Saturday, August 8, 2026
RecallGazette

Vehicle problems, recalls & safety intelligence

1998 Ford Contour vs 1998 Toyota Corolla

Complaints, recalls, TSBs, investigations and safety ratings side by side, from official federal data. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Raw complaint counts are not adjusted for sales volume.

Metric1998 Ford Contour1998 Toyota Corolla
NHTSA complaints846225
Recall campaigns40
Service bulletins (TSBs)25374
Investigations70
Crash reports5036
Fire reports208
NCAP overall rating
EPA MPG (combined)21–2526–30
Median reported incident mileage85,000 mi80,000 mi

Reported problems side by side

ComponentFord ContourToyota Corolla
Air Bags9961
Engine and Engine Cooling13217
Electrical System13016
Power Train1289
Suspension10216
Service Brakes, Hydraulic8314
Fuel System, Gasoline6211
Vehicle Speed Control3418

Symptoms owners describe

Stalling640
Airbag warning light4122
Electrical failures350
Check engine light225
Vibration / shaking210
Overheating170
Shifting problems140
Rust / corrosion120

Compare all Ford Contour vs Toyota Corolla 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.