1997 Ford Contour GL review from North America
"Poor, not one of Fords better products"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Shortly after I bought it the OD light started flashing for the transmission.
Transmission changes very hard when OD light comes on (after about 30 miles)
Tires Wear out fast.
Engine idles poorly with air running.
Car vibrates when in drive at idle.
Loud clunking noise in rear of car.
Engine runs hot and overheats.
Battery needs replacing every year.
Smells of burning wiring when A/C running.
General comments?
The car has been nothing, but trouble since I bought it.
I cannot complain about reliability, it has let me down on several occasions, but it normally keeps running even with all of it's problems.
Main problem is with battery cables melting, seems to happen all the time.
Recommended reviews
  | Garbage - Major $$$ for repairs |
| 1996 - Contour GL Sport Zetec 2.0L DOHC 16v I-4 Extremely fine driving POS |
| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1997 |
| First year of ownership | 2002 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Engine and transmission | 2.0 Automatic |
| Performance marks | 3/10 |
| Reliability marks | 1/10 |
| Comfort marks | 4/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 65000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 93000 miles |
| Previous car | Toyota Corolla |
| Date of Entry | 27th July, 2005 |