Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Major Stallage

I just took my car in because its been stalling a lot when i start it up. not right away, but within a few seconds. we took it in because of a few things. #1 its stalling #2 we heard a high pitch sound coming from the engine, it sounded like a small hand vacuum. someone said it was the fans, but it was to loud fot it to be that.
We took it in because we knew there was a problem, but they found nothing. when i was telling him the problems, he said it sounded familiar and thought he knew what it was. he said the IAC or the fuel filter. he said it might have been stalling from not getting enough fuel, obviously. he started it up and of course it didnt stall for him. its pissing me off because i want it fixed. my dad talked to the ford place and they said that the IAC was a common problem for that model. we are thinking of just replacing it anyway. is that what isnt working right or is it something else?

Sounds as if you are having the same problem I was having with my ?96 Mystique.

Lincoln Mercury was clueless and didn?t seem to want to do much for me... So I then took my car to to a Ford dealership who bent over backwards to fix this problem. Ford replaced several different components from the Crank Shaft Sensor, Fuel Pump, Fuel Filter, DPSE Fuel Sensor, Max Air Flow Sensor and finally the Wiring Harness. The Wiring Harness was the problem!!!

I bought the car new and have taken very good care of it ? even the Ford dealership was shocked at how clean the car is. I have considerably low miles for this year of car and their comments were I shouldn?t be having these types of problems.

A year after I purchased the car, I received a recall notice from Ford stating the Wiring Harness can crack under conditions of extreme heat or high humidity causing condensation to build inside it shorting out causing several different results and that Ford would replace it. So I took the car to the Lincoln Mercury Dealership where I purchased the car. They looked at the Wiring Harness and told me it looked fine and the car was running without a problem ? if I experienced any problems just bring it back. Now, being naive back in those days thinking the dealership knew best and would make the right decisions, I drove the car home.

Four years and 32,000 miles later, I started experiencing stalling at highway speeds in rush hour traffic. Nearly getting me killed!!! I took the car back to Lincoln Mercury and they couldn?t find anything or would do anything for me. The car would run fine for a few days and then act up again. When it would stall, it wouldn?t turn over for at least 15 minutes. After sitting, it would then start and run for about 10 miles then stall again. Not run rough before it did stall - just shut off like I had turned the key off while driving and the "Check Engine" light would come on.

I went through this for four months! I then took the car to a Ford Dealership where I purchased my wife's 2000 Windstar SEL. They started right away at replacing all the problems these cars are known for starting with the Crank Shaft Sensor. After a few more weeks of driving for a day or two without an episode and then nearly getting ran over by an 18 wheeler, they replaced the Wiring Harness. I had forgotten about the recall at this point and that the other dealership had never replaced it. This has cured my stalling issues and the car runs like it used too.

I was beginning to feel as if I had purchased a ? Lemon? because as soon as it turned over 53,000 miles I had paid the car off and then the damn thing decided to stop running. After I got the stalling problem taken care of, the Water Pump died... Then Ford replaced the Water Pump, the Seal, Thermostat, Upper Radiator Hose a Heat Rising Sensor and a Gasket all at no charge to me.

It pays to find a dealership that will work with you...

Anyway, have them replace your Wiring Harness... It was a recall and may be the answer to your nightmare!

Good Luck Dude,
Eurythmian

Its a contour and has 84,000 miles, but it only stall when i first start the car up. if i drive it once, it wont stall a gain till i start it up the next morning. does it still sound like the wiring harness?

Wiring Harness:
It's worth having Ford look into it.

If it was never replaced, you need to have it done - cause you will have further problems with it if you don't.

Keep us updated and good luck Dude!
Eurythmian

seriously, it sounds like moosing. Do a search, there's a fix that won't hurt to try.

P.O.D. lyics, awesome

sounds like a definate case of 'da moose!