1989 Ford Probe Problems

What owners report

Owners of this 1989 Ford Probe most often describe seat belts that stop retracting or locking, often starting gradually and sometimes locking suddenly during braking. Power window and windshield wiper failures come next, followed by a smaller group describing the engine cutting out or failing to restart. Most sampled complaints do not list mileage, so the timing of these problems is largely unknown.

1. 1
   Seat belts

   Seat belts that do not retract or lock

   • 20 complaints (26%)
   • median 36,000 mi at 5.9 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1995–2014

   Owners describe seat belts, most often on the driver side, that will not retract, stay stuck in the extended position, or lock up and will not release. Some say the belt failed again after a repair or part replacement, and some say the retractor or release button stuck. According to complaints, the dealer diagnosed a retractor that needed replacing, and some report being told the car was not included in a belt recall while others say the dealer refused the repair. Mileage is listed for only a few of these, ranging from about 2,000 to 140,000 miles, and some describe the belt failing again after a repair or replacement.

   What to check: Pull each seat belt fully out and let it retract, then give it a firm tug to confirm it both retracts and locks. Ask whether any belt recall or repair was done, and check the VIN with the official recall lookup.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The driver's seat belt will not retract. Therefore, it will not retract in an accident, impairing my safety. I brought this up to the dealer and they refused to fix it. There is a 1990 recall that Ford used to scam the owners of the 1989 models out of the recall even though the 1989 was the first year made and only made for a few months before building the 1990s and the 1990 was the exact same car with the exact same components. Ford is cheating us out of our recall and endangering out lives. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10611096, filed 2014-07, 70,000 miles

   “Passenger's and driver's automatic lap/shoulder belt red release button sticks, and the retractor does not function properly. Also, will not release the belt when it is under tension, causing a person to become trapped into the seat.”

   NHTSA complaint #810128, filed 1997-04
2. 2
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Power window and windshield wiper failures

   • 7 complaints (9%)
   • typically at 9.0 yrs old
   • filed 1995–2000

   Owners describe the driver's power window stopping, dropping, or refusing to go up or down, with the glass sometimes ending up inside the door. Some describe repeated failures after a motor or regulator was replaced, and a dealer quote for a replacement regulator was high while wrecking yards said the part was not available. Windshield wiper complaints describe wipers that break or do not park, stopping across the windshield and blocking the driver's view. Mileage is not listed for these complaints, but some describe repeated failures, such as a motor replaced twice that broke again.

   What to check: Test each power window in both directions and confirm that the wipers park fully when switched off. Ask whether the window motor or regulator was replaced and whether the repair has held, since complaints describe repeat failures.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I want to report windshield wiper failure similar to that of other Ford owners, and that I have found the cause in my car. I heard a portion of a radio news broadcast that said taurus owners have experienced failures. My wiper failures began about two years ago.”

   NHTSA complaint #704791, filed 1999-03

   “Right window regulator failed, driver's side is cracked and about to fail the dealership asked for $379.00 for replacement part. I then called wrecking yards (2) and explained that I needed a window regulator for a Ford Probe 1989 they informed me that part is not available for the drivers side I would have to get on a waiting list due to the fact that so many have failed. When I asked about the left side I was quoted $150 and $125 both places needed a week to get the part. …”

   NHTSA complaint #721899, filed 2000-04
3. 3
   Engine cooling

   Engine cuts out or will not restart

   • 9 complaints (12%)
   • median 133,475 mi at 21.4 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1996–2015

   Owners describe the engine cutting out while driving, sometimes without warning, and reports say the power brakes and power steering cut out with it. Other reports describe a car that cranks but will not start, with no spark or fuel pressure found during testing. According to complaints, mechanics could not find the fault for an intermittent stall, and changing the ignition switch and wiring did not stop the problem. Where mileage is listed, reports fall between about 98,950 and 168,000 miles, and the stalls are described as intermittent and happening without warning.

   What to check: Ask the seller about any stalling or hard-starting history, and check that the car starts and idles smoothly on a test drive including a cold restart. Ask whether the ignition switch, wiring, or throttle position sensor was tested or replaced, since complaints describe repairs that did not stop the problem.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The engine stops unexpectedly while driving, cutting out the power brakes and power steering and making my front-heavy front wheel drive car very very hard to steer and very very difficult to stop. The engine stops unexpectedly often, without warning. I thought this was tied to the ignition switch, but changing the switch and wiring did not help. At the same time of this problem, the ignition switch stopped turning on the starter, but will let the engine run.”

   NHTSA complaint #10611084, filed 2014-07, 98,950 miles

   “After pulling all fuses in the driveway with vehicle off, to check them and putting them all back, verifying several times the correct location, the car cranks but no longer starts. There is no spark, no fuel pressure. Ignition coil gets 12v power to both prongs until cranking, then losses all power. 4eat computer under the dash reports fault with the throttle position sensor. Throttle position sensor is in good condition and this was verified by testing it manually using a voltmeter, a bad tps will not cause a no start situation anyway. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10788385, filed 2015-11, 168,000 miles

Buying note. Before buying an older Probe, test each seat belt's retraction and locking, check that the power windows and wipers work fully, and ask for records of any stalling or no-start repairs. Because most complaints do not list mileage, ask for service history rather than relying on mileage to judge these problems.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 38 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.