20 Most Recent 1997 Ford Contour Questions & Answers

Have your alternator checked. If one (or more) of the diodes in the alternator is shorted, you can get similar symptoms, and it won't charge the battery either.

I'd go with the switch. However, it might just be the motor! Many carmakers are having a really bad time with motors, especially Ford and Honda. My repair garage puts a window motor in one of those two brands about once a month.

http://www.fixya.com/cars/t23172766-reset_alarm Go to this web site and it will help you

It could be some water in a wiring harness plug causing the relay to stay on constantly, or a short to earth in the switching side of the fuel pump circuit, but really it needs a auto electrician to have a look over it to find out why the relay is staying powered on all the time. When you plug in the relay can you feel it click on straight away? Or does the pump run regardless of whether the relay is plugged in or not? If the latter is true, check for damage to the wiring loom from the relay to the pump. Other than that, its probably auto sparky time.

Hope this helps,
Mark.

Reset the trouble diagnostic by disconnecting the negative terminal for 10 minutes. Then drive and see if more codes appear. Could be the parts that tell the engine when to fire are bad. This would be a part like a crankshaft sensor or a camshaft sensor. You did not indicate what model car you have. Some engines have parts called "manifold runners" which can cause some problems and when you change RPM it affects the manifold vacuum which moves these parts. You can get free scans at major autoparts stores once a code is set.

These are 2 different issues. When the vehicle starts to slow at high speed, remove the gas cap and see what happens, if the issue goes away, replace the gas cap and check the gas tank vent. If it does not go away, check the catalytic converter to see if it is plugged. The issue with the draining battery has to be tested by hooking a meter in series with one battery post and set it to measure AMPS. With the car off and the dome light disabled, check to see what the reading is, then start pulling fuses one at a time till you find the one that makes the biggest drop in the meter reading.

the racing you hear is most likely a slipping in the transmission. in terms you may understand is this,you're giving the car gas,but the gas does'nt work,you hear the engine roaring,but slow motion?if this is the case,you may need a transmission fluid filter and fluid change,this may help.depending on how long the problems been going on. 3.0 engines are really good motors.but the transmissions behind the engine demand clean fluid,filter. is your check engine light on? the hard shift tells me somethings wrong already.you may only have a bad speed sensor. suggest you move towards the speed sensor. if the chck engn lghts on. do what i described above. if not,no light on,suggest you reset your computer by disconnecting the positive cable from your battery for 10minutes.this will reset the whole system and keep in mind that any existing problems will keep arising. good luck and thank you for choosing fixya.com

Yes the converter and bands are toasted. You more than likely need a transmission.

Get a can of intake cleaner from any local parts store, not carb spray, intake cleaner, it is made by a company called CRC, remove the air intake hose to the engine, hold the engine at idle high so the engine won't stall, then spray the can of cleaner into the intake while keeping the engine running, use at least 1/2 the can, shut down the engine and disconnect the battery for 5 minutes, then restart and complete a number of mixed driving cycles, town, freeway, stop and go etc., after a few days the problem will go away as the system will relearn to the clean intake

Here is a link to the wiring diagrams for this car. http://bbbind.com/free_tsb.html

Sensor will be around the thermostat housing Follow the radiator hoses back usually the top one

Here is a link to the step by step instructions. How to Remove Ford Contour Alternator eHow

You have to drop the transmission pan with gasket to get to the transmission filter. About 5 quarts or so of transmission fluid will come out when you drop the pan. You have to buy a new transmission gasket. Do not reuse the old gasket.

Do you smell coolant inside of the vehicle. If so then chances are your heater core is going.

if it was a fuse problem, BOTH tail lights would be out... check the bulb & if you're still unsure, switch them right-to-left and try again

both sides use the same fuse so if one is working the fuse is good. use a test light to check for power and grounds at the back of the socket then proceed to find were the break is in the wiring.