1989 Ford Probe problems & reliability
77 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1989 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.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 1989 Ford Probe vehicles were involved in 1 fatal crash with 1 occupant death. 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 → | 26 | 34% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 13 | 17% |
| Electrical System → | 10 | 13% |
| Visibility → | 10 | 13% |
| Power Train | 7 | 9% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 5 | 6% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 4% |
| Steering | 3 | 4% |
| Equipment | 2 | 3% |
| Seats | 2 | 3% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 19 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“While driving the car on the road, a car pulled in front of me and I braked hard and my seatbelt locked. But after this incident the seatbelt has never worked the same. The seatbelt doesn't lock, or retract. The car only has 48,000 miles. This seems to be a very common problem for this car. I can't even find parts to…”
Seat Belts · filed Nov 27, 2019
“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…”
Electrical System · filed Nov 4, 2015
“The car vibrates terribly from the front end since new. All nine times I took in during the first year, when it was under warranty, the dealer said it was normal. I took it to a different dealer and did not mention my warranty, and I was given a $10,000 estimate to repair. Ford still refused to fix it under warranty…”
Steering · filed Jul 16, 2014
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
- MAZDA RX7 AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT FAILURE
Preliminary Evaluation PE96027 · opened Apr 16, 1996 · closed Sep 30, 1996 · led to recall 96V173000
- ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
Preliminary Evaluation PE91124 · opened Sep 9, 1991 · closed Dec 23, 1991
- TRANSMISSION OIL LINE FIRE
Preliminary Evaluation PE89166 · opened Sep 15, 1989 · closed Dec 22, 1989
Technical service bulletins
23 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1989 Ford Probe. The 10 most recent:
Information regarding transmission fluid usage charts. *slc
01157 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2001
Information regarding the new transmission cooler flusher- service tip. *mjs
0015 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 10, 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
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
Information on a new transmission fluid usage chart. *yc
9888 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 27, 1998
A new silicone gasket and sealant. *yc
9874 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 13, 1998
Information on tire company telephone numbers for customer assistance. *yc
9852 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 13, 1998
The use of petroleum-based grease as a lubricant in servicing disc brakes is no longer acceptable. *yc
985A13 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 18, 1998
Recommended guidelines for towing behind recreational vehicles. *tt
985A12 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 18, 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 1989 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 1989 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.