Faults:

Electrical System - what can I say? When it rains the car won't run. The dealership said that the 1996 Contour has a problem with the wiring. The dealership said it will cost $1,800 to replace the wiring. The car isn't worth much more than that. Ford did not have a recall on this problem, but if you brought your vehicle in and your car was one with the problem they would fix it for free.

General Comments:

This model car is not dependable enough to put your teenage daughter in.

Faults:

Transmission, radiator fan, suspension, trunk light, dash lights, miscx100.

General Comments:

This car is complete crap! Worst-made modern car I have ever driven. It's been a nightmare & now I can't even sell it, wince the tranny is bad & a used replacement costs more than the car is worth!

Faults:

Transmission replaced twice within the last year

Alternator replaced twice within the last 2 years

Power steering pump replaced

Driver side window motor replaced

Front door speakers shorted out - replaced

Constantly runs hot

Thermostat replaced at least 4 times

Have a new problem with the fuel pump

Had all 4 tires replaced twice due to blistering

Had short in electrical system causing rear brake lights not to work.

General Comments:

I bought this car used from the dealer as a everyday transportation car. It ran great, was comfortable, and felt good on the highway. I had regular maintenance performed at the proper time frames, and everything was good.

Once items started to go bad, they all started to go bad and in some cases multiple times for the same item. Replacement parts are expensive and in most cases you have to take it to a professional shop because of how the car is made and the placement of these items. It seems now I can't go more than 6 months without something else going wrong.

Faults:

Got in April '05, front doors very hard to open.

Fan switch high setting quit working in December.

Rear passenger and front driver wheel bearing went bad in summer.

Front coil springs broken (apparently they were that way when I got the car, and it's a known problem).

Ball joints bad, shakes at highway speed.

Transmission slips in cold weather.

All brand new tires in may 2005 and I already replaced all 4 again a couple months ago.

Replaced all the timing in September because a pulley broke inside.

Also it gets terrible gas mileage after a full tune up. 26-27 mpg highway and my 89 Celebrity with a V6 gets better than that.

Both cupholders broke off.

Windshield developed a crack from god knows what, slowly worked its way all the way across.

General Comments:

Car runs great, drives good, it starts up every day.

Besides the stuff that's wrong with it, (since most of it was bad when I got it, I don't know what caused it or how long ago it happened) it's actually a pretty good car. but I'm just waiting for all the problems I hear about it to start happening.

Kinda slow, no power... but the a.c. works great!

General Comments:

I'm reading everyone say that this car is a piece of crap and it makes me worried. I purchased this car just over a year ago and have absolutely no problems with it what so ever. Only thing I've had to pay for was a transmission flush and your basic oil change. It has many many miles on it and I really hope that it doesn't catch the dreaded contour disease all the others seem to have caught.