1996 Ford Contour Power Train:automatic Transmission Problems
NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · data through 07/12/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How power train:automatic transmission ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 563 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1996 Ford Contour overview page.
What owners report
“THIS IS OUR SECOND CAR WITH THIS MODEL OVERDRIVE TRANSMISSION (CD4E) THAT HAS FAILED AT APPROXIMATELY THE SAME MILEAGE, THE FIRST WAS A 1995 MAZDA…”NHTSA complaint 705488 — filed 04/10/1999
“TRANSMISSION REPLACED DUE TO GRINDING AND SCRAPING, WAS ALSO REPLACED ONCE BY PREVIOUS OWNER.”NHTSA complaint 548027 — filed 03/29/1999
“AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GOT STUCK IN PARK POSITION. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.”NHTSA complaint 831398 — filed 11/30/1998
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 1996 Ford Contour have power train:automatic transmission problems?
Power Train:automatic Transmission is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 1996 Ford Contour: 48 of 563 complaints on file (8.5%). 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 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 35 involved a crash, 24 involved a fire, 39 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's power train:automatic transmission category include?
NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.
