CarBrief

NHTSA has 419 owner complaints on file for the 1999 Contour, and the biggest group concerns the car's body structure[1][2]. It also has 3 recalls, so check that each one was done[3].

419owner complaints[1]
3recalls[3]
20–25MPG combined (EPA)[4]

Most reported problems

Owners report problems to NHTSA, and one complaint can name more than one part of the car. These are unverified reports. Counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold.

Component group Complaints Crashes Fires Injuries
Structure[2] 93 1 0 6
Electrical system[5] 65 1 8 1
Engine[6] 52 1 2 0
Unknown or other[7] 46 2 0 5
Brakes[8] 45 4 1 3
Visibility[9] 38 0 2 0
Suspension[10] 32 2 0 3
Air bags[11] 29 17 3 17

Across all groups, 28 complaints mention a crash, 10 a fire and 34 injuries, and none report a death[1].

Structure. In a sample of 12 structure complaints we read, 9 describe a dashboard that warps or curls up toward the windshield, often with the defroster vent or trim popping out[2]. Two describe water leaking into the cabin or trunk[2]. The visibility group has 38 complaints of its own[9].

Electrical. In a sample of 12 electrical complaints, 3 describe a horn that kept failing after dealer repairs, and 3 describe losing electrical power or having items shut off[5]. The group also has the most fire mentions, 8[5].

Engine. In a sample of 12 engine complaints, 8 describe the engine stalling or cutting off while driving[6]. In at least 6 of the 12, the dealer could not find or repeat the cause[6].

Brakes. In a sample of 12 brake complaints, 4 describe vibration when braking and 3 describe grinding noises[8]. Some of the sample texts are repeats[8].

Air bags. This group is small, but 17 of its 29 complaints mention a crash and 17 an injury[11]. We did not read sample texts for this group, so we cannot say what owners describe.

Recalls

NHTSA lists three recalls for this model year[3]. Newest first:

Ask a Ford dealer to confirm with the VIN whether each recall work was done.

Fuel economy

The EPA lists four versions of the 1999 Contour. All use regular gas and front-wheel drive.

Engine and transmission City Highway Combined Annual fuel cost
2.0L 4-cyl, manual 5-speed[4] 21 31 25 $2,700
2.0L 4-cyl, automatic 4-speed[15] 20 28 23 $2,900
2.5L 6-cyl, automatic 4-speed[16] 18 26 21 $3,200
2.5L 6-cyl, manual 5-speed[17] 17 26 20 $3,350

The 4-cylinder with the manual gearbox is the most economical of the four. The gap to the 6-cylinder manual is 5 MPG combined[4][17].

Safety ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings list this car as not rated[18].

Engine and size

The EPA lists a 2.0L 4-cylinder and a 2.5L 6-cylinder[15][16]. The sizes below are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US cars.

Version Length Width Height Wheelbase Curb weight
4-door sedan LX[19] 185 in 69 in 54 in 107 in 2,780 lb
4-door sedan SE V6[20] 185 in 69 in 54 in 107 in not listed
4-door sedan SVT[21] 184 in 69 in 54 in 107 in 3,128 lb

How 1999 compares with other years

1995: 891 complaints, 8 recalls19951996: 563 complaints, 8 recalls19961997: 218 complaints, 5 recalls19971998: 846 complaints, 9 recalls19981999: 419 complaints, 3 recalls41919992000: 199 complaints, 5 recalls2000
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each Contour model year. The 1999 is highlighted[3].
Show the numbers
Model yearComplaintsRecalls
19958918
19965638
19972185
19988469
19994193
20001995

NHTSA complaint and recall counts for each Contour model year[3]:

Year Complaints Recalls
1995 891 8
1996 563 8
1997 218 5
1998 846 9
1999 419 3
2000 199 5

The 1999 model sits in the middle on complaints. Three years have more (1995, 1996 and 1998) and two have fewer (1997 and 2000). It has the fewest recalls of the six years[3].

