1997 FORD PROBE Problems & Recalls
Detailed safety information and owner complaints
Problem Breakdown
Compare to Other Years
Common Problems
I HAVE A 1997 FORD PROBE GT 6 CYLINDER. THE OVER DRIVE LIGHT KEEP FLICKERING OVER DRIVE OFF AND THEN CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON FOR DAYS. I HAD THIS CHECKED OUT AND THE TPS THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR CHECK OUT BAD SO I HAD THIS REPLACED. THIS PROBLEM STILL EXIST. I WENT TO SEVERAL SERVICE STATIONS...
Mileage: 98,000
THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION (CD4E) HAS BEEN ACTING UP, OVERDRIVE LIGHT ON DASH STARTS FLASHING WHIH THEN CAUSES HARSH SHIFTING AND POWER LOSS IN TRANNY AND ENGINE. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THESE TRANSMISSIONS AND BELIEVE IT SHOULD BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE MANUFACTURER TO TAKE CA...
Mileage: 57,000
LTR REQUEST A COPY OF THE NHTSA REPORT RE AN AIRBAG PROBE OF THE 1997 FORD ESCORT. ATTY REPRESENTING CLIENT INJURED WHEN AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY IN A 1997 FORD ESCORT. *MR *NM
I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE DISTRUBUTOR WHICH CAUSED IT TURN OVER, BUT NOT START, AND CLUTCH WITH IN ONE MONTH. ALSO MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AN DTHEY CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHY, AND MY CRUISE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK. *AK
CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A PROBLEM ,WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, FORCING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OUT OF THE ROAD. *AK
INVOLVED IN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT IN LEXINGTON KY APPROXIMATE SPEED AT 20 MPH CRASHED THE FRONT OF VEHICLE AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOYED FRONT OF VEHICLE SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE. *NLM
Mileage: 79,000
ENGINE PROBLEMS SINCE OWNING CAR. CAR CRANKS BUT WON'T START. HAS HAPPENED TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT SINCE I'VE OWNED THE CAR. THE INCIDENT DATE I CHOSE WAS THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED. IT HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME 2 MONTHS AFTER A RECALL REPAIR HAD BEEN DONE AND HAS CONTINUED UNTIL TODAY. THE VEHIC...
Mileage: 16,897
THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED TWICE.THE SECOND FAILURE WAS 50000 MILES AFTER THE FIRST. *YH
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED, WHICH REQUIRED CONSUMER TO STEER WITHOUT POWER, VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOT ONLY WAS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THE TIMING BELT, BUT THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER AS WELL, APPARENTLY AN EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT...
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED, WHICH REQUIRED CONSUMER TO STEER WITHOUT POWER, VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED CONSUMER THAT NOT ONLY WAS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THE TIMING BELT, BUT THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER AS WELL, APPARENTLY AN EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT...
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 2 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE GOING ABOUT 45 MPH, IMPACT WAS ON THE DRIVER SIDE NEAR FRONT OF VEHICLE. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. CONSUMER HIT HER HEAD ON WINDSHIELD.*AK
OIL FROM ENGINE IS LEAKING ONTO SPARK PLUGS. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK
FORD (HQ AND DEALER) HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY CONTACTED ON THESE ISSUES. FORD'S INTERNAL REVIEW BOARD ISSUED ARULING STATING THAT NO COMPENSATORY ACTION IS APPROPRIATE. FORD ISSUED AN OFFER TO HAVE A DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE OVERSEE A REPRESENTATIVE WITHIN FOURTEEN DAYS OF THEIR RULING, WHICH I DID NOT...
FORD (HQ AND DEALER) HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY CONTACTED ON THESE ISSUES. FORD'S INTERNAL REVIEW BOARD ISSUED ARULING STATING THAT NO COMPENSATORY ACTION IS APPROPRIATE. FORD ISSUED AN OFFER TO HAVE A DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE OVERSEE A REPRESENTATIVE WITHIN FOURTEEN DAYS OF THEIR RULING, WHICH I DID NOT...
FORD (HQ AND DEALER) HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY CONTACTED ON THESE ISSUES. FORD'S INTERNAL REVIEW BOARD ISSUED ARULING STATING THAT NO COMPENSATORY ACTION IS APPROPRIATE. FORD ISSUED AN OFFER TO HAVE A DISTRICT REPRESENTATIVE OVERSEE A REPRESENTATIVE WITHIN FOURTEEN DAYS OF THEIR RULING, WHICH I DID NOT...
