Total Complaints
77 filings
FORD PROBE · model year
77 NHTSA complaints, 3 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1996FORDPROBE carries 77 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 3 crashes, 1 fire, 2 injuries, and 0 fatalities. 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 1996 PROBE is power train:automatic transmission with 15 filings, followed by electrical system:ignition (4) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (4). 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 1996 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.
Total Complaints
77 filings
Crashes Reported
3 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 15 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 4 |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR | 3 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 2 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 2 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 2 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:PUMP | 2 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL | 2 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 2 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM | 1 |
REPLACED RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW PART FROM O'REILLY AUTOPARTS STORE ON 8/31/10 AND ON 11/05/10 THE BALL JOINT CAME COMPLETELY OUT OF THE NEW CONTROL ARM MAKING AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. DEFECTIVE NEW PART, REPLACED IT AGAIN ON 11/09/10 WITH ANOTHER NEW REPLACEMENT PART FROM O'REILLY AUTOPARTS STORE. *TR
Mileage: 168,000
LT FRONT SPRING BROKE & PUNCTURED THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE MAKING IT GO FLAT. *TR
Mileage: 80,031
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. SECOND TIME. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. *TR
Mileage: 152,000
1996 FORD PROBE SE AUTO TRANSMISSION FAILURE,SAME AS MAZDA 626 ALL OF THESE CARS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM THAT COST THOUSANDS TO FIX,CHECK THE INTERNET,WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL?
Mileage: 106,000
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
Mileage: 89,584
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
Mileage: 89,584
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
Mileage: 89,584
I HAVE A 96 FORD PROBE THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD. IT WAS AN AUTOMATIC . WITH IT BEING AN AUTOMATIC IT WOULD SEEM THAT THEY WOULD NOT GO BAD COMPARED TO A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. I'VE BEEN READING THAT A LOT OF THE MAZDA/FORD TRANSMISSION ARE TERRIBLE AND PEOPLE HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION WHICH IS THE CD4E. I WOULD LIKE TO JUST LIKE TO LET OTHER PEOPLE KNOW THEY ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM OF THE CD4E. I'VE HAD IT FIXED HOWEVER THE MECHANICS MUST STILL NOT HAVE IT EXACTLY CORRECT CAUSE ITS STILL IS NOT WORKING RIGHT. SO NOW I HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK IN FOR THEM TO LOOK OVER AGAIN. *NM
1996 FORD PROBE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ( SAME AS MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION . ITS BEEN REBUILT 2 TIMES ALREADY AND NOW NEEDS A 3RD , ONLY 120000 MILES AND ALL THAT!!! COSTS THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS!!! *JB
Mileage: 79,000
I OWN A 96 FORD PROBE WITH A CD4E TRANSMISSION WITH ONLY 66000 MILES ON IT. A FEW DAYS MY TRANSMISSION STARTED TO ACT UP. IT WOULD REV HIGH THEN SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR, WHEN ATEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR, IT JUST WOULDN'T. THIS CAUSES MY CAR TO ONLY GO A BLISTERING SPEED OF 45MPH?!? THIS TRANSMISSION , THE CD4E, IS PRODUCED BY MAZDA AND IS ALSO IN THE 626. I SEARCH THE WEB TO SEE IF ANYONE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AND NOW I WANT TO GET RID OF MY CAR I FELL IN LOVE WITH 4 YEARS AGO. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FROM 94-TO 99. THOUSAND OF REPORTED PROBLEMS BUT NO RECALL? WE NEED SOMEONE TO TAKE ACTION AGAINT MAZDA AND THE PROBLEM TRANSMISSION.*AK
Mileage: 66,700
WHILE DRIVING A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR RIM EXPLODED. CONSUMER CHANGED THE TIRE, AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE FAILED TO START. ENGINE CRANKED BUT WOULDN'T TURN OVER. ALSO WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE STALLED. MECHANIC REPLACED THE GROUND WIRE AND DISTRIBUTOR, BUT THE PROBLEMS STILL EXISTS.*AK
Mileage: 115,000
THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING WHEN A TURN WAS MADE. *JB
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THEIR IS A LOUD CLICKING NOISE. HAD VEHICLE SERVICED. THE CV JOINTS HAD BROKEN, GOT PART REPLACED. PROBLEM REOCCURED TWICES SINCE THEN. DEALER CONTACTED. TS
WITHOUT WARNING, THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED. I LOST ALL ABILITY TO MOVE IN ANY OF THE FORWARD GEARS, AND STRUGGLED TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. ON THE SHOLDER, I DISCOVERED I COULD ONLY MOVE IN REVERSE, ALL OF THE FORWARD GEARS WERE INOPERABLE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO LEEMYLES, AND THEY PERFORMED $2,200 IN REPAIRS. THIRTY DAYS LATER, THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED AGAIN, FORTUNATELY LEEMYLES HONORED THEIR WARRANTY AND PERFORMED ANOTHER COMPLETE REPAIR. IT IS NOW WORKING, BUT I AM AFRAID. I HAVE SEARCHED THE WEB AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS PARTICULAR TRANSMISSION HAS A DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF FAILURE. I REQUEST THE NHTSA REVIEW THIS COMPLAINT, COUPLED WITH WHAT I SUSPECT ARE A LARGE QUANTITY OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, AND FORCE FORD TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE EXPENSES I INCURRED IN REPAIRING THIER FAULTY MACHINERY.*AK
LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE (DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIAL AND/OR CORROSION) GOING OVER CURB. TIRE PUNCTURED; CAR NOT DRIVEABLE. TOWED TO LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT OF FRONT COIL SPRING & COMPONENTS. SPENT ADDITIONAL $$ TO HAVE CORRESPONDING RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING REPLACED (AS SAFETY PRECAUTION) ALTHOUGH DEALER DID NOT SUGGEST DOING SO. FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE BEEN ON EXPRESSWAY DRIVING AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED. *AK
CD4E TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO INHERANT DESIGN PROBLEM.*AK
THERE IS OIL LEAKING INTO THE SPARK PLUG CYLINDERS. A TUNE UP WAS PERFORMED, HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM WAS NOT SOLVED. OIL CONTINUES TO SEEP INTO THE SPARK PLUG CYLINDERS, AND THIS IS CAUSING A DEGRADATION IN PERFORMANCE AS WELL AS ROUGH OPERATION. WHAT IS MOST INTERESTING, HOWEVER, IS THAT MY CAR IS NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH SUCH A PROBLEM. SEVERAL FORD PROBE OWNERS HAVE INFORMED ME THAT THEY HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH THEIR CARS AS WELL (DIFFERENT MODEL YEARS).*AK
VEHICLE STALLS AND HESITATES WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY. TRANSMISSION STALLS. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATES ENGINE RUNS ROUGH, STALLS, AND MAKES A TICKING NOISE, THE OIL PUMP AND MOTOR WERE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING, THIS IS A REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION. *SLC
VEHICLE STALLS AND HESITATES WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY. TRANSMISSION STALLS. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK CONSUMER STATES ENGINE RUNS ROUGH, STALLS, AND MAKES A TICKING NOISE, THE OIL PUMP AND MOTOR WERE REPLACED. THE TRANSMISSION IS SLIPPING, THIS IS A REPLACEMENT TRANSMISSION. *SLC
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
Timing Belt Failure
Underbody shields detachment
B-Pillar Trim Detachment
Unintended Transmission Downshift and Rear Wheel Lock-up
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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.