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1996 Ford Contour Electrical System Problems

NHTSA component category: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · data through 07/14/2026

37Electrical System complaints
6.6%Of all 563 complaints
#4Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How electrical system ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE52 · 9.2%
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION48 · 8.5%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH39 · 6.9%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM37 · 6.6%
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER33 · 5.9%

Share of the 563 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1996 Ford Contour overview page.

Electrical System complaints by year filed

32001152003312005312008422011112013212016112018

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1996 Ford Contour have electrical system problems?

Electrical System is the #4 most-reported problem area on the 1996 Ford Contour: 37 of 563 complaints on file (6.6%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1996 Ford Contour have in total?

563 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 35 involved a crash, 24 involved a fire, 39 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's electrical system category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ELECTRICAL SYSTEM category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.