cd4e transmission in 1998 Ford Contour gl (same complaint as the c4de in the mazda 626). Transmission needed to be rebuilt due to the tss sensor breaking and falling inside the transmission - which stopped the pump and caused vehicle to become inoperable. The sensor is in the driver's side fenderwell, where it is exposed to road hazards and environmental conditions. Not a good design. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10042928, filed 2003-10, 97,000 miles

   “Trasmission failure at 48000 miles and again at 101000 miles both requiring complete rebuild. Both failures were sudden onset and the second occured at highway speed witch nearly caused a serious accident (thank god for the quick thinking driver behind me) took to 5 different shops for diagnoses. All said that the cd4e transimission was a notoriously bad transmission on both fords and mazdas”

   NHTSA complaint #10060791, filed 2004-03, 101,000 miles

Buying note. On a car of this age the electrical and cooling systems carry the most owner reports, so check lighting, blower speeds, harness condition and coolant leaks carefully and ask for records of the relevant campaigns by VIN. A pre-purchase inspection that includes a transmission and brake check is worth the cost given the transmission and brake complaints described here.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.