- The problem
- Federal mogul is recalling 6,903 aftermarket ball joint assemblies shipped between november 9, 2007 and march 26, 2008, which may have been packaged with incorrect nuts. The part numbers packaged with incorrect nuts are: k7147, k7329, k8683, and 104353. These parts were made for use on the various vehicles listed above.
- The risk
- The nuts included in the packaging for these ball joint assemblies are missing the intended prevailing torque (self-locking) feature. If the incorrect nut was to become loose, the joining members may loosen leading to a separation of the ball joint. This may result in loss of vehicle control, possibly resulting in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Federal mogul will notify owners and replace the parts free of charge. The recall began on may 22, 2008. Owners can contact federal mogul at 877-489-6659.
Vehicle safety record
2000 Ford Contour Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 251 complaints about the 2000 Ford Contour with NHTSA, most often about the body, doors & structure (82) and the fuel system (39). Those complaints describe 12 crashes, 10 fires and 12 injuries. It is covered by 7 recalls, the latest in April 2008 for the suspension. For comparison, the 1999 has 444 and the 2001 has 4.
NHTSA data checked
CAbout as many problems as a typical Contour year, for its age
#38 most complained-about 2000 vehicle
- Complaints
- 251
- Recalls
- 7
- Crashes
- 12
- Fires
- 10
- Injuries
- 12
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2000 Ford Contour problems
Share of all 251 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2000 Ford Contour recalls 7
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Certain aftermarket brake hydraulic master cylinders sold as replacement brake cylinders for certain ford, daimlerchrysler, and jeep passenger vehicles. These brake cylinders were sold under the brand names of napa, raybestos, aimco, ac delco, carquest, bendix, and wagner. Only products that were manufactured from july 27, 2005 through january 17, 2006 (date codes 0529 through 0602) are subject to this recall. When subject to very cold temperatures, an internal seal in the master cylinder could lose flexibility and may cause brake fluid to leak.
- The risk
- Loss of brake fluid can lead to a decrease in brake line pressure and an increase in stopping distance, which can result in a vehicle crash.
- The fix
- Affinia (brake parts, inc.) Will replace the subject brake hydraulic master cylinders free of charge. The recall began on march 20, 2006. Owners can contact affina group customer service at 1-800-323-0354.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles built with an incorrect power brake booster and master cylinder assembly.
- The risk
- If either the master cylinder or power brake booster is subsequently serviced with only one of the correct brake booster or master cylinder parts, brake performance would be reduced.
- The fix
- Dealers will install the correct contour brake booster and master cylinder in each of these vehicles. Owner notification began january 28, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-866-436-7332.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: bi-fuel vehicles. These vehicles may have a fuel tank filler pipe grommet that could have been damaged during the installation of the bi-fuel system. If the grommet is damaged, fuel could leak. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire. Dealers will replace the fuel tank filler pipe grommet.
- The risk
- If the grommet is damaged, fuel could leak. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
- The fix
- Dealers will replace the fuel tank filler pipe grommet.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles, light duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and mini vans equipped with trw seat belt buckle assemblies. The buckle base of these seat belt assemblies were not properly heat treated and therefore do not pass the load bearing requirement of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 209, "Seat belt assemblies."
- The risk
- In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant may not be properly restrained.
- The fix
- Dealers will inspect the date code on certain seat belt buckles of your vehicle and replace all seat belt buckles that fall within the suspect date code range. Owner notification began october 26, 2000. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact ford at 1-800-392-3673.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles not equipped with the anti-lock braking system (abs). A pressure conscious reducing valve (pcrv) in the rear brakes may be subject to corrosion and result in malfunction, when operated in areas that use salt compounds on the roadway for de-icing or dust control.
- The risk
- If both pcrv's malfunction, vehicle handling could be adversely affected during braking as a result of the rear wheels locking, increasing the risk of a crash.
- The fix
- Dealers will install improved pcrv's in the rear brake system. This recall was expanded in september 2000 to include 1999 and 2000 ford contour, mercury mystique and cougar vehicles.
- The problem
- Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. An incorrect label was installed on the driver side rear door. This label contains instructions for the activation of the childproof safety locks.
- The risk
- The operator of the vehicle may believe the childproof safety lock was activated when it was not, potentially allowing the door to be opened from the inside.
- The fix
- Owners will be provided with a replacement label and installation instructions.
What owners say
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251 complaints about the 2000 Ford Contour
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners. Page 1 of 11.
Dashboard is delaminating and peeling upward interfering with air bag deployment, defrosters and visibility. Ford has ongoing issues with this same problem on other ford products. I feel this is definitely a safety issue and quality issue. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford contour. The contact stated that when the brake pedal was depressed, there was an abnormal noise. In addition, the vehicle traction control activated when the brakes were activated. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the abs system needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 94,800.
