Ford Contour vs Volvo 960

Owner complaints, worst years and recall history side by side, from official NHTSA data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Ford Contour

Total complaints: 3,136
Avg per model year: 351
Recall campaigns (all years): 7
Most complained year: 1995 (891)

Top problems: Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System, Power Train

Volvo 960

Total complaints: 158
Avg per model year: 31
Recall campaigns (all years): 0
Most complained year: 1996 (60)

Top problems: Engine and Engine Cooling, Service Brakes, Hydraulic, Electrical System

Complaints by model year

Year	Ford Contour	Volvo 960
1997	218	20
1996	563	60
1995	891	57
1994	12	19
1993	3	7

Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports per model year. A model that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — compare the shape across years, not just the raw totals, and read the year pages for what actually fails.