1991 Ford Probe Problems

What owners report

Owner complaints for this model year center heavily on the automatic (passive) shoulder belts: owners describe the belt motor or cable jamming in the door rail, so the belt stops moving or stops retracting. Many reports involve recall notices, long waits for parts, or the symptom returning after a recall repair. Other reports are scattered across wipers, electrical faults, transmission, cooling and cruise control, mostly on higher-mileage cars.

1. 1
   Seat belts

   Automatic shoulder belt jams or stops retracting

   • 82 complaints (46%)
   • median 100,000 mi at 9.3 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1995–2018

   Owners describe the motorized shoulder belt locking mid-travel, failing to retract when the door closes, or tightening so far that the occupant is held against the seat and has to open the door to get free. Several say the belt stopped working after being serviced under the passive-restraint recall. Others report the dealer inspected the vehicle and declined to do further repair, or said the car was not covered by the recall because of its VIN. Reported across a wide range of ages and mileages, including cars past 100,000 miles and some with little use before the belt failed.

   Recall 96V172001Recall 96V172002Recall 91V016000

   What to check: With the door open and then closed, watch whether both belts travel the full rail and retract smoothly, and check for a jammed buckle cable. Ask whether recall 96V172001/96V172002 work was performed and keep the paperwork.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #844235, filed 1999-08

   “Recall 96s48. Occupants seat belt does not retract, it gets stuck in one position. Drivers side was remedied and the passengers side was only inspected. Manufacturer contacted and repairwork will not be done because passengers side was not included in the recall. Problem still exists. Provide further information.”

   NHTSA complaint #835227, filed 1999-02
2. 2
   Seat belts

   Recall parts unavailable or repair not completed

   • 53 complaints (30%)
   • median 137,178 mi at 10.7 yrs old (2 state mileage, few)
   • filed 1996–2007

   Many owners say they received the seat belt recall notice but the dealer had no parts, gave repeated delivery dates, or declined the work because the vehicle had already been inspected. Some describe being told the recall had expired or that their VIN was outside the campaign, leaving the belt unrepaired. Mostly reported in the late 1990s, shortly after the recall notices were mailed.

   Recall 96V172001Recall 96V172002

   What to check: Ask for written confirmation of which recall campaigns apply to the VIN and whether the remedy was actually installed, not just inspected.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The seat belt does not work, received a recall notice . Has taken the vehicle in several times and they continue to say they do not have the parts. Now they are saying again that Ford does not have the part. 96v172000. Consumer states the driver's side automatic seat belt is not operational, consumer states she keeps being told part is not in.”

   NHTSA complaint #805504, filed 1996-11

   “Received recall notice oct 96, dealer was suppose to let consumer know when parts were in. Consumer attempted 4 times, even tried different dealers, still no parts available. On nov 10,97, still had no parts. Dealer said parts will not be available until march of 98.”

   NHTSA complaint #819492, filed 1997-12
3. 3
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Wipers stop in the driver's view or fail

   • 9 complaints (5%)
   • typically at 6.1 yrs old
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1996–2001

   Owners report windshield wipers that stop in the middle or vertical position when switched off, blocking the driver's view, and a rear wiper that flies off the glass in rain. Others describe power window regulators that let the glass fall down or wiring that burned in the door panel. Reported on cars of varying age, often in wet-weather use.

   What to check: Cycle the wipers through all speeds and off, front and rear, and check that both stop in the park position; try each power window fully up and down.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Windshield wipers work but when they are turned off, they stop in a vertical positions in the driver's viewing area. The power steering hose cost me over $200 to be replaced because it is built into the firewall. The car had to be taken apart in order to get to the hose.”

   NHTSA complaint #743059, filed 2001-03

   “While driving in rain experienced rear windshield wiper failure, upon switching on , wipers will fly off rear window, must get out of vehicle to put back in place, rendering them inoperative.”

   NHTSA complaint #804185, filed 1996-10
4. 4
   Electrical system

   Underhood electrical fire while parked

   • 8 complaints (5%)
   • median 130,000 mi at 13.9 yrs old (1 states mileage, few)
   • 5 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 1996–2004

   A few owners report the car catching fire under the hood while parked with the ignition off, with fire investigators describing the fire as electrical. Others describe a failed horn and difficulty getting wiring information from the dealer. Reported on vehicles of unspecified mileage, with the fire occurring while the car was unattended and parked.

   What to check: Have the underhood wiring and fuse box inspected for chafing, corrosion or prior repairs, and confirm the horn and other circuits work.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “(1) purchased the vehicle (2) learned the horn did not work (3) purchased a replacement horn, and requested information from Ford and 3 dealers where it would be located. All, except 1 dealer, refused to give us any information. The last dealer was not certain. Ford's comment was this was private company information or we don't have that information . Suggested we contact their printing company who would sell us schematics. Printing company had no idea which set of schematics we would need. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10097939, filed 2004-10, 130,000 miles

   “Consumer started the vehicle, smoke came from panel of the power window on passenger's side, wiring in the panel burned, causing the windows to become inoperable.”

   NHTSA complaint #803762, filed 1996-11

Buying note. The automatic shoulder belts are the main thing to verify on this model year: confirm with the VIN which recall campaigns apply and whether the remedy was actually installed, and test both belts through a full cycle. Given the age, also budget for wiper, window, transmission and cooling repairs on higher-mileage cars.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 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.