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1996 Ford Probe

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1996 Ford Probe do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 78.

About this comparison →
52Owner complaints

Model-year median: 78

1Recall campaigns

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0Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
205
1993166
199486
199552
199627
19971
1999
Compare all Probe years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Power Train
17Engine And Engine Cooling
13Electrical System
4Seat Belts
4Steering
4
All reported categories
Suspension
3Vehicle Speed Control
3Air Bags
2Equipment
2Exterior Lighting
2Latches/locks/linkages
2Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2Structure
2Visibility
2Fuel System, Gasoline
1Tires
1Unknown Or Other
1Wheels
1

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: 8 of 52 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 4 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 reports2 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

2 reports
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89,584 miles · Aug 3, 2006
Engine And Engine CoolingPower TrainService Brakes, Hydraulic

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND AS SOON AS I GOT UP TO SPEED PAST 30 MILES PER HOUR IT KICKED INTO TO GEAR REALLY HARD AND I COULD FEEL THE TRANSMISSION BARELY SLIPPING INTO GEAR..AND HAD TO HAVE THE WATER PUMP FLUSHED IT WAS OVER HEATING THOUGHT IT WAS THE THERMOSTAT BUT IT WAS CHECKED AND FINE SO I HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER PUM…

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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND AS SOON AS I GOT UP TO SPEED PAST 30 MILES PER HOUR IT KICKED INTO TO GEAR REALLY HARD AND I COULD FEEL THE TRANSMISSION BARELY SLIPPING INTO GEAR..AND HAD TO HAVE THE WATER PUMP FLUSHED IT WAS OVER HEATING THOUGHT IT WAS THE THERMOSTAT BUT IT WAS CHECKED AND FINE SO I HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP...WAS MISSING A MOTOR MOUNT ON ONE SIDE AND THE OTHER WAS CORRODDED.. WHEN I ARE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD I CAN HEAR MY CAR 4 BLOCKS AWAY..BRAKES AREN'T RIGHT THEY DON'T PRESS DOWN LIKE THEY SHOULD AND HALF THE TIME THEY JUST DON'T WORK...IF I AM LUCKY, I HAVE TO START BRAKING AROUND 2 BLOCKS AWAY, I MAY STOP IN TIME. I PURCHASED THIS CAR ON JULY 16,2006 AND THIS ALL HAPPENED STARTING JULY 17,2006. PAYMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE ON TIME AND HAVE HAD TWO ESTIMATES AS THEY REQUESTED FOR ALL THE REPAIRS BUT THEY STILL ARE STATING I HAVE TO COME UP WITH HALF THE MONEY UPFRONT AND THEN THEY WILL TACT ON THE REST TO THE END OF MY BILL I OWE TO PAY OFF THE CAR. *JB

NHTSA ODI #10164357

Mileage unknown · Nov 16, 2000
Service Brakes, HydraulicUnknown Or Other

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON THE PANEL. ABS SENSOR ASSEMBLY IS MAIN PROBLEM. ALSO, VEHICLE HAS OTHER DEFECTIVE PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #875087

Official recalls

1

96V090000 · Air Bags

Jun 3, 1996

THE SUPPLEMENTARY AIR BAG INFLATABLE RESTRAINT CAUTION LABEL LOCATED ON THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR DOES NOT CONTAIN THE STATEMENT, "DO NOT INSTALL REARWARD FACING CHILD SEATS IN ANY FRONT PASSENGER SEAT POSITION." THIS DOES NOT COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FMVSS NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION."

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: CONSEQUENCE OF NON-COMPLIANCE: OPERATORS COULD FAIL TO NOTICE AND HEED THE WARNING LABEL.

Remedy: A NEW CAUTION LABEL, WITH INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS, WILL BE SENT DIRECTLY TO OWNERS. OWNERS CAN INSTALL THE LABEL OR, IF THEY WISH, CAN HAVE THEIR DEALER INSTALL THE LABEL FOR THEM.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.