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I did a search and read a lot of the posts about the infamous overheating problems the countours are plagued with. Here's mine:
95 2.0L ATX.
The car overheats unless the heat is on. Here's what I know:
1. A/C pressure switch works, the fan comes on with the A/C
2. Temp guage seems to be accurate
3. No power going to the fan when the temp guage is about 3/4 way up
4. The fan DOES work on low and high speed, I was able to jump the diag port and get it to cycle in both speeds.
5. Circuits are fine or the fan wouldn't work at all
6. The resistor block thing that plugs directly into the fan had the ground terminal overheat at one point.
Here's what I don't know:
1. What's wrong with the $(#&@ thing!!!
2. How many temp sensors are there? 2? One for the guage and one for the computer?
I called the dealership and they said no recalls. is that acutally possible?
I need help on this A.S.A.P. 'cause I'm fixing this for a friend and I'm in the garage now trying to fix this.
Thanks in advance guys.
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Joined: Dec 2000
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Hard-core CEG'er
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Bless our servicemen & women overseas.
L.Cpl Ian Malone, 1st Battalion Irish Guards, R.I.P.
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As I see it, your fans aren't being signalled to come on. There are 2 possiblities here. Your temp gauge or more like the temp gauge sensor is off and you are not really running that hot. The other possibility is that the sensor that sends to the engine computer is out of whack and needs to be replaced. I would try replacing both sensors and see if your engine appears to run any cooler. I know the V6 has 2 sensors and I assume the Zetec does as well, but don't quote me on that. Just look for the sensors around where the thermostat is. Hope this helps.
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Originally posted by MarkO:
Bad t/stat.
yup..
not opening to cool the engine.. and its overheating..
the fans come on at the extreme end of the guages, and then cool it down.. only working when the heat is on, is residual.. you are only evacuating the heat from the engine, via the heat, in to the car.
Ray
'99 CSVT - Silver #222/276
In a constant state of blow-off euphoria.
Originally posted by Kremitthefrog:
I like to wear dresses and use binoculars to watch grandmas across the street.
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Well, the T-stat was changed twice in the last month by the owner of the car (my buddy).
I just jumped the wire at the relay to make the fan come on all the time and he's gonna unload it. He's had tons of problems on it (less than 80K on it) so I just did a simple fix to get it sold.
Man, I always wanted an SVT Contour but now I'm glad I never got one. These things are terribly unreliable. I've been reading the archives and am terrified of these cars now. Am I just getting a condensed version of the horror stories or are these cars really that bad?
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Any car will have things that go wrong with it, it's just a matter of when. To look at the archives and say "These things are terribly unreliable." doesn't make any sense. You are doing a search on a specific topic and you are going to get many responses but to take that one thing and use it for a base of reliablility is just silly. Go to any car forum and you will finds problems with most cars. I myself own a cougar, and as of now with 80k on it I have had no major problems, I know other owners that have had tons of work done with as little as 45k, and I'm sure there are others still that have had major work done even before that. I think you just got a really condensed version, go to say a honda or a toyota forum and see what comes up. Not bashing you just giving my opinion 
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Originally posted by HotUnderTheCollar:
Well, the T-stat was changed twice in the last month by the owner of the car (my buddy).
Did he put the t/stat in the right way ?? and not back to front ??
These cars are a lil' finicky but a damn good car. I've had mine ~5yrs and the biggest bill I've had is $338. It has never let me stranded and I beat hard on mine.
Bless our servicemen & women overseas.
L.Cpl Ian Malone, 1st Battalion Irish Guards, R.I.P.
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Perhaps you could advise re your overheating symptoms; these would normally be temperature gauge in red, coolant boiling in reservoir and exiting pressure cap and rad fan(s) running on hi-speed.
Usual operation of the Zetec I4 would have temp gauge at about the A position. Rad fan starts operating on low speed when coolant temp is above that at which thermostat is fully open(216 F)and shuts off when temp reduces. High speed comes on if coolant temp continues to rise or when a/c selected.
Dealer probably meant no outstanding recalls. Check www.alldata.com for recalls that may have been applicable to your model.
98 Mystique LS v6 atx 163,000km
97 Contour LX v6 atx 163,000km
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Ahh, you have a Zetec! Go find a mechanic with a Snap-On Diagnostics scan tool, plug it into the car, look for the ECT Temp, then compare to the Temp Gauge 212°F = Low fan speed on (from what the computer shows me) our school has the snapon diagnostics scantool, nice pricy item The scantool that told me the engine temp was normal at overheating on the gauge Note the price...  Seriously tho, Zetec may appear to be overheating, but its normal 
Former owner of a 1995 Ford Contour GL w/ 2.0L ATX
Proud owner of a 2005 Ford Taurus SE 3.0L V6 Vulcan
--Looking for Commodore stuff (Drives, Units, Amiga, games, etc)If anyone has any of this laying around and wants it gone, lemme know --
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Thanks for the input guys. Kev, I hooked it up to my Snap-On scanner and it wouln't read. I think I may have a cable problem though.
I think I will get the problem with my scanner fixed so I can read the actual coolant temp. If the gauge is incorrect, is that usually the sending unit?
I guess I'll do a search of that too.......
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