IllustrationTHE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT IS STUCK ON THE TRACK TOWARDS THE BACK OF IT'S TRACK AND NO LONGER MOVES OR ENGAGES.
1991 Ford Probe
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Probe years
Owner complaints for the 1991 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: 7 of 177 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 142 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
3 crash reports5 fire reports4 injury reports
Seat Belts complaints
142 reportsTL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1991 FORD PROBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CABLE WHICH RETRACTS THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY JAMMED AND CAUSED THE SEAT BELT TO FAIL. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM RECALL # 96V172001 DUE TO THE VIN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 100,000.*AK
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASING A VEHICLE, IT WAS NOTICED THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT AND WAS JAMMED IN THE RAIL RENDERING THE BELT INOPERATIVE. THE CONTACT CHECKED FOR RECALLS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND FOUND THE NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN # 96V172001 COVERED THE DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO INFO…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED IMMEDIATELY AFTER PURCHASING A VEHICLE, IT WAS NOTICED THE SEAT BELT DID NOT RETRACT AND WAS JAMMED IN THE RAIL RENDERING THE BELT INOPERATIVE. THE CONTACT CHECKED FOR RECALLS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND FOUND THE NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN # 96V172001 COVERED THE DEFECT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE CONTACT WAS VERY CONCERNED BECAUSE THE DESCRIPTION IN THE RECALL MATCHED EXACTLY THE PROBLEMS, THE VEHICLE'S SEAT BELT HAD.
I OWN A 1991 FORD PROBE. THE DRIVERS SIDE AUTO-RETRACT SEAT-BELT ASSEMBLY IS JAMMED. SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, (AUTOZONE RECALLS AND THIS WEB-SITE FOR TWO), I FIND INTERESTING INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ISSUE. PARTICULARLY NHTSA ID # 96V172001 / FORD RECALL 96S48 THAT DESCRIBES THIS. ALSO THE LINK ON YOUR SITE TO THIS PDF …
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I OWN A 1991 FORD PROBE. THE DRIVERS SIDE AUTO-RETRACT SEAT-BELT ASSEMBLY IS JAMMED. SEARCHING ON THE INTERNET, (AUTOZONE RECALLS AND THIS WEB-SITE FOR TWO), I FIND INTERESTING INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ISSUE. PARTICULARLY NHTSA ID # 96V172001 / FORD RECALL 96S48 THAT DESCRIBES THIS. ALSO THE LINK ON YOUR SITE TO THIS PDF (RC-96V172-NN.PDF), IS ALSO OF INTEREST. MY ISSUE / COMPLAINT IS THAT I TOLD MY LOCAL FORD DEALER AS WELL AS HAD FORD MOTOR CO. RUN MY VIN AND THEY STATED MY VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. I DO NOTICE THAT IN THE ABOVE PDF A STATEMENT THAT ALL PROBES STARTING AS EARLY AS 1990 WITH THIS RESTRAINT SYSTEM ARE TO BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. THIS SYSTEM ON THIS CAR IS FAULTY. IN IOWA THERE IS A SEAT BELT LAW. ALTHOUGH I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER, I KNOW 2 OF THE 3 OTHER OWNERS OF THIS. IT HAS ONLY 88,000 MILES. REGARDLESS OF AGE OR CONDITION, I UNDERSTAND THIS SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE FORD RECALL CAMPAIGN AND I SHOULD BE FREE OF ANY FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR THE PROBLEM. ANY INPUT? *JB
