IllustrationAUTOMATIC RETRACTOR DOES NOT RETRACT, VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 96 V 172 000. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK
1992 Ford Probe
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 1992 Ford Probe do not stand out strongly from 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: 6 of 79 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 55 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 6 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 reports1 fire reports1 injury reports
What owners actually said
79 reportsNHTSA RECALL ID# 96-V-172-002/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 96S99, AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ON PASSENGER'S SIDE IS STUCK IN ONE POSITION. AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT IS SUPPOSE TO RETRACT BACK AND FORWARD ACROSS CONSUMER WHEN DOOR IS OPENED AND CLOSED. PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS BEING REPLACED FOR SECOND TIME. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED,…
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NHTSA RECALL ID# 96-V-172-002/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 96S99, AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ON PASSENGER'S SIDE IS STUCK IN ONE POSITION. AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT IS SUPPOSE TO RETRACT BACK AND FORWARD ACROSS CONSUMER WHEN DOOR IS OPENED AND CLOSED. PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS BEING REPLACED FOR SECOND TIME. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AN DRECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED ONCE. PLEASE PROVIDE THE VEHICLE ID NUMBER AND MILEAGE.*AK
DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED, PRIOR TO RECALL AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED 18 MONTHS AFTER BEING FIXED AS PER RECALL NOTICE. *YH
THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO COME BACK AFTER THE DOOR WAS OPENED AND CLOSED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE DID THE SAME THING. NLM
PASSENGER'S AND DRIVER'S AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS ARE FROZEN. CABLES ARE JAMMED. THERE IS A RECALL 96V172000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 96S48. RECALL IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT, AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *AK AT TIME OF RECALL, CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO STATED THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS, THEREFORE NO CORRECTIONS NE…
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PASSENGER'S AND DRIVER'S AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS ARE FROZEN. CABLES ARE JAMMED. THERE IS A RECALL 96V172000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 96S48. RECALL IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT, AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *AK AT TIME OF RECALL, CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO STATED THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS, THEREFORE NO CORRECTIONS NEEDED TO BE MADE. *SLC
PASSENGER'S AUTOMATIC SET BELT CAME OUT OF T TRACK AFTER HITTING A DEER. SEAT BELT WAS IN USE AT TIME. PASSENGER WAS THROWN FORWARD WHEN BELT BROKE. HAD NO AIRBAGS. NO INJURIES. *AK
REGARDING FORD RECALL # 96S48 AND 96S99 - SEAT BELT RECALL. DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THAT THEY PERFORMED REPLACEMENT OF SEATBELT TRACK AND MOTOR ASSEMBLY ON FEBRUARY 25, 1997. HOWEVER, THE REPAIR HAS FAILED JUST AS THE RECALL DESCRIBED THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM. FORD WILL NOT AGREE TO FIX THIS SAFETY ISSUE CLAIMING THAT THE WORK HAS ALRE…
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REGARDING FORD RECALL # 96S48 AND 96S99 - SEAT BELT RECALL. DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THAT THEY PERFORMED REPLACEMENT OF SEATBELT TRACK AND MOTOR ASSEMBLY ON FEBRUARY 25, 1997. HOWEVER, THE REPAIR HAS FAILED JUST AS THE RECALL DESCRIBED THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM. FORD WILL NOT AGREE TO FIX THIS SAFETY ISSUE CLAIMING THAT THE WORK HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE. I CONTEND THAT I RECEIVED EITHER FAULTY PARTS AND / OR SHODDY WORKMANSHIP FROM THE DEALERSHIP. CAN YOU HELP ME RESOLVE THIS ISSUE WITH FORD? THANK YOU. MI. *AK
WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC THE VEHICLE STOPPED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE IGNITION WAS REWIRED, CONSUMER BELIEVES THESE IGNITION PROBLEMS ARE IDENTICAL TO THE PROBLEMS IN CALIFORNIA WITH THE TFI MODULE AND REQUEST REIMBURSEMENT. NLM
VEHICLE SHUTDOWN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DUE TO IGNITION, AND STARTED TO RUN HOT, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE MOTOR. *AK
WINDSHIELD WIPERS PARK IN VERTICAL POSITION ON WINDSHIELD OBSCURING VISION. DEALER REPLACED WIPER MOTOR ASSEMBLY, WIPER SWITCH AND HARNESS. TOTAL $820.87 FOR REPAIRS. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM-MANY PROBES BEING DRIVEN WITH WIPERS PARKED ON WINDSHIELD. FORD ISSUED SERVICE BULLETINS #9546 AND#9582. CAN I GET REIMBURSED FROM FOR…
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WINDSHIELD WIPERS PARK IN VERTICAL POSITION ON WINDSHIELD OBSCURING VISION. DEALER REPLACED WIPER MOTOR ASSEMBLY, WIPER SWITCH AND HARNESS. TOTAL $820.87 FOR REPAIRS. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM-MANY PROBES BEING DRIVEN WITH WIPERS PARKED ON WINDSHIELD. FORD ISSUED SERVICE BULLETINS #9546 AND#9582. CAN I GET REIMBURSED FROM FORD FOR THIS SAFETY RELATED REPAIR? *AK
Official recalls
296V172001 · 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.
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
2DP07001 · 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