Saturday, August 8, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

1996 Ford Contour vs 1996 Oldsmobile Achieva

Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 8, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric1996 Ford Contour1996 Oldsmobile Achieva
NHTSA complaints56387
Recall campaigns31
Service bulletins (TSBs)22356
Investigations50
Crash reports3510
Fire reports243
NCAP overall rating
EPA MPG (combined)21–2521–23
Median reported incident mileage91,500 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentFord ContourOldsmobile Achieva
Electrical System11925
Engine and Engine Cooling12314
Power Train774
Exterior Lighting643
Service Brakes, Hydraulic4411
Suspension389
Visibility414
Equipment411

Symptoms owners describe

Stalling447
Electrical failures350
Overheating240
Vibration / shaking140
Check engine light100
Hesitation / surging100
Clunking / rattling80
Rust / corrosion80
1996 Oldsmobile Achieva

Compare all Ford Contour vs Oldsmobile Achieva years →

Method. Complaints are unique NHTSA reports. A vehicle that sold more units will naturally accumulate more complaints — use shares and read the underlying reports before drawing conclusions.