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford contour. The contact stated that when the fuel tank was half full, the engine would hesitate, lose power, surge and stall. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the fuel pump and fuel filter were replaced but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vin was unknown. The failure mileage was 120,000 and the current mileage was 170,000.
I had just got on interstate when my car started cutting out. I immediately put my flashers on & tried to get in the left lane so I could get on shoulder of interstate but cars would not allow me to get over. My car died in middle of interstate. I called asap (a service in alabama for help on the interstate) & told them where I was & I needed them to bring me some gas. Then a car came flying up behind me but was able to stop & did not hit me. Then the car behind him had stopped but a truck behind her was not able...
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to stop. He hit her, she hit the man behind me and he hit me. Paramedics were called for a 4 year old in the womans car who said his head hurt. I could have been killed if the car behind me had hit me and turned my car sideways & was hit on the side by another car, because everyone was driving way too fast and did not acknowledge my flashers at all. They would fly past me blowing their horns. Did they think I was stopped on purpose? Believe me if I could have made the car go I would have. This car does this sometimes when on a 1/4 tank of gas, and since this accident it has gotten worse. Now it does it on 3/4 tank. I do not get on interstate anymore. No one seems to be able to find out why these cars do this. *Tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2000 ford contour. The contact stated that after refueling, a strong odor of fuel was emitted from the vehicle. The contact examined the vehicle and noticed that the fuel tank was leaking. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that the filler pipe grommet was leaking. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in the recall associated with nhtsa campaign id number 00v350000 (fuel system, other:storage:tank assembly). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileages were 173,000.
Cars dashboard got so hot that it curled up causing the front defrosters not to work and also partially obstructing my vision while driving that car. *Tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford contour. The contact stated that when putting fuel in the vehicle, the fuel would spill onto the ground. The dealer stated that the fuel filter grommet failed. The contact called the manufacturer who stated that the vehicle was not included in recall 00v350000 (fuel system, other: storage: tank assembly). The current and failure mileages were 67,400.
Instrument panel warping, loose bezel - the warping may adversely affect performance of the air bag system and does create loose instrument panel components (such as the defrost bezel) that was a projectile during a quick stop at a red light - for those reading - I do include personal info - my name is [[redacted]] if you could help with info re this complaint. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(B)(6). *Tr
2000 Ford contour svt, 71k miles the dashboard has been curling, from where the windshield meets the dashboard, for several years now. The process has been very slow, but has gotten to the point where it now severely interferes with defrost vent flow and vision. The defrost vent popped out a year ago and now does not fit. The curling of the dashboard does not provide for decent defrost and venting, which in addition to the 6 inches of dashboard that has curled up, interferes with adequate sight, especially...
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for shorter drivers. I've had several others (strangers) stop me out-of-the-blue and inquire about my problem that they also have. Based on the many complaints that have been filed for this defect, a recall should be initiated by ford! *Tr
In my wifes car the dashboard near the windshield is starting to come up its right near the vent in the car it makes drive the car more difficult due to the dash is now block part of the windshield I was told this has happened to some one before and I would like to have this looked into. *Tr
Visors fall out of roof when touched, has been occurring since shortly after car was purchased about 4 years ago. *Tr
Car acceleration was sluggish when brake was applied,a week later engine would kill when driving. Changed air filter,oil,and fuel line was cleared. A month later same thing is happening. Mechanic says may need new fuel pump,but not sure that will correct problem. *Tr
My rear brakes will not stay on my car and keep falling off into the drums. *Tr
Dashboard began slowly warping over a year. It got to the point where visibility ahead was compromised, and the defroster vents were no longer functioning. Dealer would not cover a replacement, so I had the work done at a local body shop at my full cost. So far, the replacement dash is ok. *Tr
Vehicle was taken to dealer in 2002 in response to ford customer satisfaction program 01b78 to address potential instrument panel warping. There was no visible warping at the time. The dealer advised there was no issue and no service was required. Throughout the last year, the warping started to become visible. Earlier in the month, the warping applied so much stress on the vent cover that the cover snapped out and landed in the front seats. The warping increased greatly and visibility is reduced on objects close to the front of the car. *Tr
Have experience electrical problem for years. A blower continues to run even when the vehicle is turned off, causing the radio and windshield wipers not to work properly. *Tr
I went to start my car one night and the key would not fit in the ignition. My cousin has tried working on it and he can't even get the old ignition switch out of the car to replace it with a new one. I have been out of a car for a week and after researching found this is a common problem that ford has not fixed. I find this unacceptable. *Tr
The tread on a tire failed for the second time. The tread peeled off and caused damage to my bumper, air conditioner, washing fluid resvervoir, spare tire and headlight/foglights on passenger side of vehicle. *Tr
My 2000 ford contour se starting acting like there was no gas at around 1/4 tank. This continued every time my car got to 1/4 tank. Mechanic replaced fuel filter $54.90 For filter and diagnostic on 3/13/07. It still stuttering, hesitated and now was stalling. Mechanic replaced fuel pump $297.22 On 3/28/07. The problem persisted and now it was happening at 1/2 tank. Once summer hit, it was worse with the a/c. Between march and june 2007, mechanic replaced pump once and filter twice. On 6/27/07, car stalled...
