Saturday, August 8, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

1997 Ford Contour vs 1999 Ford Contour

Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric1997 Ford Contour1999 Ford Contour
NHTSA complaints218419
Recall campaigns22
Service bulletins (TSBs)203182
Investigations42
Crash reports1128
Fire reports1010
NCAP overall rating
EPA MPG (combined)21–2420–25
Median reported incident mileage97,000 mi60,000 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentFord ContourFord Contour
Electrical System4165
Structure593
Engine and Engine Cooling3552
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2742
Visibility1938
Power Train3025
Suspension1732
Air Bags929

Symptoms owners describe

Stalling1137
Electrical failures70
Check engine light68
Vibration / shaking623
Clunking / rattling65
Rust / corrosion014
Hesitation / surging09
Overheating05

Compare all Ford Contour vs Ford Contour years →

Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.