Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting 95 - Intermittent No Start Problem - At Wits End!

Good day all,

I was hoping somebody here could help me out with a problem I am having with my 95 contour 4-banger automatic. It started this past summer while driving to work the car just stalled out and would not re-start. I had the car towed and the shop was able to start it with no problem at all. Flash forward 4 months and after driving to work with no problems, I park the car and come out 8 hours later and the car will not restart (Car cranks but never catches), I get a ride home from some one go to work the next day and after 8 hours the car starts with no problem at all. This happens quite a few times over the next month. Attempting to fix the problem I have fixed the following: plugs, wires, coil pack, new relays & after reading similar problems on this site the crank position sensor. After replacing the crank position sensor the car does not repeat the problem until Friday on my way to work. THe car just died!!! But once again the car starts a day later. Please note that every time it dies, my tools are no where to be found and the problem will not repeat itself while tools are present!!!! On one occasion I was able to pull a sparkplug and there was no spark. Any advice on what could be the problem would be most appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

- JK

Have you tried to pull any codes from computer? I would think that it would have stored some fault codes when you lost spark. An itermitant electrical problem with your wiring or the crank sensor circuit. Maybe a faulty relay acting up as well. Sometimes it can cost you more money trying to find the problem, it might be worth it to leave it with a shop for a few days until it happens again. You really need to explain what is happening, that it runs fine and every now and then looses the spark and wont start.These kind of problems might be better left to a shop with diagnostic ability. Nothing like going out to go to work, only to find thats when it wont start. You have no way of hooking up to any scanner when its not starting...so you might waste more money trying to find the problem. Nothing wrong doing your own repairs if you can pin point the problem, but some problems need diagnostic equipment.

Have you checked or replaced your wiring harness?

'95 and '96 models have potential wiring harness problems. Start reading here:

http://www.contour.org/FAQ/FAQ.php?s=probs&displayid=24

This can start to show up as intermittent electrical problems. Search around; lots of info on this topic.

i had a similar problem with a 93 taurus... you might have the same problem????? checked the gas pressure with a gas pressure gauge.. it would work sometimes and sometimes it would not..... i have a constant control relay on top of the radiator, under a plastic shield on the 93 taurus.. i guess the contour has one also????? its a box with relays for the a/c, the fuel pump, the fan control, and other stuff.. i know its not on top of the radiator on my contour, but after fixing, replacing the constant control relay i had no more problems..... might give it a look, or just a relay for the fuel pump if you know where its locate??