Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting ZX2 (zetec) ATX dies at highway speeds

Have a friend that owns a 99 ZX2. With 1/4 or less gas it will just die at 70mph highway speed. Car has 55k on it and it's an ATX. The fuel filter has been changed. Supposedly the garage is working on it. I know the Contours have a screen on the pump that can get clogged over time.

Let me know what you find out. I bought my daughter a '99 ZX-2 & she'll be heading back to college next month. I'll be good for us to know what the deal is if the car developes those symptoms.

Off hand, it sounds like the pump is clogged up.

It's very intermitent from my understanding. One of those really fun problems. The question is going unanswered on the ZX2 sites. Everything sux compared to the brain trust here.

If it is the screen, it cost $14.00 at Autozone. But it's a real PITA to change. I just changed it on my Tour.

I've got this posted on 2 ZX2 boards. No replies on one and this is the only reply on another....

"The gauge is probably bad and reading more gas than there is in the tank. I would not let my tank get that low."

What a dipsh!t. As I've said before. This board is so awesome I don't know where to begin. I guess brains goes with the price of the car.

Contique owners seem to be a breed apart, indeed.

Still the fuel pump screen problem is the only thing I can think of. On short trips, there may not be sufficient agitation to stir up enough particles to clog the pump inlet. On longer trips, the crud all gets suspended in the remaining fuel & you get the problem. Does it seem to happen that way for you, or is it a totally random thing?

From what the owner tells me it's a totally random thing. Dealership replaced the fuel filter and "cleaned the lines".

Sounds like the only thing you haven't done is pull the pump, replace the pump screen, & clean out the fuel tank.

Doin' that is a pain too. Good luck.

That's what I'm afraid of.