Should you buy a used 1999 Contour?

The 1999 model has fewer recalls than any other Contour year, but 419 complaints is not small, and structure, electrical and engine reports lead the list[1][2][5][6]. In the samples we read, dashboard warping and stalling came up repeatedly[2][6]. Check the dashboard and defroster area, ask whether the car has ever stalled, and look up the VIN for the three recalls[12][13][14]. If fuel cost matters, the 2.0L versions rate better than the 2.5L ones[15][4][16][17]. Our data does not cover reliability scores or crash test results[18].

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems on a 1999 Ford Contour?
By NHTSA complaint count, structure leads with 93, then the electrical system with 65 and the engine with 52[2][5][6]. In a sample of structure complaints we read, 9 of 12 describe a warping dashboard[2].
Does the 1999 Ford Contour have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3: ignition key removal (99V060), rear brake valves (00V075) and a fuel filler grommet on bi-fuel cars (00V350)[12][13][14].
How many miles per gallon does a 1999 Ford Contour get?
The EPA rates it from 23 to 25 MPG combined on the 4-cylinder and 20 to 21 on the 6-cylinder, depending on transmission[15][4][16][17].
Is 1999 a good year for the Ford Contour?
It has the fewest recalls of the six model years (3) and the fourth highest complaint count (419)[3].

Facts and sources

  1. NHTSA has 419 owner complaints on file for the 1999 Ford Contour (28 mention a crash, 10 a fire, 34 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
  2. 93 complaints name the structure component group (1 crashes, 0 fires, 6 injuries, median mileage at failure 50,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  3. Owner complaints and recalls for every Ford Contour model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
  4. EPA rating for Contour, 2.0L 4-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 21 city / 31 highway / 25 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,700. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  5. 65 complaints name the electrical system component group (1 crashes, 8 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 60,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  6. 52 complaints name the engine component group (1 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 60,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  7. 46 complaints name the unknown or other component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 5 injuries, median mileage at failure 58,322). NHTSA vehicle records
  8. 45 complaints name the brakes component group (4 crashes, 1 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 79,549). NHTSA vehicle records
  9. 38 complaints name the visibility component group (0 crashes, 2 fires, 0 injuries, median mileage at failure 65,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  10. 32 complaints name the suspension component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, median mileage at failure 71,892). NHTSA vehicle records
  11. 29 complaints name the air bags component group (17 crashes, 3 fires, 17 injuries, median mileage at failure 55,000). NHTSA vehicle records
  12. Recall 00V350, filed October 30, 2000: Fuel System, Other › Storage › Tank Assembly. NHTSA recall database
  13. Recall 00V075, filed March 9, 2000: Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components. NHTSA recall database
  14. Recall 99V060, filed March 17, 1999: Electrical System › Ignition › Switch. NHTSA recall database
  15. EPA rating for Contour, 2.0L 4-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 20 city / 28 highway / 23 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $2,900. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  16. EPA rating for Contour, 2.5L 6-cyl, Automatic 4-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 26 highway / 21 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,200. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  17. EPA rating for Contour, 2.5L 6-cyl, Manual 5-spd, Regular, Front-Wheel Drive: 17 city / 26 highway / 20 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $3,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
  18. NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, 4 DR None: not rated. NHTSA vehicle records
  19. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, CONTOUR 4DR SEDAN LX: length 185 in, width 69 in, height 54 in, wheelbase 107 in, curb weight 2,780 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
  20. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, CONTOUR 4DR SEDAN SE V6: length 185 in, width 69 in, height 54 in, wheelbase 107 in (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov
  21. Transport Canada specifications via NHTSA vPIC, CONTOUR 4DR SEDAN SVT: length 184 in, width 69 in, height 54 in, wheelbase 107 in, curb weight 3,128 lb (converted from centimeters and kilograms). vpic.nhtsa.dot.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.