IllustrationSHOULDER BELTS KEEP GETTING JAMMED IN THE AUTOMATIC RAIL ON BOTH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDES, CAUSING LOSS OF PROTECTION. *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
What owners actually said
323 reportsTHE SEATBELT TRACK SYSTEM WAS REPLACED ON A FORD RECALL. THE ORIGINAL SYSTEM FAILED AND THE RECALL SYSTEM ALSO FAILED ABOUT 13 MONTHS AFTER IT WAS REPLACED. I NOW DO NOT HAVE A VALID SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM ON MY VEHICLE. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR MYSELF AND MY FAMILY. IT APPEARS THAT THE "REDESIGNED SYSTEM" IS NOT ANY…
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THE SEATBELT TRACK SYSTEM WAS REPLACED ON A FORD RECALL. THE ORIGINAL SYSTEM FAILED AND THE RECALL SYSTEM ALSO FAILED ABOUT 13 MONTHS AFTER IT WAS REPLACED. I NOW DO NOT HAVE A VALID SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM ON MY VEHICLE. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN FOR MYSELF AND MY FAMILY. IT APPEARS THAT THE "REDESIGNED SYSTEM" IS NOT ANY BETTER THAN THE ORIGINAL SYSTEM. HOW DO I GO ABOUT HAVING FORD MOTOR CO. REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE SYSTEM WITH ONE THAT WILL WORK. I HAVE HAD TO DISABLE THE COMPLETE SYSTEM (BOTH THE DEFECTIVE LEFT SIDE AND THE WORKING RIGHT SIDE) BECAUSE MY BATTERY WILL RUN DOWN BECAUSE OF THE SYSTEM'S ATTEMPT TO PARK THE DEFECTIVE BELT. THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM AND SHOULD BE REPAIRED AT NO EXPENSE TO ME. IF I AM INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT, CAN I SUE FORD MOTOR CO.???? *AK
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE STREET WENT TO APPLY THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, AND THE PEDAL FELT VERY HARD. DESPITE ADDITIONAL PRESSURE BEING APPLIED NO BRAKING ACTION OCCURRED. CONTACTED THE DEALER TO TRY TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, PROBLEM IS STILL REOCCURRING. *AK *ML
GASKET BETWEEN THE BODY AND TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER THREW THE BACK SIDE OF THE TAIL LIGHTS INTO THE SPARE TIRE WALL, CAUSED A SHORT FOR THE SAFETY RELAY SWITCH FOR THE FUEL PUMP AND TAIL LIGHT
THE DRIVERS SIDE SAFETY BELT WHICH HAS BEEN RECALLED BEFORE, THE TRACK CAN WEAR SUFFICIENTLY SUCH THAT THE CABLE WILL GET JAMMED IN THE WORN TRACK. *AK
RECALL 96V172000/ AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS: OWNER CONTACTED DEALER, WADE FORD, SOUTH COBB DRIVE, SYMRNA, GA 770-436-1200, IN JAN 1997. DEALER HAD NO PARTS AVAILABLE. WHILE DRIVING, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATBELTS MALFUNCTIONED, PROVIDING NO PROTECTION FOR THE OCCUPANTS IN EVENT OF A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORM…
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RECALL 96V172000/ AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELTS: OWNER CONTACTED DEALER, WADE FORD, SOUTH COBB DRIVE, SYMRNA, GA 770-436-1200, IN JAN 1997. DEALER HAD NO PARTS AVAILABLE. WHILE DRIVING, DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SEATBELTS MALFUNCTIONED, PROVIDING NO PROTECTION FOR THE OCCUPANTS IN EVENT OF A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
THE SEAT BELT WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 96V-172 BUT HAS FAILED AGAIN. *ET
WHEN OPENING THE DOOR SEAT BELT RETRACTOR HAS STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR DOOR. ALSO, SEAT BELT NO LONGER BUCKLES, SO IT IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *AK
DEALER SAYS THEY REPAIRED PASSENGER SIDE MOTORBELT PER RECALL 96S99 BUT CONSUMER SAY THE BELT IS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. NLM
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *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