1997 Ford Probe Owner Complaints

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 THEY ALL SAY I DON'T KNOW. I WOULD JUST IGNORE THIS BUT THE SLOWS DOWN TO LOWER GEAR THIS IS SCARY. I LOVE THIS FORD PROBE IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO. I FOUND A SIGHT ON THE INTERNET AND RELAYED A INTERCOOLING FOR THE TRANS, IS THIS CORRECT!!! *NM

NHTSA ID

10168212

Incident

Sep 9, 2006

Mileage

98,000 mi

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 CARE OF THESE PROBLEMS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10090730

Incident

May 14, 2004

Mileage

57,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10074030

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

NHTSA ID

10050585

Incident

Nov 17, 2003

CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A PROBLEM ,WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, FORCING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OUT OF THE ROAD. *AK

NHTSA ID

10027217

Incident

Jul 14, 2003

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

NHTSA ID

10023044

Incident

Jun 11, 2003

Mileage

79,000 mi

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 VEHICLE COMPONENT I CHOSE IS A GUESS SINCE THE PROBLEM HAS NEVER BEEN DETERMINED. MANY THINGS HAVE BEEN REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTS.

NHTSA ID

10002816

Incident

Oct 5, 1999

Mileage

16,897 mi

THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER FAILED TWICE.THE SECOND FAILURE WAS 50000 MILES AFTER THE FIRST. *YH

NHTSA ID

786026

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 TENSIONER BROKE OFF AND GOT CAUGHT IN THE TIMING BELT, CONSUMER STATES IN FEBURARY 1999 HE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION (98S30) IN WHICH HE COMPLIED FOR THE SAME MECHANICAL FAILURE, AND TWO YEARS LATER THE PROBLEM OCCURS AGAIN, CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THE WORK WAS NEVER PERFORMED AND IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE CHARGES HE HAS INCURRED.*JB

NHTSA ID

563101

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

NHTSA ID

896236

Incident

Sep 10, 2001

OIL FROM ENGINE IS LEAKING ONTO SPARK PLUGS. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

888254

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 RECEIVE UNTIL THE OFFER HAD EXPIRED. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER FORD GARAGE WITH SIMILAR DENIAL OF ANYTHING WRONG BEING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THEIR IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKES - THEY SQUEAL ALMOST CONTINUOUSLY. ALSO, THE ENGINE / TRANSMISSION POWER LOSS, VIBRATIONS, AND INTERMITTENT HESITATIONS HAVE INCREASED SINCE MY OWNERSHIP OF THE VEHICLE. I AM INTERESTED TO SEE IF OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND HOW THESE PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN RECTIFIED. THE ISSUE WITH THE BAR IN THE SEAT DEVELOPED WITHIN SIX MONTHS, I HAVE SIMPLY DEALT WITH IT, UNTIL NOW AS I HAVE READ ON YOUR SITE THAT OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM. I REQUEST THAT I BE CONTACTED FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY, AT THIS TIME, BY THE NHTSA, AS I DO NOT WISH TO DEAL WITH FORD OR THE INDICATED DEALER(S) ANY LONGER. ALSO, THE PA. ATTY GENERAL'S OFFICE - CONSUMER AFFAIRS, WAS CONTACTED WITH NO ACTION OTHER THAN "DOCUMENTATION OF THE INCIDENT".AT. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

NHTSA ID

737115

METAL BAR HAS PROTRUDED THROUGH DRIVER'S SEAT ON RIGHT, UPPER SIDE AND CONTACTS DRIVER'S BACK.

NHTSA ID

733679

Incident

May 1, 2000

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE UNDER A SLIGHT PUDDLE OF WATER LIGHTS ON DASHBOARD ILLUMINATE, AND VEHICLE STALLS OUT, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL.*AK

NHTSA ID

869874

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 )

NHTSA ID

729005

Incident

Jan 1, 1999

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

NHTSA ID

867945

Incident

Aug 15, 2000

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

NHTSA ID

863522

Incident

Jun 8, 2000

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLS UNEXPECTEDLY WHICH CAUSES A CRASH. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

848372

Incident

Mar 1, 1998

OXYGEN SENSOR FAILED. *ET

NHTSA ID

782492

Incident

May 9, 1999

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 TO THAT DEALERSHIP AND HAVE THE DEALERSHIP CONTACT ME. SO I CALLED THE NUMBER IN THE LETTER AND FORD GOT MY HOME AND WORK NUMBERS AS WELL AS THE DEALERSHIP THAT I WANTED TO GO TO, AND SAID THAT I SHOULD HEAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP WITHIN 5 DAYS, BUT THAT IF I DIDN'T I SHOULD CALL THE DEALERSHIP AND SCHEDULE A TIME TO TAKE MY CAR IN. I DID NOT HEAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP SO I CALLED AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO TAKE MY CAR IN. THEY LOOKED AT THE CAR AND TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T CHECK IT BECAUSE THEY HADN'T RECEIVED THE KIT FROM FORD. SO I CALLED FORD BACK AND WAS TOLD THAT THE PART ORDERS HAD BEEN LOST AND THAT THEY WOULD RESUBMIT IT. SO I WAITED A WHILE AND STILL NEVER HEARD ANYTHING. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN AND THEY STILL DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I HAVE CALLED FORD SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT IT AND THEY DON'T SEEM TO WANT TO DO ANYTHING. I CALLED THEM MOST RECENTLY ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO AND TOLD THEM I WAS GOING OUT OF TOWN IN 3 WEEKS, AND WANTED IT CHECKED BEFORE THEN. I WAS ASSURED THAT IT WOULD BE. THAT TIME HAS PASSED AND I STILL HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING. WHEN A MANUFACTURER PUTS OUT A RECALL ON A CAR AREN'T THEY REQUIRED TO FIX IT? I CAN'T SEEM TO GET THEM TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT MINE. SO I HAVE TAKEN THIS ACTION TO TRY AND GET MY CAR CHECKED OUT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS IN GOOD RUNNING ORDER. *AK

NHTSA ID

706334

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

NHTSA ID

835752

Incident

Mar 9, 1999

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.

NHTSA ID

704321

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

NHTSA ID

832389

Incident

Oct 30, 1998

HEATER MALFUNCTIONED.

NHTSA ID

526505

Incident

Oct 20, 1997

ENGINE STALLS CONTINUOUSLY.

NHTSA ID

524347

Incident

May 26, 1997