IllustrationPASSENGER SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT CAME OFF THE TRACK. THE SEAT BELT WAS INOPERATIVE, AND THE CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO USE IT. *AK
1990 Ford Probe
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Probe years
Owner complaints for the 1990 Ford Probe are substantially higher than the model-year median of 78.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Probe years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 10 of 323 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Seat Belts. Review the 282 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports5 fire reports13 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
282 reportsFORD 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 S…
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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
THE FRONT SEAT BELT LOCKED UP, WHICH CAUSED IT NOT TO RETRACT. *JB
THE RECALL REMEDY WHICH WAS PERFORMED REGARDING THE SHOULDER BELT 96 V 172 001 FAILED. *JB
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
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
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
AFTER RECALL96V172002 REPAIRS WERE DONE PROBLEM REOCCURRED. *AK
SEAT BELT FAILURE. *AK
THE RIGHT SIDE SEATBELT GETS STUCK AND DOESN'T LOCK INTO PLACE. FORD MOTOR CO. SAID CAR WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY SO THEY WOULD NOT FIX THIS RECALLED PART. *AK
Official recalls
396V172001 · Seat Belts:front:webbing
Sep 6, 1996
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
96V172002 · Seat Belts:front:webbing
Sep 6, 1996
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.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: 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.
89V159000 · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
Sep 25, 1989
THROTTLE LEVERS MAY HAVE BEEN BENT DURING ASSEMBLY.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THROTTLE MAY STICK AND NOT RETURN FULLY TO IDLEPOSITION.
Remedy: PLACE AFFECTED VEHICLES ON DELIVERY HOLD UNTIL REPAIRED.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
6DP07001 · Seatback Recline Mechanism Failure
Opened Jul 30, 2007 · Closed Dec 5, 2007
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats:front Assembly:recliner
ON JUNE 29, 2007, NHTSA RECEIVED A PETITION FROM MR. RICHARD H. MCSWAIN OF MCSWAIN ENGINEERING INC., REQUESTING THAT THE AGENCY INVESTIGATE SEATBACK RECLINER FAILURE IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES. THE PETITIONER IDENTIFIED A FAILURE MODE INVOLVING BYPASS OF THE SEATBACK STOP PIN WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FALSE OR PARTIAL ENGAGEMENT OF THE SECTOR AND PAWL TEETH, ALLOWING THE SEATBACK TO RECLINE IN A VEHICULAR COLLISION.ODI BELIEVES THAT THE ALLEGED FAILURE MODE MAY BE THE RESULT OF PROGRESSIVE WEAR AND TEAR OF THE SEATBACK STOP PIN, THE SEATBACK STOP, AND OTHER SEAT COMPONENTS IN VEHICLES THAT ARE, ON AVERAGE, 17 YEARS OLD.AVAILABLE DATA DO NOT SUGGEST THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED WITH A NOTABLE FREQUENCY. ODI REVIEWED ITS CONSUMER COMPLAINT DATA RECEIVED OVER THE LAST NINETEEN YEARS AND FOUND NO COMPLAINTS OF SEATBACK COLLAPSE (WITH OR WITHOUT A VEHICLE COLLISION) IN THE SUBJECT VEHICLES.CONSIDERING THE ADVANCED AGE OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, IT IS UNLIKELY THAT NHTSA WOULD ISSUE AN ORDER FOR THE NOTIFICATION AND REMEDY OF THE ALLEGED DEFECT AS DEFINED BY THE PETITIONER AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE INVESTIGATION REQUESTED IN THE PETITION.THE STATUTORY REQUIREMENT THAT THE MANUFACTURER PROVIDE A FREE REMEDY DOES NOT APPLY IF THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT BY THE FIRST PURCHASER MORE THAN 10 CALENDAR YEARS BEFORE AN ORDER IS ISSUED. THEREFORE, IN VIEW OF THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S SAFETY MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.
RQ98011 · Automatic Shoulder Belt
Opened Jul 31, 1998 · Closed Feb 16, 1999
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts:front:webbing
There is no summary currently available
PE96027 · Mazda RX7 Automatic Seat Belt Failure
Opened Apr 16, 1996 · Closed Sep 30, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
MALFUNCTION OF THE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT SYSTEM
EA94032 · Passive Restraint Failures
Opened Sep 8, 1994 · Closed Sep 30, 1996
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available
Additional source detail variants (2)
Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available
Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available
PE94039 · Pass.restraint Malfunction
Opened May 4, 1994 · Closed Sep 8, 1994
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seat Belts
There is no summary currently available
PE91124 · Engine Compartment Fires
Opened Sep 9, 1991 · Closed Dec 23, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling
There is no summary currently available