Total Complaints
13 filings
FORD CONTOUR · model year
1994 FORD CONTOUR
13 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1994FORDCONTOUR carries 13 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1994 CONTOUR is power train:automatic transmission with 2 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition (1) and electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 1994 CONTOUR, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
13
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS | 1 |
| STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR | 1 |
| EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH | 1 |
| STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20030603STRUCTURE
DASHBOARD HAS STARTED PEALING UP FROM WINDSHIELD. *AK
20030514STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
WHILE DRIVING, THE TIE ROD SNAPPED. *JB
20030318ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING SMOKE WAS COMING IN THOUGH THE VENT LOCATE INSIDE OF THE DASHBOARD. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *NLM
20010427FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
FUEL INJECTION/O-RINGS ARE LEAKING FUEL FROM FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
20010413ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:FAN
ENGINE OVERHEATED/ BURNED UP AND FAN NEVER CAME ON. CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS RECALL 00S/00M13 CONCERNING ENGINE COOLING FAN.*AK THE DEALER WANTED THE CONSUMER TO PAY $4922.90 FOR ENGINE REPAIR. THE CONSUMER CLAIMED THAT THE COOLING FAN WHICH CAUSED THE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE WAS ON RECALL AND REPAIR EXPENSE SHOULD BE PAID BY THE MANUFACTURER. FURTHER MORE, IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE COOLING FANS FAILURE WAS IT SELF CAUSED BY A BLOWN UP FUSE. *YH
20010413ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
ENGINE OVERHEATED/ BURNED UP AND FAN NEVER CAME ON. CONSUMER STATED THAT THERE WAS RECALL 00S/00M13 CONCERNING ENGINE COOLING FAN.*AK THE DEALER WANTED THE CONSUMER TO PAY $4922.90 FOR ENGINE REPAIR. THE CONSUMER CLAIMED THAT THE COOLING FAN WHICH CAUSED THE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE WAS ON RECALL AND REPAIR EXPENSE SHOULD BE PAID BY THE MANUFACTURER. FURTHER MORE, IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE COOLING FANS FAILURE WAS IT SELF CAUSED BY A BLOWN UP FUSE. *YH
20000421POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING FLUID FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, AND GEARS WERE STUCK. *AK
19990924EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
THE EVAPORTOR FOR THE AIR CONDITIONER FAILS TO WORK PROPERLY. THE COMPRESSOR IS NOW FREEZING UP. THIS HAPPENS EVERY YEAR. CONSUMER IS TAKING VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED. MJS
19990920STEERING: STEERING WHEEL/HANDLE BAR
WHILE MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN STERRING WHEEL WOULD DELAY RETURN FOR NORMAL DRIVING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
19990830VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
THREE OF THE FOUR WINDOWS WHICH ARE ELECTRIC DO NOT FUNCTION. THE REGULATORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON ALL 4 WINDOWS ONCE. THE REGULATOR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
19990602ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
MANUFACTURERED BATTERY THAT IS IN THIS VEHICLE IS THE WRONG ONE ACCORDING TO THE MANUAL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
19981202POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING, TRANSMISSION WOULD JUMP INTO NEUTRAL AND BACK INTO GEAR, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE SPEED WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED ,AND INFORMED REPAIRS WOULD BE MADE AT THE COST TO CONSUMER. *AK
19981124ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
WIRE WITHIN THE FIREWALL CHAFED AGAINST BRACKET, CAUSING THE IGNITION COIL TO SHORT CIRCUIT THROUGH THE COMPUTER WHICH CONTROLS THE ENGINE. *AK
Compare 1994FORDCONTOUR to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 8 Open
EA26001Engineering AnalysisOpen
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
PE25020Preliminary EvaluationOpen
Timing Belt Failure
DP25001Defect PetitionOpen
Underbody shields detachment
PE25007Preliminary EvaluationOpen
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
PE25002Preliminary EvaluationClosed
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1994 FORD CONTOUR have?▼
The 1994 FORD CONTOUR has 13 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1994 FORD CONTOUR?▼
The most-complained component for the 1994 FORD CONTOUR is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY.
Is the 1994 FORD CONTOUR safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.