1996 Ford Contour 2.4 Litre from North America

Summary:

I love the car and will probably have it for a long time, until it costs to much to fix it

Faults:

Nothing has really gone wrong with the car that has cost a lot of money.

The ball joints and sway bar links are starting to go on it now.

Console lock broke very easily.

Power window buttons stick easily.

General Comments:

This car has been very reliable, I drove across Canada in it and had no problems.

It is very reasonable on gas mileage.

Handles nicely and has a lot of power for a 4 cylinder.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 4th August, 2005

1996 Ford Contour GL 2.0 from North America

Summary:

The worst car ever made!

Faults:

This car is the biggest heap of junk ever made, everything has failed.

Lets see here-

Thermostats several times.

Radiator leaked at only 53000 miles.

The shifter broke, so you had no clue what gear you were in 48000miles.

I had the Check Engine light on all the time for something, O2 sensors went several times, other sensors.

The tie rods wore out at only 68000 miles.

The power window switch broke.

The water pump developed a small leak, it needed a new water pump, timing belt, tensioned kit, drivebelt all for $825, 71000miles.

The rear wheel cylinder leaked twice actually cost over $300 total.

Few problem it always had and one ever the dealer couldn't fix, the idle was terrible it always idled rough all the time.

It had a brake pulsation ever after rotors replaced twice.

The Check Engine light always said it was running to lean.

The transmission developed a small leak.

Wheel bearing at 74000 miles.

I finally sold the thing. Right before I sold though I believe the trans was beginning to go with 76000 miles only it would shift very hard from 1-2.

It also had a problem right before I sold it. It would start when it wanted to, sometimes it would sometimes it wouldn't. I had it towed twice to a shop, both times it started right up for them though.

The thing has tons of recalls on it.

I always did maintenance to this car, all the time, never abused it or anything and it just gave me trouble all the time.

Ford has some serious quality problem, I will never again buy a Ford, this car was nothing but a piece of junk.

General Comments:

The seats in this car were nice I always liked them.

The car normally handled well even in snow.

I would tell anyone who wants to buy a car, don't buy a Ford.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 13th July, 2005

21st Dec 2005, 13:32

I have the same problem with my Contour as others. Sometimes the car will not start, it turns over, but does not start. If I leave it sit for time periods between 2 hours and over night it will start up as normal. There seems to be no pattern, wet, dry, hot, cold, five minutes or one month, it does not seem to matter. What I have not seen in commentary from others is the fix to this problem. Has no one figured it out? This is an intermittent problem, but one that renders the car un-usable, you never know when or where it will not start and you will be stranded.

6th Apr 2006, 11:55

I'll agree the Contour has it's problems, and boy does it have them. As an ASE Master Auto Tech I've seen most of the typical complaints with the Contour. It's what I refer to as a good rental car, 6 months and get rid of it. Despite all the problems you have suffered they are good cheap cars for those with the ability to do their own repairs. I bought one for my daughter real cheap and with a little bit of work and 4 new tires she has a nice first car.

1996 Ford Contour GL 2.0L 4-Cylinder from North America

Summary:

Love it, But have to hate it!

Faults:

I bought this car in 1999. After about 1 week I had to take it in because the power mirrors didn't work. I think next time I will buy a Ford at a Ford dealer not at a Saturn dealer.

I had to get the head gasket replaced around 75000 mile.

The car stalled on the freeway once and it got fixed, but I never really understood what was wrong with it.

The car seems like it is going to die a lot of times when at stop signs or stop lights. The idle goes up... and down.

Blinkers and reverse lights quit working then all of a sudden started to work again. (I don't know why)

The trunk popping button on the inside of the car dosent work.

Blower motor needs replacing because water leaks on it!

About 6 fuses at once went out at once.

Transmission had to replaced at about 100,000 miles.

Alternator went out twice. It is very hard to get out and in.

Water pump needed replacing at about 120,000 miles.

The car would not shift into gear... On the stick to put it into Park, Reverse, Drive, neutral, ex... The button would not push in and had to stick a screwdriver under the counsel to get it to shift out of park. Got that fixed though!

The thing that upset me the MOST was, The front coil springs, both of them somehow got broken. Well I seen that a lot of other people have the same complaint about the car. So I went on the INTERNET to do a little research on it and I found this one website saying there was a recall on the car for it. But when I called the Ford dealer to ask them they said there was never such a recall on it. SO I went to a junk yard and got two new struts and coil springs to put on my car and they are on and have been work fine lately.

The trunk leaks a little bit and gets the carpet in the there wet when it gets washed or it rains.

The car use to shut the radio and the lights and everything inside the car off when I would go 70mph or floor it.

That stopped I think when I got the battery replaced.

The back doors also speak! Like a lot of other peoples do, WD40 works for a little while, but not for long.

Another thing that other people have is the cup holders breaking, well mine too.

The seals that are under the windows on the doors are coming off the Drivers side rear door's seal is completely off.

It usually seems like after I get one thing fixed another thing goes wrong right away. It seems like it is never perfect.

General Comments:

I really love this car! I love the way it drives (usually) and the way it looks inside and out!

I wish I would have bought a Contour with a 6 Cylinder though. A 4 just doesn't have that much pick up. I can go at stop light from brake to flooring it in the rain and the tires would not spin or anything, it would just take of as if I tapped it.

I still have and drive this car, but I like it too much to get rid of it!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 30th April, 2005

15th Jan 2006, 11:29

You should have had your timing belt and tensioners replaced when they did the water pump. That would have saved a ton on labor and would have fixed your idle and stall problem.

You should also take out the mass airflow sensor and blow it off with compressed air. Clean the sensor with a bit of rubbing alcohol. That too will go toward fixing your idle and stall problem and improve your mileage.