1999 Ford Contour Air bags Problems
- Complaints
- 29about this part
- Share
- 7%of 419 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 55,000miles
- Trend
- StableComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are within 25% of the 3 years before.
NHTSA recorded 29 complaints about the air bags of the 1999 Ford Contour, 7% of the 419 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 55,000 miles. 17 of these say a crash was involved and 2 a fire, according to the filers.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I was in an accident and the seat belt on my three year old son's car seat came undone. It was the belt that goes from the car to the car seat. The car flipped and his seat went flying around in the car. The air bags never deployed when the car flipped and hit a dirt embankment.”
NHTSA complaint #10008485, filed 2003-03, 63,235 miles“On dec. 3, 2004 I was involved in an accident with my vehicle, 1999 Ford Contour, and an oncoming vehicle, a 1999 Ford pick-up. I was going through a green light at an intersection doing 30-35mph when the truck went through his red light, plowing through the intersection. As a result, I hit (t-boned) his truck. The whole front end of my vehicle ran into the passengers side of his vehicle (he was doing 30mph at the very least). My air bag did not deploy as it should have. I hit my head on the steering wheel. …”
NHTSA complaint #10102198, filed 2004-12, 65,000 miles“While wearing my seat belt which I always check to be sure it is fastened I fell asleep at the wheel. I hit the left barrier and jerked the wheel. That is all I remember. When I woke up the car was upside down and I was laying on the roof on my stomach facing forward. The seat belt came unbuckled and the air bag did not deploy. It appears I was thrown into the empty passenger seat as it was broken. I am upset the belt came unbuckled. The car was a 1999 Ford Contour se. I had no buckle problems in the past.”
NHTSA complaint #10008276, filed 2003-02, 50,000 miles“I own a 1999 Ford Contour with a horribly warped dashboard. There was never a recall, only a courtesy call to come to Ford and have it fixed. I brought it into my local dealer, who did not have another dash to replace. They had to order it. When I called back several months later, they told me that time had expired and they sent the dash back to Ford and there was nothing I can do. This warped dash is dangerous, interferes with my field of vision, the defroster won't work properly and now is interfering with the passenger side airbag. I want you to know about this early in case of an accident. …”
NHTSA complaint #10056762, filed 2004-02, 12,000 miles“Driver fell asleep at the wheel while driving and hit a house pole then a telephone pole. Upon impact, both air bags failed to deploy. The driver sustained head and back injuries and was transported by ambulance to the hospital. Vehicle was totaled.”
NHTSA complaint #10052074, filed 2004-02, 55,000 milesAir bags: other model years
Other parts of the 1999 Ford Contour
93 complaintsElectrical system
65 complaintsEngine cooling
52 complaintsOther or unknown
46 complaintsBrakes
45 complaintsVisibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)
39 complaintsSuspension
32 complaintsFuel system
30 complaintsTires
25 complaintsTransmission and drivetrain
25 complaintsSeat belts
24 complaintsEquipment
22 complaints
← All problems reported for the 1999 Ford Contour
About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology