2000 Ford Contour stalling/hesitation

There's two things to look at. The first is a common problem on Fords. A rubber hose for the fuel pickup in the tank dry-rots and will allow air to be sucked up instead of fuel. When the fuel level is over 1/4 tank, fuel is drawn in through that leaking hose so the engine runs fine. The common factor in this complaint is it happens at 1/4 tank.

The second issue is a collapsing pickup screen in the gas tank. This is not related to fuel level. It is related to distance traveled. The further you go, the more likely the problem is to occur. Stopping the engine for ten to fifteen minutes allows the screen to open up again, then you can go another few miles.

From your description, there's two things to consider. First, when an engine stalls suddenly, and won't restart for up to about an hour, it's usually due to the crankshaft position sensor or the camshaft position sensor. They often fail by becoming heat-sensitive, then they work again once they cool down.

Since the Check Engine light turned on, there should be a diagnostic fault code stored in the Engine Computer. That is assuming the light didn't just turn on because the engine wasn't running. Fault codes will indicate the circuit or system that needs further diagnosis. Many auto parts stores will read the codes for you for free. Only Chrysler makes it possible to read them yourself, but you still have to come here to look up the code descriptions.