VEHICLE BUYER'S GUIDE
Ford Contour1995–2000
Year-by-year buyer intelligence from NHTSA safety data — reliability, value, and which years to target or avoid.
Ford Contour Years to Avoid
3 recalls · 124 complaints
8 reported injuries
Top issue: STRUCTURE
Federal Defect Investigations
NHTSA investigations are the stage that precedes a recall. 5 past investigations into the Contour became recalls.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Data current as of October 28, 2026.
Ford Contour — Year-by-Year Comparison
Every model year ranked by Buyer Score. Click any year for its detailed problem report.
| Year | Recalls | Complaints | Injuries | Deaths | Reliability | Value | Buyer Score | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 3 | 124 | 8 | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Good |
| 1999 | 2 | 332 | 25 | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Caution |
| 1998 | 7 | 615 | 43 | 2 | 57 | 39 | 51 | Avoid |
| 1997 | 4 | 168 | 12 | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Good |
| 1996 | 6 | 484 | 20 | — | 57 | 39 | 51 | Caution |
| 1995 | 5 | 730 | 26 | 10 | 57 | 39 | 51 | Avoid |
Buyer Score = Reliability (65%) + Value window (35%). Deaths and injuries sourced from NHTSA complaint filings. Year links open full NHTSA problem reports.
Known Ford Contour Problems
Most frequently reported components across all model years, from NHTSA owner complaints.
Complaint counts across all model years. Numbers indicate frequency, not severity.
Shopping by Era
How each generation of the Contour compares — best year within each era shown.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best year Contour to buy?+
See the Buyer Score table above for a full ranking of every Contour model year.
Which Contour years have the most problems?+
The 2000 model years have the highest problem scores in our analysis. The 2000 Contour leads with 3 recalls and 124 owner complaints.
What is the Buyer Score?+
The Buyer Score is a composite metric that combines reliability (65% weight) and depreciation value (35% weight). Reliability reflects recall and complaint severity. Value reflects how much of the vehicle's depreciation has already been absorbed by prior owners — a 4–6 year old vehicle typically sits in the sweet spot.
What are the most common Contour problems?+
The most frequently reported Ford Contour issues involve: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE, STRUCTURE, UNKNOWN OR OTHER. These are aggregated across all model years from NHTSA owner complaint filings. Frequency of complaints does not necessarily indicate severity.
Deep-Dive Research
A buyer's guide shows model-level risk. A VIN report shows the individual vehicle — accidents, odometer history, open recalls, and auction records.