We are wondering if anyone else out there is having as many problems as we are with our Contour. It seems as if we can't even go a year without getting the check engine light go on. It always seem to be a "hugo" sensor. We still take the car to the dealership to get the oil changed on a very regular basis. The last time we got the check engine light on was a not even a year ago. It was in June, low and behold we get into the car.. and there it is again. Now it seems to be something with the fuel sensor. If there is one. We can't go 2 weeks on a tank of fuel. The car has 86000k on it. I take it to work at home, with the odd road trip. Have there been any recalls on this vehicle I missed?
The car handles well.
The Check engine light always on is costing me lots of cash and is very annoying.
I had the same problem, if your fuel consumption goes up it is because your O2 sensor has failed and the fuel mixture goes to full rich. And this is not cheap to replace. But consider this, you are losing about 100 km per tank.
My check engine light comes on after I fill the tank up with gas. As the gas tank gets lower, the check engine light disappears. I was told by the dealer it was the 02 detector. They gave me an estimate of $400.00 to replace it. Am I getting ripped off, or is that how much it costs?
Mind you, it is a dealer doing the repair work.
I bought my 1998 Contour GL used in 2008. The car had around 160,000 km's on it. I put about 20,000 km's on it before someone hit me and totaled the car. Everything worked as expected when I got it (p/windows, p/locks etc.)
Problems I had were over heating: cooling fan would rev insanely loud, and the temperature gauge would routinely be between the L on NORMAL and the red bar (meaning TOO HOT). The car burned through coolant quickly (I wouldn't drive without a bottle in the trunk) One day something with the radiator went wrong and the coolant made a green puddle under the car. Got a new radiator ($700 CAN) and overheating + coolant burning still happened. Seems to be the nature of the car.
Also, my check engine light has been on since forever. Simply doesn't turn off.
"The car burned through coolant quickly (I wouldn't drive without a bottle in the trunk) One day something with the radiator went wrong and the coolant made a green puddle under the car. Got a new radiator ($700 CAN) and overheating + coolant burning still happened. Seems to be the nature of the car."
No, it's not the nature of the car. Something was wrong: thermostat, water pump, or head gasket.
Also: check engine lights don't just turn on or turn off at a whim.
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