Your vehicle report
1999 Ford Contour
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 419
- Received Dec 1998 to May 2023
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Dashboard melts, becomes sticky and glares54 complaints · 13% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbags fail to deploy in crashes21 complaints · 5.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine suddenly shuts off while driving21 complaints · 5.0% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #00V350000Vehicle description: bi-fuel vehicles. These vehicles may have a fuel tank filler pipe grommet that could have been damaged during the installation of the bi-fuel system. If the grommet is damaged, fuel could leak. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire. Dealers will replace the fuel tank filler pipe grommet.
- Recall #00V075000Vehicle 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 28 crashes, 10 fires, 34 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
- Ignition key sticks or will not turn
- Vehicle catches fire from wiring
- Horn fails with airbag warning light
1 more problem
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
- Dashboard melts, becomes sticky and glares
- Dashboard cracks near passenger airbag
- Heater blows cold air, defroster fails
1 more problem
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 1 |
| 1999 | 27 |
| 2000 | 52 |
| 2001 | 43 |
| 2002 | 41 |
| 2003 | 62 |
| 2004 | 68 |
| 2005 | 55 |
| 2006 | 20 |
| 2007 | 18 |
| 2008 | 10 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 3 |
| 2011 | 7 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1 |
| 2016 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2018 | 0 |
| 2019 | 0 |
| 2020 | 0 |
| 2021 | 0 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 |
| 2024 | 0 |
| 2025 | 0 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 0 |
| Total | 419 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dashboard melts, becomes sticky and glares | 54 | 13% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 21 | 5.0% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 21 | 5.0% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 18 | 4.3% | – | |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 18 | 4.3% | – | |
| Dashboard cracks near passenger airbag | 15 | 3.6% | – | |
| Heater blows cold air, defroster fails | 15 | 3.6% | – | |
| Coil springs break and puncture tires | 11 | 2.6% | – | |
| Brakes make grinding or squealing noise | 11 | 2.6% | – | |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 10 | 2.4% | – | NHTSA recall #99V060000 |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 10 | 2.4% | – | |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 9 | 2.1% | – | |
| Glass shatters or cracks without impact | 7 | 1.7% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 7 | 1.7% | – | |
| Horn fails with airbag warning light | 6 | 1.4% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 6 | 1.4% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 6 | 1.4% | – | NHTSA recall #00V350000 |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 5 | 1.2% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 5 | 1.2% | – | |
| Fuel pump fails and engine stalls | 5 | 1.2% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #00V350000October 30, 20003,750 vehicles affected
fuel system, other: storage: tank assembly
Vehicle description: bi-fuel vehicles. These vehicles may have a fuel tank filler pipe grommet that could have been damaged during the installation of the bi-fuel system. If the grommet is damaged, fuel could leak. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire. Dealers will replace the fuel tank filler pipe grommet.
If the grommet is damaged, fuel could leak. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the fuel tank filler pipe grommet.
NHTSA recall #00V075000March 9, 2000436,200 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #99V060000March 17, 19994,569 vehicles affected
electrical system: ignition: switch
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles built with automatic transmissions which utilize a park/lock solenoid. It is possible to rotate the ignition key to the lock position and remove the key without the shift lever and transmission being in park. These vehicles do not comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 114, "theft protection."
This could result in a crash and possible personal injury.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect these vehicles. Vehicles that have units with ignition keys removable in gear positions other than park, will have the steering column replaced.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1999 Ford Contour.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN