1990 Ford Probe

Fatalities reported

Owners filed 323 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the seat belts. It has been recalled 4 times.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Seat Belts143
005
Seat Belts › Front › Webbing53
001
Seat Belts › Front › Retractor35
101
Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage29
001
Seat Belts › Front9
101
Seat Belts › Front › Buckle Assembly8
000
Vehicle Speed Control4
307
Visibility › Windshield Wiper/Washer3
000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip3
101
Electrical System › Ignition3
000

4 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Seat Belts › Front › Webbing96V172001
Filed Sep 6, 1996224,000 vehiclesFord Motor Company

Defect. NOTE: DRIVER'S SIDE (LEFT) PASSIVE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. THE RAIL OF THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT CAN WEAR SUFFICIENTLY SUCH THAT THE CABLE WHICH RETRACTS THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY WILL BECOME JAMMED IN THE RAIL RENDERING THE SHOULDER BELT INOPERATIVE.

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE ADEQUATELY RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE DRIVER SIDE AND INOPERATIVE PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER BELT TRACK ASSEMBLIES.

Seat Belts › Front › Webbing96V172002
Filed Sep 6, 1996224,000 vehiclesFord Motor Company

Defect. NOTE: PASSENGER SIDE (RIGHT) SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. THE RAIL OF THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT CAN WEAR SUFFICIENTLY SUCH THAT THE CABLE WHICH RETRACTS THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY WILL BECOME JAMMED IN THE RAIL RENDERING THE SHOULDER BELT INOPERATIVE.

Risk. IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE OCCUPANT WOULD NOT BE ADEQUATELY RESTRAINED INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE DRIVER SIDE AND INOPERATIVE PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER BELT TRACK ASSEMBLIES.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Drum › Drum93E035000
Filed Oct 13, 1993300 vehiclesMidas International Corp.

Defect. THE GROOVE FOR THE REAR WHEEL BEARING RETAINER RING WAS INCORRECTLY MACHINED.

Risk. IF THE RETAINING RING DOES NOT SIT CORRECTLY IN THEGROOVE, THE AXLE LUG NUTS WILL BREAK, CAUSING THE BRAKE DRUM, WHEEL, AND TIREASSEMBLY TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE.

Remedy. MIDAS SHOPS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE DRUMS WITH OTHER BRAKE DRUMS FROM ANOTHER SUPPLIER.

Vehicle Speed Control › Linkages89V159000
Filed Sep 25, 19892,900 vehiclesFord Motor Company

Defect. THROTTLE LEVERS MAY HAVE BEEN BENT DURING ASSEMBLY.

Risk. THROTTLE MAY STICK AND NOT RETURN FULLY TO IDLEPOSITION.

Remedy. PLACE AFFECTED VEHICLES ON DELIVERY HOLD UNTIL REPAIRED.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Aug 14, 2007IL

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 FORD PROBE. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELTS RETRACTORS WOULD NOT WORK. THE DEALER HAS NOT REPAIRED THE SEAT BELTS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 182,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Seat Belts › Front › Webbing
Filed May 3, 200770,000 milesCA

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1990 FORD PROBE. APPROXIMATELY SIX YEARS AGO THE FRONT DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NEEDED TO USE THE SEAT BELTS BECAUSE THERE WERE NO AIR BAGS IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT REFERRED TO SAFETY RECALL # 96V172002 CONCERNING SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING. HOWEVER, FORD STATED THAT THE RECALL DID NOT EXIST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NEVER RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 100,001, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. *AK UPDATED 06/14/07 *TR

Seat Belts › Front
Filed Dec 8, 2006IN

DRIVER SIDE MOTORIZED SEAT BELT SEIZED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRACK. *NM

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed Apr 10, 2006110,000 milesIA

RETRACTABLE SEAT BELTS JAM AND GET STUCK IN TRACK, MAKING UNSAFE CONDITION. HAVE HIT HEAD ON SEAT BELT LATCH CAUSING PAIN AND HAVE ALSO BEEN STUCK IN SEAT WITH SEAT BELT NOT RELEASING. ALSO WEARING OUT CAR BATTERY & SHORTING ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SEVERE MOISTURE IN TAIL LAMPS, FAILURE OF TAIL LAMPS CAUSING UNSAFE CONDITION, FAILURE OF DRIVING LIGHTS. MANY PROBLEMS WITH VEHICLE FROM DATE OF OWNERSHIP IN 1993. *JB

Seat Belts › Front › Retractor
Filed May 24, 200572,097 milesMD

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT RESTRAINT (SHOLDER HARNESS) DOESN'T FUNCTION. 1990 FORD PROBE LX. WAS ISSUE OF A RECALL IN 1996. SUBJECT RESTRAINT HAS FAILED THREE TIMES SINCE PURCHASE OF CAR. FIRST REPAIR WAS UNDER VEHICLE WARRANTY. SECOND REPAIR TOOK PLACE PRIOR TO RECAL AND WAS PAID FOR BY OWNER. THIRD FAILURE HAS OCCURED WITHING THE LAST YEAR AND LOCAL DEALER DOES NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY.

Seat Belts › Front
Filed May 2, 2005MD

THE RECALL (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID #96V172001) IS NOT BEING HONORED BY THE MANUFACTURER BECAUSE, ALTHOUGH THE MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR OF THE CAR IS THE SAME, THE VIN NUMBER DOES NOT APPEAR IN THE MANUFACTURER DATABASE ASSOCIATING IT WITH THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO HONOR THE RECALL SINCE IT TOTALLY MATCHES THE VEHICLE AND THE PROBLEM STATED IN THE RECALL.

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed Apr 27, 200480,000 milesMN

SHOULDER BELT ON DRIVER'S SIDE IS DEFECTIVE. IT DOES NOT SECURE THE PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. A RECALL WAS ISSUED IN 1996. SHOULDER BELT WAS REPAIRED, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. MANUFACTURER WILL NOT REPAIR SHOULDER BELT UNLESS CONSUMER PAYS FOR IT. *AK

Seat Belts › Front › Webbing
Filed Apr 8, 2004174,000 milesCT

RECALL 96V172001, WHILE PARKING OR DRIVING, THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT BACK INTO THE LOCKING POSITION. *AK THE PART HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT SHOULDER RESTRAINT WOULD BE COMPROMISED WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. *SC *JB

Seat Belts › Front › Webbing
Filed Apr 2, 2004130,000 milesOR

RECALL 96V172001, WHILE PARKING/DRIVING, PASSENGER SIDE PASSIVE RESTRAINT SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT BACK INTO LOCKING POSITION CREATING A REAL SAFETY HAZARD FOR THE PASSENGER. THE DEALERSHIP (DOHERTY FORD, FOREST GROVE, OR) WAS NOTIFIED, BUT REFUSED TO ADDRESS THIS SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE, ALLEGEDLY, THE VIN OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE "WAS NOT INCLUDED" IN THE RECALL. *JB

Seat Belts
Filed Jan 15, 2004122,000 milesCO

POWER SHOULDER RESTRAINT HAS JAMMED ON DRIVER SIDE AND WILL NOT RETRACT TO SECURE THE DRIVER. I FOUND A FORD SAFETY RECALL # 96V-172 TO INSPECT OR REPAIR THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. I PRINTED A COPY AND HANDED IT TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALER WHO SAID THERE WERE NO SAFETY RECALLS FOUND ON MY SON'S FORD PROBE'S VIN NUMBER. MY SON PURCHASED THE CAR USED IN FEBUARY 2003. THE PROBLEM STARTED IN MAY 2003. I AM CONCERNED THAT IF MY SON IN A ACCIDENT THAT HE WILL NOT BE PROPERLY PROTECTED. I WANT TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT AGIENST THE FORD MOTER CO. AND PHIL LONG FORD OF COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO. CONTACTS MADE AT PHIL LONG ON FRIDAY THE 13TH OF JUNE 2003. ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER: MIKE COPE. I LEFT A VOICE MESSAGE FOR THE SERVICE DIRECTOR, MARK MARSHALL ON SUNDAY THE 15TH WITH MY RETURN PHONE NUMBER BUT HE NEVER CALLED. I CALL THE FORD SAFETY RECALL NUMBER 1-800-392-3673 AND SPOKE TO JESSY ON MONDAY THE 16TH. HE SAID HE WOULD CHECK ON THE PROBLEM AND GET BACK TO ME THE NEXT DAY. I DID NOT HEAR BACK FROM JESSY UNTIL LATE ON WEDNESDAY THE 18TH. AND ALL HE SAID WAS THAT HE WAS STILL CHECKING ON THE SAFETY RECALL FOR THE 1990 FORD PROBE AND WOULD GET BACK TO ME. I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM HIM SINCE. I AM VERY DISGUSTED WITH FORD AND THEIR LACK OF WILLINGNESS TO FIX THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. IN THE MEAN WHILE MY SON IS AT RISK EVERY TIME HE DRIVES HIS CAR.

Seat Belts › Front
Filed Dec 5, 2003125,000 milesNY

PASSENGER SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT CAME OFF THE TRACK. THE SEAT BELT WAS INOPERATIVE, AND THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO USE IT. *AK

Seat Belts
Filed Jun 28, 200319 milesCO

FORD DEALER WILL NOT HONOR OR REPAIR SAFETY RECALL ON SHOULDER BELT SAFETY ISSUE. LOCAL FORD DEALER: PHIL LONG FORD, COLORADO SPRINGS COLORADO 1565 AUTO MALL LOOP, COLORADO SPRINGS COLORADO 80920 719-572-2300. CONTACTS ASSISTANCE SERVICE MANAGER MIKE COPE 719-572-2245. SERVICE DIRECTOR MERK MARSHALL 719-572-2385. THIS IS MY SONS CAR AND I AM CONCERNED FOR HIS SAFETY , I FOUND THE FORD RECALL # ON THE INTERNET # TBS 96S48 AND 96V172. I TOOK A PRINTED COPY TO THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID THERE WAS ON RECALL FOR THE VIN # ON MY SONS CAR. I ALSO FOUND A PAPER # NAS-11PAW THAT IS ADDRESSED TO L.W. CAMP DIRECTOR OF AOUT SAFETY AT FOR AND IT STATES THAT THIS RECALL IS FORDS RESPONSIBILITY REGARDLESS OF THE AGE, THE OWNER THE, MILEAGE OF THE CAR. THE PAPER WAS DATED AUGUST 22, 1996. IT'S LIKE FORD DECIDED TO JUST FORGET ABOUT IT AND NOT CARE ABOUT THE SAFETY OF IT'S CONSUMERS. I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME TO GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED ASAP... THANKS, ANTHONY MASCARENAS. *NLM

Seat Belts › Front
Filed May 20, 2003NM

THE FRONT SEAT BELT LOCKED UP, WHICH CAUSED IT NOT TO RETRACT. *JB

Seat Belts › Front › Webbing
Filed May 8, 2003CO

THE RECALL REMEDY WHICH WAS PERFORMED REGARDING THE SHOULDER BELT 96 V 172 001 FAILED. *JB

Seat Belts
Filed Mar 24, 2003104,000 milesAZ

THE VEHICLES AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT TRACK FAILED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *NLM THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED. ON ANOTHER OCCASION THE PASSENGER SIDE FAILED. THE DEALER WOULD NOT REPLACE. SCC

Seat Belts
Filed Mar 18, 2003OR

THE MOTOR INSIDE OF THE SEATBELT WILL COME ON BUT THE SEATBELT WILL NOT RETRACTOR AT ALL. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM

Seat Belts
Filed Jul 24, 2002IN

DEALER, AUBURN MOTORS IN AUBURN, IN. PHONE# 260/925-3100 REFUSED TO HONOR RECALL 96V172002 CONCERNING AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS BECAUSE CONSUMER WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip
Filed Jul 2, 2002IL

WHILE GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION AT 25 MPH, THE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, WITHOUT ANY BRAKING ACTION. CONSUMER USED PARK BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN VEHICLE.*AK CONSUMER ADDED THAT THE DEALER WHO SOLD HIM THE VEHICLE, HAD GOTTEN THE BRAKE LINE FIXED, BUT NOT THE GREASE CAP FOR THE ENIGNE. *SCC

Seat Belts › Front › Anchorage
Filed Jun 28, 2002CA

SEAT BELT FAILURE. *AK

Seat Belts
Filed Jun 28, 2002CA

AFTER RECALL96V172002 REPAIRS WERE DONE PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK

20 of 323 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 1990
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
19991000Routine
199727410Routine
199652410Routine
199586430Routine
1994166471Fatalities reported
1993205480Above average
199279311Fatalities reported
1991177450Routine
1990 — this page323451Fatalities reported

Compare every Probe year →

Reading this record

1 death reported in complaints filed with NHTSA.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Sep 6, 1996. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.