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and would not restart, tank was at 1/2. Mechanic replaced intake manifold runner control unit and the problem remained. The problem continued with hesitating and stalling especially uphill. On 8/21/07 replaced all the spark plugs and wires $234.90. The problem continued. My mechanic is at his wits end. The code on the check engine light is always the same. On 10/26/07, took the car back to my mechanic who had to replace the intake manifold runner control unit again. Decided to take my car to a different mechanic due to my current one not finding the problem. Replaced 2 oxygen sensors this week (11/7 and 11/9) one upstream and one downstream. The check engine light has come back on once again. If this is an intake manifold runner control unit problem then everyone that has had fuel pumps replaced will have to have them replaced again. This is not enjoyable since I drive 40 miles a day to work and halfway there I have to pull over and wait for the car to idle down before I can drive again or it will stall. This is not safe as this happens while people are driving and for no reason the car stalls in mid drive. Someone will get hurt and then there will be a recall. There were no events leading up to the failure except for taking my car for inspection which it passed. Two days later my car starts stalling and losing power. In 9 months I have spent close to $1000 to try and fix a problem that still is not fixed. *Tr
My 2000 ford expedition caught fire while it was parked and burned until it was totaled. There was also damage done to my house. My family also suffered from mental trauma. *Tr
The vinyl dashboard on my 200 ford contour svt is warping causing the vinyl to rise into the driver fov. *Jb
Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford contour. While driving 65 mph the starter of the vehicle engaged and the vehicle shut down. A fire was started in the engine compartment. The vehicle was towed to the repair shop; they were unable to determine what caused the vehicle to malfunction. The current and failure mileages were 186,887. Updated 09/19/07 *tr
Tl*the contact owns a 2000 ford contour. The current mileage was 134,112. The failure mileage was 114,112. While driving 70mph the vehicle hesitated a few times and then the engine died. The vehicle was restarted after 15 minutes. The dealer stated the fuel tank had failed. The vin was not included in nhtsa campaign number 00v350000 (fuel system, other: storage: tank assembly).
The dash board is curled up. The problem started in 2002 and has slowly continued to get worse. We contacted ford and they said that there was a recall but that the time frame for making a claim had expired. We didn't proceed further because they told us it would cost us $1000 to fix. Our warranty said they wouldn't cover it because they considered it "upholstery." We have just left it. It is a safety issue because it makes it very difficult to see over the curled dash board. Plus, in the winter, the window doesn't defrost properly, again making it difficult to see. I just saw your website on line today, which is why we didn't contact you earlier. *Tr
Vehicle died during travel with no warning, ford issued recall. However due to the limited number of consumers with this year and specific model complaints were overlooked. Dealer should offer recourse. *Ak
Ford Contour: every year compared
All Contour years2000 Ford Contour vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 Ford Contour | 251 | 7 | C | |
| 2000 Ford Econoline | 231 | 5 | F | Compare |
| 2000 Ford Crown Victoria | 137 | 10 | F | Compare |
| 2000 Ford Club Wagon | 57 | 0 | F | Compare |
| 2000 Ford E-450 | 42 | 2 | F | Compare |
| 2000 Ford Aerostar | 6 | 0 | A | Compare |
| 2000 Ford Escape | 5 | 0 | A | Compare |
| 2000 Ford Cvpi | 4 | 1 | F | Compare |
| 2000 Ford 7000 | 2 | 1 | - | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2000 Ford Contour
Does the 2000 Ford Contour have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 7 recalls for the 2000 Ford Contour: suspension (April 2008); service brakes, hydraulic (March 2006); vacuum (February 2001); tank assembly (October 2000) and more. Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2000 Ford Contour?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the body, doors & structure (82), fuel system (39), visibility & wipers (30).
How many complaints has the 2000 Ford Contour had?
251 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on November 4, 1999 and the latest on June 15, 2020. Of these, 12 describe a crash and 10 a fire, and together they report 12 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2000 Ford Contour a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 50 out of 100 (grade C: about as many problems as a typical Ford Contour year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Ford Contour years have the most complaints?
1995 (908), 1998 (861), 1996 (581). See every Ford Contour year compared.
What should I do if my 2000 Ford Contour has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data