just as the title says my 99 contour shuts off when i put it in reverse not all the time but just some times it will start right back up and go then but what is my problem please help

 

Don't know if this is the problem with your vehicle, but have had a defective trans range switch that did the same thing.

 

can you tell me where it is and how much it was please i am going to buy this car and want to fix it first(is there another word for it i tried looking what you said
and cant find a relative is it the one in the shifter you are talking about it is auto (would you be talking about neutral safty switch)

 

does it do it in the forward gears too ? i am thinking it might be the sensor that operates the lock-up torque converter starting to go bad !

 

It is called a Manual Lever Position Sensor, or MLP sensor. It is located on the side of the trans where the shift cable attaches.

Is the check engine light on?

Does the car stall at any other time other than when it is placed in reverse?

 

i think it just does it in reverse how much 1 of these switches cost could it be the speed sensor i looked for mlp and nothing comes up in there computer or is it the nuetral safty switch

 

Opps, my mistake, the mlp sensor is not on the side of the trans.

On your Contour open the engine hood, and it is on the driver's side, right behind the battery on the top of the transmission.

The mlp, sometimes called a "manual lever range sensor", is about 3 inches in diameter, rather odd shaped, and has a multi-pin connector attached to it. (see pic).

This part has the nuetral safety switch, back up lights switch, and tells the pcm, (power train control module, computer) what range the trans is in.

However, before you, "we", condemn the sensor I'm not sure that this is the cause of your problem.

If this part has a short that would cause the engine to shut off it would throw a code, and the check engine light, CEL, would come on.

Is the cel on or off?

If the cel is on the code(s) need to be known.

 

Other things that would cause a car to stall only in reverse if cel is off:

Short at wire harness where transmission range selector lever moves, or at shifter.
Poor idle quality.
Idle rpm's too low.
Low fuel pressure.
Weak spark.
Contaminated fuel.

One might ask why some of these problems might cause the car to die only in reverse.

The answer: More load is put on the engine in reverse than in drive.

Mainline pressure in the the trans is considerably higher in reverse than in drive. Causing the front pump of the trans to work harder. Which is powered by the engine.

The idle, for example, is at a boardline tipping point.

Oh, and btw, a mlp sensor cost around 40 bucks in my neck of the woods. You may find it only listed as a nuetral safety switch through regular part stores.

 

could it also be a bad torque converter?????? thats the one that scares me the most because i dont want to do this work to it im considering buying this car cause they dont know whats wrong with it its a 99 and i can get it very cheap

 

No, stalling and shuting off only when you put it into reverse is not a bad locking torque converter.

Make sure all the cylinders are firing, and that the car runs smoothly at idle at proper idle rpm. Also, it's never a bad idea to perform a cylinder compression check before you buy a used car.

Clean the "Idle Air Control" motor, IAC. This device keeps the idle steady, and at the correct rpm's under give loads. Such as when you shift into reverse a load is put on the engine. If the IAC does not compensate by bumping up the idle speed the engine dies.

Is the check engine light off?