I READ YOUR COMPLAINT PAGE, HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE 91 AND I HAVE ALL THE SAME PROBS, 1 PERSON SAID HE HAD 2 INCHES OF WATER IN THE CAR, TRY 6. THE PAINT WASNT RIGHT FROM DAY 1. THE CV JOINTS/AXELS WENT BAD AFTER 2 YEARS AND IVE GOT BY TILL NOW BUT THE RATTLE IS ANNOYING. THE EXHAUST SYS ALSO RATTLES. FRONT TIRES GO YEARLY. AIR C…
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I READ YOUR COMPLAINT PAGE, HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE 91 AND I HAVE ALL THE SAME PROBS, 1 PERSON SAID HE HAD 2 INCHES OF WATER IN THE CAR, TRY 6. THE PAINT WASNT RIGHT FROM DAY 1. THE CV JOINTS/AXELS WENT BAD AFTER 2 YEARS AND IVE GOT BY TILL NOW BUT THE RATTLE IS ANNOYING. THE EXHAUST SYS ALSO RATTLES. FRONT TIRES GO YEARLY. AIR CONDITIONER NEVER HAS BLOWN COLD. AND THE DOOR ON THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT IS TO HEAVY FOR THE LATCH, I RIDE 6 MNTHS OF EVERY YEAR WITH AN OPEN GLOVE COMPARTMENT.THE HATCHBACK LEAKS, AND THE PAINT WELL, WHO KNOWS WHERE THEY GOT THAT BLEND. THE CAR ALWAYS RUNS COLD WHICH CAUSES THE ROUGH IDLE AND START AND 14 INCH WHEELS WERENT SUFFICIENT FOR A CAR THAT BIG. I WILL SAY THAT FORD BENT OVER BACKWARDS TO GET THE ITEMS FIXED I JUST CANT LEAVE IT THERE BI-WEEKLY.THEY DID REPAINT IT TWICE AND HONORED THE SEATBELT RECALL THIS YEAR, 2003.THE CAR NOW HAS 200,000 MILES AND HAS NEVER FAILED SMOG OR SPENT ONE DAY ON A TOW TRUCK OR IN A SHOP BECAUSE IT WOULDNT START. ITS BEEN A LONG NOISY AND EXTREMELY HOT RIDE, AND I HOPE THEY LEARNED AFTER THOSE BAD YEARS. BUT JUST RECENTLY I ASKED A MECHANIC ON HIS OPINION IF I SHOULD BUY A TAURUS. HE POINTED TO A CAR IN THE BACK OF HIS SHOP AND SAID THAT CAR IS PAYING FOR HIS SONS COLLEGE. 6TH TIME THIS YEAR HES HAD IT AND HE STRONGLY ADVISED ME TO NEVER PURCHASE A FORD CAR. ALL THE PROBS WITH THE PROBE ARE SAME WITH THE TAURUS. I MIGHT GET 50000 MORE MILES BUT DOUBT IT. BUT I DONT THINK THEY TRIED TO CHEAT ME, FORD WORKED WITH ME FROM THE DAY I SAT IN THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY STILL ARE.
THE CONSUMER WAS REFERRED TO THE DEALER BY AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP FOR RECALLS ON THE SEAT BELTS. THE DEALER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE REMEDY SCOPE, BUT THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELTS DID NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. RECALL# 96V172001 AND 96V172002 SUBJECT: AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT.*AK *JB
THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE ASSEMBLY BECAME JAMMED IN THE FORWARD POSITION AND WILL NOT RETRACT.*AK
I HAVE A SEAT BELT THAT DOES NOT WORK IT IS STUCK IN PLACE AND THEY WONT HELP ME AT ALL. *AK
RECALL 96S48/96S99 "PASSIVE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY" REPAIRED AT DEALER SYSTEM FAILED NEEDS REPAIR DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO COMPLY. *AK
MOTOR SEAT BELT ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE SOMETIMES WILL NOT RETRACT, ALWAYS LEAVING BELT HALFWAY WHEN THE DOOR IS CLOSED. THIS HAD BEEN RAPAIRED BEFORE.*AK SHOULDER HARNESS/SEAT BELT(LAP) WAS REPLACED AS A RESULT OF A RECALL (96V-172) BUT IT STILL MALFUNCTIONS. *YH
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.
91V016000 · Seat Belts:front:anchorage
Jan 1, 1991
BRACKETS MOUNTING AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY MAY HAVE AN UNDERSTRENGTH SPOT WELD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: SHOULDER BELT COULD FAIL IN A COLLISION INCREASING THERISK OF INJURY TO THE OCCUPANT.
Remedy: INSTALL TWO BOLTS IN THE BRACKETS TO PREVENT SHOULDER BELT FAILURE.
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
PE91013 · Steering Wheel Separation
Opened Nov 14, 1990 · Closed Jan 22, 1991
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Steering
There is no summary currently available