IllustrationSHOUDLER BELTS ON DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE DO NOT RETRACT. IN NOVEMBER OF 1996, SHOULDER BELTS WERE SERVICED UNDER RECALL # 96V172000. IN DECEMBER OF 1998, DRIVER'S SIDE BELT STOPPED RETRACTING, AND THE PASSENGER'S SIDE BELT STOPPED RETRACTIBNG 6 MONTHS LATER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
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
What owners actually said
177 reportsSEAT BELT WAS FIXED DUE TO A RECALL. CURRENTLY SEAT BELT NEEDS TO BE FIXED AGAIN DUE TO LOCKING UP WHEN VEHICLE MOVES. *AK
THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT DOES NOT RETRACT WHEN THE DOOR IS SHUT AS IT SHOULD. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK
WHEN TRAVELING AND UPON MAKING A LEFT HAND TURN STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO ONE SIDE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THE DRIVERS SIDE AUTOMATIC RESTRAINT SYSTEM WILL NOT MOVE ALONG ON THE TRACK AND WILL NOT RESTRAIN DRIVER. *AK
REAR WINDOW - THE SEAL ALLOWS WATER TO LEAK INTO THE TRUNK AREA AND SETTLE AROUND THE SPARE TIRE AREA.THIS PROBLEM IS ESPECIALLY EVIDENT AFTER GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH OR HEAVY RAINSTORM. THE WATER HAS CAUSED THE SPARE TIRE COVERING TO WARP AND HAVE A "MOLDY" SMELL AND HAS CAUSED CONDENSATION TO SETTLE IN THE TAIL LIGHTS. ALSO,…
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REAR WINDOW - THE SEAL ALLOWS WATER TO LEAK INTO THE TRUNK AREA AND SETTLE AROUND THE SPARE TIRE AREA.THIS PROBLEM IS ESPECIALLY EVIDENT AFTER GOING THROUGH A CAR WASH OR HEAVY RAINSTORM. THE WATER HAS CAUSED THE SPARE TIRE COVERING TO WARP AND HAVE A "MOLDY" SMELL AND HAS CAUSED CONDENSATION TO SETTLE IN THE TAIL LIGHTS. ALSO, SINCE THE AREA IS DAMP MOST OF THE TIME , THERE IS MUCH INTERIOR FOGGING. THE EXTERIOR PAINT HAS FADED IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS AND THE CLEAR COAT ON THE HOOD HAS STARTED PEELING. THE RED PAINT ON THE ROOF, SIDE PANELS, AND BACK OF CAR HAS FADED AND HAS A HAZY LOOK TO IT. THERE IS A WHITE FINISH ON THESE AREAS. THE CLEAR COAT ON THE HOOD HAS STARTED PEELING AND HAS LEFT FADED SPOTS. I HAVE NOTICED THAT MANY PROBES HAVE SIMILAR PAINT PROBLEMS IN THE EXACT SAME AREAS.
THE CABLE WHICH RETRACTS THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY JAMMED, RENDERING THE SHOULDER BELTS INOPERABLE. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE. HOWEVER, THE DEALER WILL NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. PRIOR TO THE RECALL, RESTRAINTS WERE REPAIRED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. *AK
NO SUMMARY
NHTSA RECALL 96V-172. 001 FORD/AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT: THIS RECALL WAS RECEIVED APPROX. ONE YEAR AGO, AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REOCCURRING . CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN FAILURE WHICH CAUSED DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT CABLE TO CONSTANTLY WEAR OUT, CAUSING IT TO BECOME JAMMED, AND EVENTUALLY I…
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NHTSA RECALL 96V-172. 001 FORD/AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT: THIS RECALL WAS RECEIVED APPROX. ONE YEAR AGO, AND THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN REOCCURRING . CONSUMER BELIEVED THIS WAS A MANUFACTURER'S DESIGN FAILURE WHICH CAUSED DRIVER'S SIDE AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT CABLE TO CONSTANTLY WEAR OUT, CAUSING IT TO BECOME JAMMED, AND EVENTUALLY INOPERATIVE. WOULD LIKE FOR NHTSA TO HELP IN THIS MATTER. *AK
SHOULDER SEAT BELT FAILS TO WORK. IT WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. OWNER FINALLY DECIDED TO TRADE IT IN FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE. *ML
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