How to Put a Throttle Cable on a 1995 Ford Contour

The 1995 Ford Contour base model came with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and a five-speed manual transmission. The Contour has two accelerator cables; one that connects the gas pedal to the traction control module and one that connects the traction control module to the throttle body. Ford Motor Co. released a technical service bulletin regarding throttle cables that were damaged during factory installation for the 1995 and 1996 Contours. If your accelerator cables appear to be original, contact your local dealer to see if your Contour is covered by this bulletin.

Instructions

Removal

1

Park the vehicle on a level surface and set the parking brake. Lift the vehicle hood and support it with the hood prop rod.

2

Remove the bolt and nuts securing the air intake resonator to the throttle body with the socket and ratchet. Remove the air intake resonator from the throttle body and set it aside. Firmly grasp the windshield washer tubing and pull it away from the windshield washer pump.

3

Loosen the lug nuts on the front passenger wheel with the lug wrench. Lift the front of the vehicle into the air with the floor jack and place the jack stands under the sub frame. Remove the lug nuts from the wheel. Remove the wheel and tire from the vehicle.

4

Remove the cap from the windshield washer fluid reservoir and insert one end of the siphon pump tubing into an empty gallon bottle. Insert the siphon pump suction tube into the windshield washer fluid reservoir and siphon all of the washer fluid from it.

5

Remove the splash shield retaining bolt at the front of the wheel well with the socket and ratchet. Remove the retaining push pins by prying the center pin up with a flat-head screwdriver, and remove the shield from the car.

6

Remove the washer fluid reservoir mounting bolts with the socket and ratchet. Squeeze the tab on the pump electrical connector and pull it off of the pump. Lower the washer fluid reservoir from under the vehicle and set it aside.

7

Remove the clip from the accelerator cable bracket with the pliers. Rotate the throttle body lever to the full throttle position and disconnect the throttle body cable from the throttle body lever by slipping the end of the cable out of the hole in the level.

8

Squeeze the tabs and remove the cover from the traction control module at the front of the engine. Disconnect the throttle body cable from the traction control module.

9

Enter the front driver's side of the vehicle and position yourself so that you can see where the accelerator cable connects to the accelerator shaft. Remove the clip from the accelerator shaft with the pliers and remove the accelerator cable from the accelerator shaft.

10

Look at the firewall, in front of the gas pedal. Follow the accelerator cable to the firewall. Push the grommet through the firewall, and then push the throttle cable through the firewall. Remove the opposite end of the accelerator cable from the traction control pulley by rotating the pulley and sliding the end of the cable from the mounting hole. Compare the accelerator cables to the replacement cables to make sure they are the same. Remove the rubber grommet by pulling it off the accelerator cable and dispose of the original accelerator cables.

Installation

11

Connect the new cables to the traction control module. Place the rubber grommet onto the accelerator cable that goes through the firewall. Push the accelerator cable through the firewall and push the rubber grommet into position on the firewall. Connect the accelerator cable to the accelerator shaft and push the retaining clip into position.

12

Disconnect the traction control harness from the traction control module. Place the 1 foot long, 0.05-inch-thick wire through the traction control motor pulley alignment holes. Remove the accelerator cable adjuster clips with the pliers. Instruct an assistant to sit in the vehicle and hold the gas pedal to the floor. Connect the throttle body cable to the throttle body lever and install the retaining clip. Pull the accelerator cable out of the adjuster housing until the throttle body achieves wide open throttle.

13

Hold the adjuster in position and install the adjuster clip. Look at the throttle body valve; it should be fully closed and the accelerator cable should deflect 0.04 to 0.12 inches between the accelerator cable bracket and throttle body lever. Remove the wire from the traction control pulleys and install the traction module cover. Connect the wire harness to the traction control module.

14

Lift the washer reservoir into position from under the vehicle. Install the three mounting bolts and tighten with the socket and ratchet. Lift the splash shield into place and install the push pin retainers. Push the center pin until it is flush with the base to properly install clip. Install front mounting bolt and tighten with the socket and ratchet.

15

Install the wheel and tire onto the vehicle and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Raise the vehicle off the jack stands with the floor jack and remove the jack stands from under the vehicle. Lower the vehicle to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts to 63 foot-pounds.

16

Set the air intake resonator into position on the throttle body. Install the two nuts and one bolt; tighten to 71 to 106 inch-pounds with the inch-pounds torque wrench. Shut the vehicle hood.