FORD PROBE · model year

1992 FORD PROBE

101 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 1992FORDPROBE carries 101 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 3 fires, 1 injury, and 1 fatality. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1992 PROBE is seat belts with 32 filings, followed by seat belts:front:webbing (12) and seat belts:front:retractor (6). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.

NHTSA currently has 177 investigation files overlapping the 1992 PROBE, and 8 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.

101
Complaints
4
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Injuries
1
Deaths

Total Complaints

101 filings

Crashes Reported

4 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
SEAT BELTS32
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING12
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR6
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:ANCHORAGE4
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM3
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION3
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION3
SUSPENSION2
TIRES2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION2
SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY2
EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.2
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE2
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH1

Recent Complaints

20100813SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 FORD PROBE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED SHE ATTEMPTED TO USE THE DRIVER'S SEAT BELT AND THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT MOVE OUT OF THE RETRACTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER ADVISED HER THAT THEY NO LONGER HAVE ANY BOOKS ON HOW TO REPAIR THE SEAT BELT. SHE REFERENCE RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 96V172001, SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING AND STATED THE RECALL WORK WAS PERFORMED. SHE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY HAVE SENT HER SEVERAL LETTERS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000. UPDATED 11/08/10 * BF THE CONSUMER STATED SHE HAS BEEN WITHOUT THE SHOULDER BELT FOR ABOUT 1 YEAR. UPDATED 11/10/10

Mileage: 108,000

20100504SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 FORD PROBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO BUCKLE THE SEAT BELT, IT WOULD NOT RETRACT TO SECURE THE DRIVER. THE CONTACT DISENGAGED THE BELT. THE CONTACT CALLED THE AUTHORIZED DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD FOR THEM TO LOOK UP THE REMEDY IN THE DIAGNOSTIC MANUAL. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE (96V172001 SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 106,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 110,000. UPDATED 07/06/10. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE SEAT BELT STOPPED WORKING. UPDATED 09/21/10

Mileage: 106,000

20100329SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 FORD PROBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REPAIR FOR RECALL 96V172001 (SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING) WAS PERFORMED IN 2007 BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED THE COMPLAINT DOES NOT EXPLAIN WHAT WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REPAIR COULD NOT BE PERFORMED AGAIN FREE OF CHARGE DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 106,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 108,000. UPDATED 7/06/10. *LJ UPDATED 07/09/10.*JB

Mileage: 106,000

20080501POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

SIX MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING A 92 PROBE V6 WITH 59,000 MILES ON IT I HAD TRANSMISSION TROUBLE. THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING ONE WEEK WHEN I WAS TRAVELING TO SCHOOL AND WHEN I CAME HOME THAT WEEKEND IT WOULDN'T SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR. AFTER LETTING IT SIT I WAS ABLE TO BRING IT HOME, ALTHOUGH IT SHIFTED ROUGH FROM NEUTRAL TO 1ST AND TO SECOND, THEN WOULDN'T SHIFT INTO THIRD AT ALL. I HAD TO USE MANUAL SHIFT MODE TO KEEP IT FROM SHIFTING INTO THIRD. WHILE CHANGING TRANSMISSION FLUID IT WE NOTICED A BURNT OIL SMELL TO IT. CHANGING THE FLUID HAD LITTLE EFFECT. THE WORST THING IS THAT I WAS ALSO LOOKING AT A 91 GRAND AM 4 CYL FOR $200 LESS. *TR

Mileage: 69,000

20060908SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

DRIVERS SIDE (LEFT) PASSIVE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY. THE RAIL OF THE AUTOMATIC SHOULDER BELT HAS WORN SUFFICIENTLY SUCH THAT THE CABLE WHICH RETRACTS THE BUCKLE ASSEMBLY HAS BECOME JAMMED IN THE RAIL RENDERING THE SHOULDER BELT INOPERATIVE. ACCORDING THE LETTER WRITTEN BY MR. JONATHAN D. WHITE RECALL ANALYSIS DIVISION OFFICE OF DEFECT INVESTIGATION SAFETY ASSURANCE. "FORD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REMEDY OF THESE VEHICLES FROM THE DATE OF AUG 22, 1996 FORWARD,REGARDLESS OF VEHICLE AGE MILEAGE OR OWNERSHIP." NOT GIVING AN ENDING DATE. THERE RECALL INVOLVES 224,000 FORD MOTOR COMPANY VEHICLES 1990 THROUGH 1992 FORD PROBE MODEL EQUIPPED WITH FRONT SEAT MOTORIZED (PASSIVE) SHOULDER BELTS AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT AND MANUFACTURED FROM AUG 14, 1989 THROUGH FEB 7, 1992. MY VEHICLE WAS MADE NOV 1, 1991 WITHIN THE LIMITS OF THE RECALL. RECALL NO.96S48. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE USED. I CALLED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AT 800-392-3673. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON MY VEHICLE AND THE RECALLS ARE DIFF

