1997 Ford PROBE: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
17 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
68,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1997 model year. Data snapshot: . 4 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 17 complaints (17.6%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 11.8% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 11.8% |
| Braking behavior | 1 | 5.9% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine | 3 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 3 |
| Air Bags | 2 |
| Air Bags:Frontal | 2 |
| Electrical System:Ignition | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline | 2 |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor | 1 |
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine: 3; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 3; Air Bags: 2; Air Bags:Frontal: 2; Electrical System:Ignition: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Gasoline: 2; Electrical System:Wiring:Interior/Under Dash: 1; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System:Emission Control:Catalytic Convertor: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 0 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 0; 150,000 and above: 0
75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 13 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 6 |
| 2001 | 3 |
| 2002 | 1 |
| 2003 | 4 |
| 2004 | 2 |
| 2006 | 1 |
2000: 6; 2001: 3; 2002: 1; 2003: 4; 2004: 2; 2006: 1
Pattern summary
Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 2 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10002816 · 2003-01-16 (January 16, 2003)
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.
Owner-reported narrative. 16,897 miles reported. Look up ODI 10002816 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10023044 · 2003-06-13 (June 13, 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
Owner-reported narrative. 79,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10023044 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10027217 · 2003-07-14 (July 14, 2003)
CONSUMER STATES THERE IS A PROBLEM ,WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, FORCING THE CONSUMER TO PULL OUT OF THE ROAD. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10027217 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10050585 · 2003-12-16 (December 16, 2003)
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
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10050585 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10074030 · 2004-05-17 (May 17, 2004)
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
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10074030 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10090730 · 2004-09-09 (September 9, 2004)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10090730 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10168212 · 2006-09-14 (September 14, 2006)
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!!! …
Owner-reported narrative. 98,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10168212 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 563101 · 2001-09-14 (September 14, 2001)
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 T…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 563101 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
98V206002 · Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine
Reported: 1998-11-03 (November 3, 1998)
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. AN EXTERNAL SPRING IN THE TIMING BELT TENSIONER CAN BREAK AND GET CAUGHT IN THE TIMING BELT.
Consequence: THIS CONDITION CAN RESULT IN POSSIBLE ENGINE STALLING.
Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TENSIONER AND REPLACE IT IF NECESSARY.
NHTSA campaign record ↗