IllustrationCONSUMER HAD RECALL WORK DONE ON SHOULDER BELTS, BUT PROBLEM RETURNED. SEAT BELT WILL NOT RETRACT. 96V172000. *AK
1994 Ford Probe
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Probe years
Owner complaints for the 1994 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: 14 of 166 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.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
16 crash reports7 fire reports11 injury reports
What owners actually said
166 reportsOVERDRIVE LIGHT FLASHED AND VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY SHIFTS TO A LOWER GEAR AND CRUISE CONTROL SWITCHES OFF.
ENGINE STALLS AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND WON'T RESTART FOR SEVERAL MINUTES AFTERWARDS. SEE FORD TSB#97-13-7. OWNER BELIEVES THE TSB SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL.
OWNER WAS DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND SMOKE STARTED TO FILL THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE VENTS. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD SAFELY. A FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, AND CAUSED THE WHOLE VEHICLE TO BURN. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TOTALLED. *AK
BATTERY LOSING CHARGE FREQUENTLY. VEHICLE IDLED 15 MINUTES BEFORE JUMPERS WERE PLACED ON IT. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM FUSE BOX UNDERNEATH. FLAMES SHOT OUT QUICKLY. PUT IT OUT W/FIRE EXTINQUISHER. TURNED VEHICLE OFF. *AK
PARKING BRAKE FAILED TO RELEASE, LOCKING CALIPER ON REAR WHEEL BRAKE ROTOR. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED.
CONSUMER'S SON WAS RIDING IN PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT, TRYING TO BUCKLE UP HE PULLED BELTS FORWARD, AND THE WERE NOT RELEASING FULLY. HE THEN LET THE BELT RETRACT AND TRIED AGAIN. THIS TIME THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RELEASE AT ALL. *AK
THE DRIVER'S SEATBACK IS BROKEN. THE SEAT COLLAPSED BACKWARDS. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROLBEM, BUT NOT WILLING TO FIX BECAUSE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *AK
OIL PUMP FAILED CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN.
Official recalls
193V169000 · Air Bags:frontal
Oct 15, 1993
IF THE PASSENGER-SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THERE IS NO PASSENGER IN THAT SEATING POSITION, THE AIR BAG CAN DETACH FROM, AND DEFORM, THE MOUNTING BRACKET.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: INSTALLATION OF A REPLACEMENT PASSENGER-SIDE AIR BAGWOULD BE IMPEDED BY THE DAMAGE TO THE MOUNTING BRACKET AND WOULD REQUIRE MOREEXPENSIVE REPAIR WORK. THIS MAY DETER THE VEHICLE OWNER FROM HAVING THE REPAIRMADE AND THE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG INSTALLED, WHICH WOULD PLACE FUTURE PASSENGERSAT HIGHER RISK OF INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT.
Remedy: A NEW AIR BAG MODULE WITH A SLIGHTLY REVISED DOOR TO IMPROVE FIT AND APPEARANCE WILL BE INSTALLED AND A DOUBLER WILL BE INSTALLED ON THE MOUNTING BRACKET TO MORE SECURELY RETAIN THE MODULE.
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
1DP98005 · Engine Oil Pump Failure
Opened Jun 4, 1998 · Closed Aug 27, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages
There is no summary currently available