Mileage: 111,528

20041214SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

SEAT BELT BROKE. IN 1996 THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT TRACK, AT THAT TIME THE CONSUMER SEAT BELT WAS ALREADY BROKE, BUT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER WROTE A LETTER TO FORD ABOUT THE SEAT BELT AND EVENTUALLY IT WAS FIXED UNDER THE RECALL. THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS CHECKED AND THE MECHANIC STATED IT WAS FINE. IN 2000 THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT BROKE AGAIN, BUT THIS TIME THE CONSUMER HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. NOW THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT IS BROKE, THE CONSUMER CALLED FORD TO INQUIRE ABOUT A RECALL FOR THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT BUT WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL. *JB

20040301SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

AUTOMATIC DRIVER'S SEAT BELT IS INOPERATIVE. THE SHOULDER STRAP IS JAMMED IN THE RAIL BEHIND THE SHOULDER OF THE DRIVER. RECALL 96V172001 WAS ISSUED ON MAKE,/MODEL AND YEAR, BUT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN.*AK *LA

Mileage: 75,000

20030424TIRES:TREAD/BELT

THE CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE FROM THE VEHICLE, AND HE SOON DISCOVERED THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAD EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. *JB

20030210SEAT BELTS:FRONT

THE SEAT BELT WAS EXTREMELY TIGHT.*JB

20020606SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

BOTH DRIVERS SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE SHOULDER BELTS LOCK UP CONTINUOUSLY. THERE WAS A RECALL ON FEBRUARY 2, 1997 ON BOTH OF THEM. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAS HAD THEM REPLACED. BOTH SIDES STILL LOCK UP ALL THE TIME PREVENTING MOVEMENT OF ANY KIND.*AK

20020514POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING. NLM

20020514EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH

DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLAMP SWITCH FAILED. *YH

20020312SEAT BELTS

AUTOMATIC RETRACTOR DOES NOT RETRACT, VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 96 V 172 000. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

20020205SEAT BELTS

NHTSA RECALL ID# 96-V-172-002/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 96S99, AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT RETRACTOR ON PASSENGER'S SIDE IS STUCK IN ONE POSITION. AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT IS SUPPOSE TO RETRACT BACK AND FORWARD ACROSS CONSUMER WHEN DOOR IS OPENED AND CLOSED. PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT IS BEING REPLACED FOR SECOND TIME. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AN DRECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED ONCE. PLEASE PROVIDE THE VEHICLE ID NUMBER AND MILEAGE.*AK

20011024SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING

DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED, PRIOR TO RECALL AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED 18 MONTHS AFTER BEING FIXED AS PER RECALL NOTICE. *YH

20011024EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC.

ANTENNA FAILED TO RETRACT, IT WAS REPLACED AND FAILED AGAIN ONE YEAR LATER. *YH

20011024EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS:SWITCH

DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLAMP SWITCH FAILED. *YH

20011002SEAT BELTS

THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED TO COME BACK AFTER THE DOOR WAS OPENED AND CLOSED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE DID THE SAME THING. NLM

20011002POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION

THE TRANSMISSION FAILED WHILE DRIVING. NLM

20010518SEAT BELTS

PASSENGER'S AND DRIVER'S AUTOMATIC SEAT BELTS ARE FROZEN. CABLES ARE JAMMED. THERE IS A RECALL 96V172000/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 96S48. RECALL IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT, AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. *AK AT TIME OF RECALL, CONSUMER HAD TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALER WHO STATED THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS, THEREFORE NO CORRECTIONS NEEDED TO BE MADE. *SLC

Compare 1992FORDPROBE to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 8 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 1992 FORD PROBE have?
The 1992 FORD PROBE has 101 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 3 fires, 1 injuries, and 1 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1992 FORD PROBE?
The most-complained component for the 1992 FORD PROBE is SEAT BELTS with 32 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING and SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR.
Is the 1992 FORD PROBE safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.