1998 Ford Contour Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/12/2026

50Air Bags complaints

5.9%Of all 846 complaints

#3Most-reported category

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

How air bags ranks on this vehicle

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION74 · 8.7%

SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS73 · 8.6%

AIR BAGS50 · 5.9%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM45 · 5.3%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE42 · 5%

Share of the 846 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1998 Ford Contour overview page.

What owners report

“THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THERE IS A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE BRAKES. ALSO, THE FRONT END MISALIGNMENT, CAUSING VIBRATION.”NHTSA complaint 844829 — filed 09/15/1999

“WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE AIR BAG LIGHT COMES ON AND WON'T GO OFF. ALSO, THERE IS SOME TYPE OF CODE THAT APPEARS ON…”NHTSA complaint 847168 — filed 09/08/1999

“INTERMITTENTLY THE AIRBAG LIGHT FLASHES ON AND OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE IS MOTION.”NHTSA complaint 847007 — filed 09/07/1999

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 1998 Ford Contour have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 1998 Ford Contour: 50 of 846 complaints on file (5.9%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 1998 Ford Contour have in total?

846 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 50 involved a crash, 20 involved a fire, 54 reported injuries, and 4 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS 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 07/12/2026.