1997 Ford Contour electrical problems

Filed Aug 6, 2012 · Electrical, Engine · 134,000 miles · TX

The wiring harness has deteriorated to where the engine runs lean and dies. The check engine light came on while driving. Once home I checked everything I could until the engine compartment cooled then noticed the wiring on the number 1 cylinder. The more I looked I could see all the injector plugs were deteriorated badly with number 4 being worse. Just touching the harness causes the insulation to flake off and bare wires to be exposed. I purchased a code reader to allow proper indications of what codes were indicated when the check engine light illuminated. Now ford wants me to take the vehicle to a dealer so they can charge me and tell me what I already know and can plainly see!

Filed Nov 3, 2008 · Electrical · 115,000 miles · MO

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 ford contour. The contact stated that there was a bad ground in the main line harness, which caused the electrical system in the vehicle to fail. The vehicle was not included in the recall. The current mileage was 116,000 and failure mileage was 115,000.

Filed Jul 5, 2007 · Electrical, Lights · 90,000 miles · OK

Tl*the contact owns a 1997 ford contour. The contact stated that the defroster stopped working. The vehicle was serviced for the federal safety agency recall # 01i009000 (visibility:defroster/defogger system:windshield:controls/wiring) in 2001. The instrument panel and tail lights also do not work. The vehicle was serviced for the federal safety agency recall # 99v103000 (exterior lighting:headlights:switch) in 1999. The current mileage is 92,794 and failure mileage was 90,000. Updated 02-01-08 *bf updated 02/01/08

Filed Dec 30, 2006 · Electrical, Engine · 85,000 miles · FL

I have 1997 ford contour se. I have had several problems with it, check engine light comes on constantly, radiator light comes on constantly, runs poorly. I had all checked when they happen on multilple occasions. After doing some research on the internet, I found that there may be a problem with the wiring harness in the engine compartment. I was told by a freind that he had heard of a problem like this and ford was fixing them, and I should call the dealer. I called the dealer and they confirmed there was a recall but based on my VIN I was not included due to the age of my car. This was done at brandon ford around the july/august time frame. Thinking that I had to do the repair myself, due to the cost at the dealership (over $3000.00), I started looking for parts myself on the internet. There I found the recall/ext. Warranty info. 99m03 and in this it states 10 years or 100,000 mile. I again got hope that maybe they had missread the recall at the dealer ship. I then returned with VIN and the info 99m03 in had and one of their service advisers confirmed that it should be covered. I then made an appointment for the next day to drop the car off at 8:30am to have it done. I call that same day at 2:30pm to check to see if and for how long I wounld need a rental car. I was told at that time that my car was not covered due to it's age and that it ran out on 10/26/06. Had the first person looked the info. Up properly back in the july/august time frame it would have been fixed. I was also told by the service manager that the repair would take them approx. 3 days to do, and for only gives them 6-7 hrs to do it, so they lose money to do these repairs. Based on the 99m03 info I should have recieved a letter stating the ext. Warranty which I did not, but had recieved other recall info.

Filed Aug 14, 2005 · Electrical · TX

Electrical system failure, vehicle would sometimes start and sometimes it would not, when vehicle on the road it would stop when making a stop at a stop sign or red light, or when turning either left or right.

Filed Jul 19, 2005 · Electrical · 138,000 miles · NC · fire

Dt: 01s22 ford recall. Consumer had recall work done . Dealer should have replaced the heater blower switch and a wire jumper harness. Dealer completed work on march 15, 2002. Dealer iwas mike shad ford in jacksonville, florida. Last tuesday july 12, 2005 the wire jumper harness caught on fire while consumer was driving vehicle on side street, glenwood ave., at night. Flames shot up from where windshield wipers were located. Flame lasted a couple seconds then were gone. Consumer pulled over, contacted fire department, and had vehicle towed to a dealership. Dealer don jenkins ford in suquay, north carolina. Consumer contacted insurance company and they said it was a defect so they would not pay. Consumer found on the federal safety agency website that ford offered a warranty on this recall of 10 years from original date of sale or 150,000 miles. When she contacted ford they told her that warranty was only 100,000 miles and the federal safety agency website information was incorrect. Ford will not fix vehicle for consumer.

Filed Jun 7, 2005 · Electrical · 92,708 miles · NJ · fire

The vehicle caught on fire after being parked for 2 minutes. The local fire department arrived to extinguish the fire. The fire marshall informed the consumer that the cause might have been an electrical short. The dealer was not notified at this time. *ak *sc

Filed Dec 8, 2004 · Electrical, Lights · 130,000 miles · NY

Headlights overheated, causing the electrical harness to melt.*ak the consumer noticed that the vehicle lights were not working. The federal safety agency campaign id number : 99v103000. The problem has not been corrected as of yet.

Filed Oct 26, 2004 · Electrical · 109,000 miles · NC · fire

While parked in the driveway vehicle caught on fire.

Filed Feb 2, 2004 · Electrical · CA

When the headlights were turned on they operated properly but the tail lights and interior lights did not. This vehicle was recalled and repaired for this problem on 10/19/1999. Recall# 99v103000 subject: headlight switch/wiring harness.