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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.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

Suspension complaints

5 reports
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15,000 miles · Jan 15, 2004
Engine And Engine CoolingSeat BeltsSteering

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.

NHTSA ODI #10069753

Mileage unknown · May 9, 1997
Seat BeltsSuspension

WAS TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALER WHEN IT STARTED MAKING NOISES. HAD MECHANIC CHECK IT OUT; WAS INFORMED THAT THE STRUTS WERE REAL BAD & NEEDED REPLACING; HAD FRONT 2 STRUTS REPLACED. ALSO, AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS JAMMED IN RETRACTING POSITION, RENDERING SEAT BELTS INOPERATIVE PRIOR TO RECALL (96V-172). *AK

NHTSA ODI #811106

Mileage unknown · Feb 4, 1997
Suspension

STRUTS FALLING PART.

NHTSA ODI #514477

Mileage unknown · Nov 1, 1996
Suspension

BUSHING PLATE ON STRUTS RUSTED OUT, CAUSING COIL SPRING TO COME THROUGH THE PLATE.

NHTSA ODI #510923

Mileage unknown · Jul 3, 1995
Suspension

VEHICLE IS PULLING TO THE RIGHT SIDE, DIFFICULTY STEERING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #968174

Official recalls

3

96V172001 · 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

6

DP07001 · 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