These help you judge whether this one is worth its price.
Loading costly problem zones ahead
Loading the EPA's yearly fuel cost
What about the price? Check the asking price on two listing sites. Buying from a dealer? Run its offer through the offer X ray.
Education, not financial or mechanical advice. Have any used car checked by a mechanic you trust before you buy.
The full record
Tap to open
What owners complain about
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Seller kit
Questions for the seller, test drive checks and price points
Car Hunt Pass or Pro
Walk up to the seller ready
Questions to ask the seller of a 1997 Ford Contour, built from this year's owner complaints and recalls. What to feel, hear and look at on the test drive, with boxes to tick at the car. Honest points to raise on price, from the records and never from guesses. Copy the questions to your phone in one tap.
A ready to send offer for the seller, by text or email
Car Hunt Pass or Pro
Send the seller a fair offer
Type the asking price and your own offer for the 1997 Ford Contour, tick what you found, and get a polite message ready to text or email. Its reasons come from this year's owner complaints, recalls and crash ratings, and never from made up repair prices.
NHTSA's stars out of five, for each version it tested. Front crash stars only compare cars of about the same size and weight. The tests changed for 2011 models, so these stars do not line up with newer ones.
Loading crash ratings
Fuel economy
The EPA's estimates for each engine and transmission, and its own yearly fuel cost. Yours depends on how you drive and the shape the car is in. Figures for 2007 and older use the EPA's 2008 method, so they may be lower than the original sticker.
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True cost to own
The loan, fuel, insurance and upkeep, a month and over 5 years
Car Hunt Pass or Pro
What it really costs to own
What the 1997 Ford Contour costs a month and over 5 years: the loan and its interest, fuel worked out from the EPA's figures for the version you pick, and your own insurance, registration and upkeep. A cost a mile, a link that reopens your numbers, and the breakdown copied to your phone in one tap.
Owner complaints for each model year, this one outlined. Tap a year to open it. The newest 2 are not judged yet. Bars are totals, so older years stand taller; the verdict compares every year at the same age.
Loading every year of this model
Before you buy this one
Built from this year's numbers. Whatever the data says, the car in front of you is the one that counts.
A history report such as Carfax or AutoCheck pulls in more of the car’s past than these checks can:
Crashes and damage reported by police, insurers or shops, even when it was fixed.
Service visits that shops reported, with the miles each time.
How many owners, for how long, and the states it was registered in.
Whether it was a rental, fleet or lease car, when that was reported.
It only knows what was reported to it. A clean report is not proof of a clean car. Ask the seller first: many dealers hand one over for free.
Red flags in a history
Salvage title
Usually an insurer called it a total loss. In most states it cannot be driven on the road until it is rebuilt and inspected.
Rebuilt title
A salvage car that was fixed and passed a state check. It can be fine, but it is worth less, can be harder to insure, and needs a careful inspection.
Flood damage
Water can ruin wiring and sensors months later. Be wary of a flood brand that vanished after a move to another state.
Lemon or maker buyback
The maker bought it back over a defect it could not fix. Ask what the defect was and how it was fixed.
Odometer rollback
A mileage reading lower than an earlier one, or a title marked not actual miles.
Many owners, fast
Three owners in two years can mean a problem each one passed along.
Gaps in the records
Years with no service or registration. Ask why: it may have sat, been off the road, or been rebuilt.
Title words and rules differ by state. Not legal advice.
Before you pay
Pre purchase inspection
Have a mechanic you choose, not the seller, put it on a lift and look it over before you pay.
Insurance quote
Get a quote on this exact car before you sign. Ask your own insurer and one or two others.
Year verdict
Worthy
0.4× a typical year
Fewer owner complaints than a typical year. Still get it inspected.
Confidence:Medium
The typical year comes from only 5 years.
How the dial was counted
Year verdict: Typical year: 521 complaints, the median of 5 nearby years. Each counted over its first 8 years from January 1996; this one had 223.
Past 100,000 miles
Not judged
Only 2 of its 4 complaints past 100,000 miles came in its first 12 years, the age every year is counted to. Too few to judge.
Not every car needs every fix. Run the VIN at NHTSA to see which are still open. Repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand; ask before any work.
Suspension
Apr 14, 2008 · Recall 08E033000
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.
What can happen
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.
Owner complaints per model year for the Ford Contour, with 1997 highlighted
Model year
Owner complaints
Verdict
1995
1073
Maybe
1996
640
Worthy
1997
252
Worthy
1998
968
Maybe
1999
459
Worthy
2000
252
Worthy
2001
4
Not judged
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.
