Is the 2000 Ford Contour a bad year?
199 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Contour years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2000 Ford Contour are in line with other Contour years. Body structure stands out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2000 Contour owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 43,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body structureSTANDS OUT | 79 (40%) | 34k–68k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 38 (19%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 24 (12%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 16 (8%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Engine | 13 (7%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Air bags | 9 (5%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Brakes | 8 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seats | 5 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 43,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 199 complaints: 8 mention a crash · 1 mentions a fire · 7 report an injury.
No complaints in the last 12 months; the newest was filed in Jun 2020.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
Recalls for the 2000 Ford Contour: 7
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 nuts included in the packaging for these ball joint assemblies are missing the intended prevailing torque (Self-locking) feature.
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. 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.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles built with an incorrect power brake booster and master cylinder assembly. 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.
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. If the grommet is damaged, fuel could leak. Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles, light duty trucks, sport utility vehicles, and Mini vans equipped with trw seat belt buckle assemblies. In the event of a vehicle crash, the occupant may not be properly restrained.
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. 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.
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 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.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Instrument panel cover warpage
Every Ford Contour year
2000 · 2001 · All Contour years side by side
Other Ford models: Ford 500 · Ford Bronco · Ford Bronco Sport · Ford C-Max · Ford Crown Victoria · Ford E-150 · Ford E-250 · Ford E-350 · Ford E-450 · Ford EcoSport · Ford Edge · Ford Escape · Ford Escape Hybrid · Ford Escort · Ford Excursion · Ford Expedition · Ford Explorer · Ford Explorer Sport · Ford Explorer Sport Trac · Ford F SD · Ford F-150 · Ford F-150 Hybrid · Ford F-150 Lightning BEV · Ford F-250 SD · Ford F-350 SD · Ford F-450 SD · Ford F-550 SD · Ford Fiesta · Ford Five Hundred · Ford Flex · Ford Focus · Ford Focus Electric · Ford Ford · Ford Freestar · Ford Freestyle · Ford Fusion · Ford Fusion Energi · Ford Fusion Hybrid · Ford Maverick · Ford Maverick Hybrid · Ford Mustang · Ford Mustang GT · Ford Mustang Mach-E · Ford Ranger · Ford Taurus · Ford Taurus X · Ford Thunderbird · Ford Transit · Ford Transit Connect · Ford Windstar. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2000 Ford Contour a bad year?
199 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Contour years. At 43,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2000 Ford Contour?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: body structure (79), fuel system (38), visibility and wipers (24), electrical system (16), engine (13).
How many recalls does the 2000 Ford Contour have?
7 recall campaigns list this model year: Suspension (NHTSA 08E033000), Brakes (NHTSA 06E022000), Brakes (NHTSA 01V-045), Fuel system (NHTSA 00V-350) and more. A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.