1997 Ford CONTOUR: complaints, problems and recalls

THE DRIVERSIDE DOOR ON MY 1997 FORD CONTOUR LATCH WAS STICKING. NOW IT DOES NOT STICK BUT IT WILL NOT LATCH. WHEN IT FIRST STARTED YOU HAD TO APPLY ALOT OF PRESSURE TO OPEN THE DOOR AND NOW IT IS EASY BUT DOES NOT STAY SHUT.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10000468 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES THAT FRONT SEATS ARE NOT STABILIZED AND WHILE DRIVING THE SEATS MOVES BACKWARDS. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10001547 at NHTSA ↗

THE POWER STEERING LINE IS ROUTED UNDER THE FRONT WHEEL DRIVE AXIL AND HAS RUB A HOLE IN THE LINE. AND HAS CAUSED A LEAK.

Owner-reported narrative. 110,652 miles reported. Look up ODI 10003586 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER STATES WHEN PULLING OFF OR BRAKING THE PASSENGER SEAT MOVES BACKWARDS AND FORWARDS, CAUSING THE PASSENGER TO JERK. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10003795 at NHTSA ↗

THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO BE REIMBURSE FOR A MELTED FUEL PUMP. PH

Owner-reported narrative. 70,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004408 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10006000 at NHTSA ↗

1997 FORD CONTOUR. *NLM **DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*767928

Owner-reported narrative. 87,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10006962 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SAME DEFEC TAS MENTIONED IN RECALL #99V103000 CONCERNING HEADLIGHTS. THS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *NLM.....*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10012321 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2000-03-09 (March 9, 2000)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES NOT EQUIPPED WITH THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM (ABS). A PRESSURE CONSCIOUS REDUCING VALVE (PCRV) IN THE REAR BRAKES MAY BE SUBJECT TO CORROSION AND RESULT IN MALFUNCTION, WHEN OPERATED IN AREAS THAT USE SALT COMPOUNDS ON THE ROADWAY FOR DE-ICING OR DUST CONTROL.

Consequence: 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.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL IMPROVED PCRV'S IN THE REAR BRAKE SYSTEM. THIS RECALL WAS EXPANDED IN SEPTEMBER 2000 TO INCLUDE 1999 AND 2000 FORD CONTOUR, MERCURY MYSTIQUE AND COUGAR VEHICLES.

Reported: 2001-07-09 (July 9, 2001)

ON CERTAIN MY 1996-1998 PASSENGER VEHICLES BUILT AT THE KANSAS CITY, CUAUTITLAN ASSEMBLY PLANTS OR ON MY 1999 PASSENGER VEHCLES BUILT AT THE AUTOMOTIVE ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY PLANTS, THE ROUGH SURFACE OF THE HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR'S STAINLESS STEEL BLADES CAN DAMAGE THE COPPER SURFACE OF THE WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR. THE DAMAGE COULD, OVER TIME, CAUSE INCREASED RESISTANCE IN THE CONNECTOR AND, DUE TO SUBSEQUENT TERMINAL RELAXATION, RESULT IN AN OPEN CIRCUIT CONDITION.

Consequence: THE OPEN CIRCUIT COULD LEAD TO ELECTRICAL ARCING THAT COULD MELT THE CONNECTOR HOUSING MATERIAL CREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HEATER BLOWER RESISTOR AND A NEW WIRE JUMPER HARNESS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN AUGUST 29, 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 1-800-392-3673.

Reported: 1997-11-17 (November 17, 1997)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: BI-FUEL VEHICLES MODIFIED TO RUN ON EITHER GASOLINE OR COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS (CNG). THE NATURAL GAS FUEL TANKS HAVE A SOLENOID SHUT-OFF VALVE THAT STOPS FUEL FLOW FROM THE FUEL TANK IN THE EVENT OF CERTAIN MODERATE TO SEVERE COLLISIONS. IF THE VEHICLE IS IN A COLLISION AND THE NATURAL GAS FUEL LINE IS DAMAGED, THE SYSTEM COULD LEAK NATURAL GAS.

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: FORD HAS REQUESTED OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES TO HAVE THE CNG FUEL SYSTEM DISABLED UNDER A PREVIOUS RECALL CAMPAIGN AND TO ONLY USE GASOLINE FUEL UNTIL A PERMANENT CORRECTIVE ACTION IS DEVELOPED. OWNERS ARE BEING ALERTED TO THIS SOLENOID VALVE CONCERN AT THIS TIME. THE TIMING OF CORRECTIVE ACTIONS IS BEING DELAYED TO ALLOW BOTH CONDITIONS TO BE REMEDIED AT ONE TIME. IN THE MEANTIME, THERE IS NOT RISK AS LONG AS THE NATURAL GAS SYSTEM HAS BEEN DISABLED AND THE VHEICLE IS ONLY OPERATED ON GASOLINE.

Reported: 1998-09-18 (September 18, 1998)

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.

Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN INCORRECT GEAR SELECTION.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLOOR SHIFT CONTROL.

Reported: 1999-05-05 (May 5, 1999)

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE TERMINALS AT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH AND WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR CAN EXPERIENCE HEAT DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF OVERHEATING.

Consequence: THE DAMAGE COULD RESULT IN DISTORTION OF THE TERMINAL CAUSING AN OPEN CIRCUIT IN THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATION, PARKING LAMP, AND TAIL LAMP CIRCUITS.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A HEADLAMP SWITCH WIRING CONNECTOR CONTAINING BRONZE TERMINALS AND AN INSPECTION, AND REPLACEMENT IF NECESSARY, OF THE HEADLAMP SWITCH.