FordContour1999Overview/ford/contour/1999/base/

1999 Ford Contour

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1999 Contour.

Body PASSENGER CAR

The 1999 Ford Contour arrives as a passenger car carrying a 5.8‑quart oil capacity spec'd for 5W‑20 API viscosity. In the model's 1993–2001 complaint history, this year logs 459 owner reports — well below the 1995 peak of 1,073 but far above the 1993 low of three — with structure leading the complaint categories and five recalls on record. That mid‑range complaint volume positions the 1999 as a notable but not extreme point in the Contour's reliability arc, suggesting owners encountered measurable issues without the systemic surge seen in the mid‑cycle peak.

Model year200019991998199719961995

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.8 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque94 ft-lbsOEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 40R · 590 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 40R · 590 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP185-70R14OEM · verified
Wheel / rim5.5 inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length184.6 in
Overall width69.3 in
Overall height54.3 in
Wheelbase106.7 in
Curb weight2780 lb
Track (front / rear)59.1 / 58.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.8 qt of 5W-20 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 94 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 18.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-4-2-5-3-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-20 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.8 qt
Power Steering FluidATF

Engine torques

Camshaft Sprocket and/or Gear Bolt(s)47.0-53.0 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts88 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts12-15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts10-12 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts7.4 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts15 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0-22.0 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug18.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts94 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub199 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub210 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Cylinder Firing Order1-4-2-5-3-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)845 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)55 rpm
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)MT: 772.5, AT: 730 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)MT: 42.5, AT: 30 rpm
Spark Plug ManufacturerMotorcraft
Spark Plug Gap0.048-0.052 in

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.63 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity7.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number40R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance590 cca
Standard BCI Group Number40R

Service checks

Pressure Test13-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief13-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature187-194 °F
Pressure Test13-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief13-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature183-190 °F
Key ON Engine OFF (KOEO)30.0-45.0
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)45.0-60.0 psi

Brakes

Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Torque Caliper to Bracket30 ft-lbs / 88 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle43 ft-lbs / 85-105 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.125; Rear: 0.125 in
Brake ApplicationWITH REAR DISC / WITH STANDARD
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.003 in / 0.006 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.79 in / 0.95 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
137 ft. lbs., step 2: 9037 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
118 ft. lbs.18 ft. lbs
233 ft. lbs.33 ft. lbs
3105 degrees.105 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 6 stages
129 ft. lbs.29 ft. lbs
290 degrees.90 degrees
3Loosen 1 turn.
429 ft. lbs.29 ft. lbs
590 degrees.90 degrees
690 degrees.90 degrees
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Coat new bolts with the specified engine oil.

115.0 ft. lbs.15 ft. lbs
230 ft. lbs.30 ft. lbs
390 degrees90 degrees

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 5,000 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 5,000 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
Every 15,000 miBrake System (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace) · Engine Coolant System (leak inspection) · Steering Linkage (inspect) · Suspension System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miEngine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System Heat Shield (inspect) · Fuel Filter (replace)
At 45,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miPCV Valve (replace)
Every 100,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Spark Plugs (replace)
At 120,000 miTiming Belt (inspect)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The Ford Contour generation experienced a significant surge in federal records starting in 1995, with a peak in 1998 that saw 968 complaints and 12 recalls. The 1999 model year marks a clear downward trend in this arc, with complaints dropping to 459 and recalls decreasing to 5. Compared to the 286 TSBs of the previous year, 1999 shows a reduction to 203, though it remains higher than the 111 recorded for 2000. Top complaint areas for 1999 include Structure (74), Electrical System (42), and Engine & Engine Cooling (40), although the data does not specify the root causes for these issues. Additionally, the 1999 model recorded 30 crash complaints and 13 fire complaints. Because 1999 represents a substantial improvement over the high-incident years of 1995-1998, it is a reasonable year to buy.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
203
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
2
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
459
Owner complaints
30 involved a crash · 13 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 459 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Structure74
Electrical System42
Engine & Engine Cooling40
Unknown Or Other31
Service Brakes, Hydraulic29
Suspension23
Tires20
Visibility18

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 5 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

08E033000SuspensionReported 14/04/2008

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… Remedy: 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.

06E022000Service Brakes, HydraulicReported 13/03/2006

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… Remedy: 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 203 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
CSP-08B012008-05-16Engine And Engine CoolingFORD: CERTAIN 1999-2001 MODEL YEAR VEHICLES UP TO 6000 LB GVWR REGISTERED IN NEW YORK AND…
SP-08B012008-05-01Engine And Engine CoolingFORD SERVICE CAMPAIGN: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. CSC LETTER WAS…
0205032005-03-21Fuel System, GasolineGUIDANCE FOR CNG TANK INSPECTION FOR VEHICLES PRODUCED AFTER DECEMBER 2, 1996. *TT…
041892004-12-13VisibilityREAR WINDOW DEFROSTER GRID/INTEGRAL ANTENNA DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR - TERMINAL TAB REPAIR…
0421072004-12-13Power TrainGENERAL (PCM) POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE PROGRAMMING PROCEDURES. *TT

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

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VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Contour. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1999 Contour take?

5.8 qt of 5W-20 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1999 Contour have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.