1991 Ford Probe problems & reliability
177 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1991 Ford Probe. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
4 complaints report injuries (4 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1991 Ford Probe vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 0 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts | 142 | 80% |
| Visibility | 13 | 7% |
| Electrical System | 5 | 3% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 5 | 3% |
| Suspension | 5 | 3% |
| Power Train | 4 | 2% |
| Steering | 3 | 2% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 | 2% |
| Structure | 2 | 1% |
| Tires | 2 | 1% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The driver side seat belt is stuck on the track towards the back of it's track and no longer moves or engages.”
Seat Belts · filed Sep 9, 2018
“Tl*the contact owns a 1991 ford probe. Whenever the contact drove the vehicle at various speeds to include approximately 60 mph, using the cruise control the vehicle speed increased. The vehicle has not been diagnosed by the dealer. The current and failure mileages were 113000.”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Feb 1, 2010
“Tl*the contact owns a 1991 ford probe. The contact stated that the cable which retracts the buckle assembly jammed and caused the seat belt to fail. The dealer stated that this vehicle was excluded from recall # 96v172001 due to the vin. The current and failure mileage were 100,000.*ak”
Seat Belts · filed Apr 10, 2007
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- SEATBACK RECLINE MECHANISM FAILURE
Defect Petition DP07001 · opened Jul 30, 2007 · closed Dec 5, 2007
- AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT
Recall Query RQ98011 · opened Jul 31, 1998 · closed Feb 16, 1999
- MAZDA RX7 AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE96027 · opened Apr 16, 1996 · closed Sep 30, 1996 · led to recall 96V173000
- PASSIVE RESTRAINT FAILURES
Engineering Analysis EA94032 · opened Sep 8, 1994 · closed Sep 30, 1996 · led to recall 96V172002
- PASS.RESTRAINT MALFUNCTION
Preliminary Evaluation PE94039 · opened May 4, 1994 · closed Sep 8, 1994
- STEERING WHEEL SEPARATION
Preliminary Evaluation PE91013 · opened Nov 14, 1990 · closed Jan 22, 1991
Technical service bulletins
32 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1991 Ford Probe. The 10 most recent:
Information regarding transmission fluid usage charts. *slc
01157 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
On some vehicles, engine oil may continue to leak from the engine oil pan gasket area after an engine oil pan gasket repair has been performed. *tt
01124 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 25, 2001
Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *mjs
0015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 10, 2000
Information regarding the recall 96s48 & 96s99 (motorized seat belt rail and motor assembly). *mjs
13714 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 1, 2000
Information on identifying non-approved / alternate refrigerants which could cause safety, and performance concerns if installed in ford a/c systems. *tt
99196 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 20, 1999
Experiencing a whine / buzz type noise in the speakers of the entertainment radio or two-way radio on vehicles with an in-tank electric fuel pump. *tt
99129 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 14, 1999
Information on "whining" / "buzzing" noise coming through entertainment or two-way radio speaker caused by the fuel pump. *tt
99129 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 14, 1999
Ford motor company now recommends sae 5w-30 viscosity grade for servicing any ford gasoline-powered vehicle regardless of model year. *tt
99816 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 3, 1999
Ford motor company has released a new electrical grease ( f8az - 19g208-aa ) to reduce the possibility of moisture corrosion at the terminals. *yc
98246 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 7, 1998
A new silicone gasket and sealant. *yc
9874 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 13, 1998
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1991 Ford Probe in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1991 Ford Probe?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.