What can happen
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.
Windows, wipers and visibility
Jul 9, 2001 · Recall 01I009000
This is not a safety recall in accordance with the safety act. However, it is deemed a safety improvement campaign by the agency. Vehicle description: 1995-1997 Ford contour and mercury mystique vehicles. The heater blower resistor could overheat causing the attached electrical connector to melt.
What can happen
This could create the potential for a fire.
The fix
Ford will provide additional warranty coverage for the heater blower switch for 10 years from original date of sale of the vehicle or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first. Dealers will install a new heater blower resistor and a new wire jumper harness free of charge.
Electrical
Jul 9, 2001 · Recall 01V230000
On certain my 1996-1998 passenger vehicles built at the kansas city, cuautitlan assembly plants or on my 1999 passenger vehcles built at the automotive alliance international assembly plants, the rough surface of the heater blower resistor's stainless steel blades can damage the copper surface of the wiring harness connector. The damage could, over time, cause increased resistance in the connector and, due to subsequent terminal relaxation, result in an open circuit condition.
What can happen
The open circuit could lead to electrical arcing that could melt the connector housing material creasing the potential for a fire.
The fix
Dealers will install a new heater blower resistor and a new wire jumper harness. Owner notification began august 29, 2001. 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.
Brakes
Mar 9, 2000 · Recall 00V075000
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.
What can happen
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.
Lights
May 5, 1999 · Recall 99V103000
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The terminals at the headlight switch and wiring harness connector can experience heat damage as a result of overheating.
What can happen
The damage could result in distortion of the terminal causing an open circuit in the instrument panel illumination, parking lamp, and tail lamp circuits.
The fix
Dealers will install a headlamp switch wiring connector containing bronze terminals and an inspection, and replacement if necessary, of the headlamp switch.
Show 2 more recallsShow fewer recalls
Transmission and drivetrain
Sep 18, 1998 · Recall 98V233000
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The floor shift automatic transmission control can be damaged if subjected to certain interior cleaning products. The gear position indicator can deteriorate and not correctly indicate the actual gear position.
What can happen
This condition can result in incorrect gear selection.
The fix
Dealers will replace the automatic transmission floor shift control.
Fuel system
Nov 17, 1997 · Recall 97V203000
Vehicle description: bi-fuel vehicles modified to run on either gasoline or compressed natural gas (cng). The natural gas fuel tanks have a solenoid shut-off valve that stops fuel flow from the fuel tank in the event of certain moderate to severe collisions. If the vehicle is in a collision and the natural gas fuel line is damaged, the system could leak natural gas.
What can happen
Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
The fix
Ford has requested owners of these vehicles to have the cng fuel system disabled under a previous recall campaign and to only use gasoline fuel until a permanent corrective action is developed. Owners are being alerted to this solenoid valve concern at this time. The timing of corrective actions is being delayed to allow both conditions to be remedied at one time. In the meantime, there is not risk as long as the natural gas system has been disabled and the vheicle is only operated on gasoline.
Our take: worth a look.Owners filed fewer complaints than in a typical year of this model.
Unverified reports, not adjusted for sales. One complaint can name several parts, so shares add up past 100%. Filed Feb 28, 1996 to Feb 6, 2013. 30% name a part that is usually costly to fix.
Owners reported 11 crashes, 12 fires and 12 injuries in these complaints.
Electrical45 · 18%
Engine42 · 17%
Run the VIN at NHTSA to confirm every recall was fixed.
This year has 8 recalls on file. Recall repairs are usually free at a dealer for the brand. Ask the dealer to confirm before any work is done. Look up a VIN at NHTSA.
Ask the seller for the service records.
Look closely for any work on the electrical. It is the part owners complain about most for this year.
Have a mechanic you trust inspect it before you pay.
Ask them to look at the electrical first.
Look at a vehicle history report.
It can show reported crashes, flood or salvage titles, and mileage that does not add up.
On the test drive, pay attention to the electrical.
Usually costly to fix
Brakes33 · 13%
What one owner wrote about the electrical
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…
Filed Aug 6, 2012NHTSA complaint 104693681 of 18 owner quotes
Car Hunt Pass or Pro
15 more parts, and 18 owner quotes
Every part owners name for the 1997 Ford Contour, with their own words about what went wrong. Usually costly to fix among them: Transmission and drivetrain, Body and frame.