METAL BAR HAS PROTRUDED THROUGH DRIVER'S SEAT ON RIGHT, UPPER SIDE AND CONTACTS DRIVER'S BACK.
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE UNDER A SLIGHT PUDDLE OF WATER LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD ILLUMINATE, AND VEHICLE STALLS OUT, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.*AK
WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE UNDER A SLIGHT PUDDLE OF WATER LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD ILLUMINATE, AND VEHICLE STALLS OUT, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.*AK
A MECHANIC SAID THE CHOPPED TIRES ARE THE RESULT OF HOW THEY ARE MANUFACTURED. HE SAID THEY SHOW THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS AS THE 2 FIRESTONE TIRES THAT ARE NOW RECALLED. THERES LOTS OF TREADS LEFT BUT I WAS TOLD TO REPLACE THEM BECAUSE THEY ARE UNSAFE.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P195/65R14 )
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING IN A 1997 FORD PROBE. FIRESTONE FIREHAWK TIRE SIZE P205/55R15, DOT#W2MJFXM426. ORIGINAL TIRES ON VEHICLE. PASSENGER'S FRONT TIRE BLEWOUT. TIRE SHOP STATED THAT IT WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN WITH ALL TIRES. *AK *SLC
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TRAVELING 50MPH, VEHICLE IN FRONT STOPPED SUDDENLY TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF IT. THERE WAS A FIVE CAR PILEUP. CONSUMER HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. ALSO, SEAT BELT DIDN'T LOCK UP. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY TRAVELING 50MPH, VEHICLE IN FRONT STOPPED SUDDENLY TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF IT. THERE WAS A FIVE CAR PILEUP. CONSUMER HIT VEHICLE IN FRONT, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. ALSO, SEAT BELT DIDN'T LOCK UP. *AK
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH CAUSES A CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED. *ET
VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL FAILURES OF BLOWN FUSES FOR NO KNOWN REASON. *ET
FRONT AND REAR TIRES EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND RUBBING NOISE. *ET
OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED. *ET
VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED ELECTRICAL FAILURES OF BLOWN FUSES FOR NO KNOWN REASON. *ET
FRONT AND REAR TIRES EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE WEAR AND RUBBING NOISE. *ET
BACK IN BEGINNING OF JANUARY I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM FORD ON MY 1997 PROBE. THEY SAID THERE WAS A POSSIBLE DEFECT IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER. THEIR RECALL NUMBER IS 98S30. THE LETTER SAID TO CALL FORD AND TELL THEM WHAT DEALERSHIP I WANTED TO TAKE MY CAR TO AND THEY WOULD SEND THE PART...
VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN LESS THAN 2 MILES AND CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED. RECALL NHTSA 98V-206/ MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 98S30. DEALER INSPECTED TIMING BELT TENSIONER, AND STATED THAT IT WAS OK. *AK
WHILE MY CAR WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY (OFF) THE CAR ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE. THE FIRE TOOK PLACE APPROX 15 MINUTES AFTER IT WAS TURNED OFF. IT HAD ONLY BEEN DRIVEN FOR APPROX 3 MINUTES. THERE WERE NO SIGNS THAT A FIRE WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN. IE; SMOKE OR TEMP INDICATOR READING HOT.
ON DRIVER SIDE A GIANT BAR HAS POPPED OUT WHICH IS PRESSING AGAINST CONSUMER'S BACK. COULD ALSO CAUSE INJURIES AND PAIN IN EVENT OF ACCIDENT. *AK
HEATER MALFUNCTIONED.
ENGINE STALLS CONTINUOUSLY.
THE VEHICLE "DIED" AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHILE TRAVELING.
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. THE BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING DRIVER TO HIT THE GARAGE DOOR. *AK DEALER REMOVED ALL FOUR WHEELS TO CHECK THE BRAKES, HOWEVER FOUND NO PROBLEMS. *SLC
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. THE BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING DRIVER TO HIT THE GARAGE DOOR. *AK DEALER REMOVED ALL FOUR WHEELS TO CHECK THE BRAKES, HOWEVER FOUND NO PROBLEMS. *SLC