Check Engine Light is possessed. Intermittently shuts off and on. The car knows when its gonna get hooked up to diagnostics, so when the mechanic goes to plug in the computer, the check engine light shuts off just before he plugs in. I still have no diagnosis, and I'm embarrassed that this has happened 6 times!
I can't use the cup holders cause they split, and even if I could use them, I can't get them out of the center console cause they are jammed.
The timing belt cover design is flawed. I park far away to save myself the embarrassment of first turning on the car. The first 5 minutes of warmup it sounds like I'm popping a 55 gallon drum of popcorn. (the belt hitting the inside of cover)
The airbag light keeps blinking the code (passenger relay malfunction) can't be reset. This is OK I guess knowing my passenger one day will get rocked in the face by a random airbag deployment.
Stalls when I make turns less than 3-4 mph.
Hesitates and bucks, even after major problems with O2, MAF, ans tuneup was replaced or done.
This is the worst engineering I've ever seen or experienced on a car. Leave it to FORD to sneeze something out of their ass and call it a car. Just take a look at the engine compartment. There is so much extra junk I could probably get more than bookvalue for the car if I returned the extra plastic air housings for a 5 cent refund.
The only plus I have to say is that it has some pep (4cyl), and that I get 330miles to the tank full.
If your under the influence and decide to buy this vehicle remember this...
1) even though it is not Christmas time, get used to all the different color blinking lights. (warning lights)
2) No matter how hard you try, you cannot fix this car. Even if you think you found the problem a few times.
3) Passenger will dislike you after their airbag deploys for no reason.
I completely agree, this cars (along with FORD themselves) are absolute crap. I used to own one of these cars and I can safely say that was the worst investment I could have possibly make. Thanks to the FORD Motor company I have turned my back on American Cars. If an American company ever makes a good car, Ford has ruined it for them.
Wow...this is seriously the best review I've ever read on CarSurvey...well-written and heeee-larious! Props to our author here!
-sunsetloveshine13@yahoo.com.
I think everyone above needs a hug. It is a pretty good car, when you don't have much money. Ford, Chrysler, GM, whatever, they are made the same. I suspect anything designed and operated in my Canadian winters will rott. I can appreciate when people get lemons, but I don't think it's really car specific. People on the assembly line get complacent, you know? we've all been there, having a dumb day at our own jobs. We just need to find a good technician, that knows what they are doing, and solve the problems as they come. Blessings, Eric.
Yall are crazy. This is not a bad car at all. No problems at all. Fords are good cars. You can get a junk vehicle with any other make of cars. My toyota corolla was junk. Brand new and wouldn't start or run right. Transmission messing up in my honda. A ford has never left me sitting!
I have had my Contour since 2000. I already replaced the air conditioner compressor (over 800$) in 2002.
I now have a problem that started last Tuesday. I was starting the car and it hesitated. I live close to work, so I just made it.
I had gas in it, got it home, and now it won't start. I have replaced the wires, plugs, checked fuses, grounds, connections, the battery, and now am having it towed. I know it is probably something stupid, but have already spent over 200$ and with the tow it will probably just go up.
I always liked this car, but lately I wonder. I cannot afford another car, so just pray to the car gods, that mine will be fixed.
As for all those other people, I truly feel for you. Looking at that engine 2.0 scared me half to death. Who can get there hands in there? My husband is ready to hack it to pieces, he knows about cars and has said numerous swear words I cannot repeat!!! Ford"Found on Road Dead"covers it all!!!
For anyone who owns the Ford Contour that has cruise control that doesn't work, I have noticed that when the cruise control wouldn't work I had a brake light out because someone told me. When I replaced the brake light bulb the cruise control amazingly started working again. Strange that it works that way, I know, but hey it works that way at least. I know I will not have a brake light out very often. Also check the brake lights in the back window, they burn out often.
I own a 95 Mercury Mystique GS, same as a contour basically. And I have been very pleased with my car. It's got some rust, and it's got a few problems, but I couldn't ask for a better car for the money I paid ($650 certified & e-tested) My problems are the A/C don't work and the two rear power windows don't work right and jam a lot. Other than that nothing much to complain about and it's got about 122,000miles on it now. Sorry to hear all of you don't like this car, but I have to say the opposite as it's never done me any wrong.
It is understood that someone on the assembly line could have a bad day and messed up on building the car, rendering a problem. Its is also understood that not every contour will have a problem, and may be trouble free till the day it dies. However, the problems listed above are common among a large amount of contours. Google the contour, and they all say the same thing. Two contours with the same problem is a coincidence. 100 thousand contours with the same PROBLEMS are what we call a defect.
To commenterAug. 30th 2006
You just may be very correct in your assumtion.
My brother has a 96 Caravan. His left tailight brake light went out and his cruise control stopped working. It's as if to remind the driver: "You'll get your beloved cruise control back when you fix the darn brakelight!"
It's a shame that this car didn't come out in the 80's. If it did, then it could star right along side Freddy Kruger and Jason as a "Nightmare on Ford St". Every sequel would be the new year the car was produced which would be about 7. The Mercury Mystique is no different, just a different name. We call the Contour the C*nt-Whore because its tempermental, moodswinging, and it leaves a disgusting taste in your mouth when you realized how much money it costs to keep going. We call Mercury Mystique version the "Mercury Mistake"
I'm 16 and just bought a 1995 Ford Contour today, for 1150. It's okay right now, it runs great! I love the inside, all that I've had to replace so far were the windshield wipers. Other than that, I'm okay with it. I hope nothing bad happens though, since this is my 1st car. I hope nothing bad happens like one day I'm going up-hill and suddenly the engine died, and I roll back and die, that's my biggest fear, so hopefully nothing like that happens to me ( (knock on wood) ), if it does, I'm blaming it on Ford.
E-mail me any advice to LilRoxyGirl2009@aol.com
-Rachel.
It's my biggest fear that one day I'll be walking along and an airplane will fall out of the sky and kill me. If that happens, I'll blame Boeing.
Roxygirl, if you want advice, let me tell you... JUNK IT WHILE YOU STILL CAN!! Owning the Contour is like being in an abusive relationship with a spouse that has a serious drug problem. The car is a nightmare, and is always begging for money to get a fix!
I just purchased a 1995 ford contour from the auction for $800.00 and 2 weeks later, I'm having problems. The car starts up but immediately cuts off. I had a good mechanic to check it and he said that I had a vacuum fuel leak. Before this started to happen, starting the car up, I can hear a tick sound, but after 2-3 minutes it slows dowm where it is hardly noticeable. Someone told me to have my oil sending pump checked. Now I'm having it towed, which is extra money. After I get this car repaired, I am going to sell it pronto! I don't want to pay for any any other problems!
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