2000 Ford Contour: engine stalls while driving

Filed Mar 18, 2013 · Fuel system · 120,000 miles · NH

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.

Filed Nov 11, 2007 · Engine, Fuel system · 121,359 miles · PA

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 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.

Filed Jul 25, 2005 · Fuel system · 50,000 miles · MI

The car hesitates, stalls, loses power, surges, etc. While accelerating onto the freeway, going up hills, turning onto a highway etc. We've been lucky that it has only happened when we had a shoulder to coast on to. We could have easily been rear-ended by other vehichles in traffic. This has happened several times : at first it only happened when the gas tank was less than 1/4 full, then at 1/2 tank, now 3/4 full. We try to keep the tank full. The federal safety agency has a recall id # 04v421000 for the 1999 and later mercury cougar that has the identical fuel delivery module as the 2000 ford contour (v-6). This recall should be expanded to include ford contour and mercury mystique v-6 models at the very least. The federal safety agency has also recalled the 2000 ford focus with similar fdm design defects and performance problems

Filed Mar 8, 2005 · Fuel system · 52,000 miles · NY

Fuel tank warpage - plastic fuel tank can warp causing fuel to fail to feed. Because usable fuel quantity is unkown, engine can stall at unpredictable instances. Replaced fuel tank & pump/sender assembly.

Filed Aug 1, 2004 · Fuel system · 57,000 miles · MO

For the past year I have not been able to drive my 2000 ford contour se when the gas tank gets below 1/2 tank. I t begins sputtering and stalling below that. It dies out entire.ly at 1/4 tank. I thought it was water in the fuel at first. And kept my tank filled and utilized a "heet" type product. It begame appearant during the spring and summer that the issue was not water icing up in the fuel.

Filed Jul 14, 2004 · Fuel system · CT

Car hesitates, sputters and stalls. After towed starts with no problem. Also,happened several times last summer. Seems to occur when outside tempatures are hot.

Filed Apr 22, 2004 · Electrical, Fuel system · MS

While traveling 70 MPH dash indicator light came on. Vehicle slowed down and then stalled. This problem occurred several times. A technician traced the problem to the fuel tank.

Filed Mar 25, 2004 · Fuel system · MO

When the fuel pump malfunctioned and caused the vehicle to stall while driving on the highway. The fuel pump has been replaced three times. Please provide any additional information.

Filed Mar 22, 2004 · Fuel system · 40,000 miles · PA

Stalls for no apparent reason. It appears that when fuel gets down to approx. 1/2 tank, it will stall out at any time. Fill tank and it will be okay. Chapman ford in columbia pa. Said it would cost about $500.00 to fix. I asked why and they said thats the way ford made it. He also said the focus has the same problem. Even though we have not had an accident, we have had close calls. Various incident dates for past six months. Even if its fixed, there is no guarantee how long it will last. I think it's a lousy answer.

Filed Nov 13, 2003 · Electrical · 84,000 miles · WY

While driving in rush hour traffic vehicle stalled. Dealer had difficulty in diagnosing the problem, and contacted the manufacturer for any recommendations. The manufacturer indicated that vehicle stalled due to a malfunction in the wiring harness.

Filed Oct 1, 2003 · Electrical, Fuel system · LA

I have a ford contour 2000. I bought it two years ago, and it has been in and out of ford repair shop since I have it. Had trouble with fuse in driver door-fuse burned and shift was hard to put into gear;cruise,blinkers,AC and heat did not work.and for a year now,it is stalling. Dealer has replaced wire harness from wires to gas tank. Worked without stalling for few months,now is stalling again. Does not stall with dealer-dealer cannot find cause. Also, dashboard has warped and defroster grill has popped up.as of today, defroster still works.

Filed Sep 17, 2003 · Fuel system · OK

Bought a 2000 ford contour two years ago and have had continual fuel system problems. This vehicle will run fine for awhile...sometimes days or weeks....then just suddenly without any warning stall in the middle of interstate or highway like it is not getting fuel. Two fuel pumps have been replaced in the last two years to no avail and they go out in a little over a year. The mechanics I have taken this cart to are puzzled and don't no what the problem is...I pay top have it fixed...they think they have it fixed and it will run ok for a week or two then stall in the middle of the road again. The car has been parked a year and a half of the two years I have been paying on it. We have had near accidents because of this problem on several occasions. Currently we take the car no more than a mile from the house when it is running.