Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1993 Ford Probe submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 66 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 66, in the owner's own words
RELEASE OF HAND BRAKE ON FORD PROBE GT FAILS TO DISENGAGE THE REAR BRAKES, REAR WHEEL(S) NOW PARTIALLY OR COMPLETELY LOCKED, CURRENT METHOD OF CORRECTION INVOLVES MANUALLY RELEASING FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR (ALWAYS PARK DOWNHILL NOW).*JB
PIVOT PIN IN BOTH REAR CALIPERS CORRODES DUE TO FAULTY GASKET AND REAR BRAKES SEIZE AS A RESULT.*AK
1993 FORD PROBE GT. BOTH REAR BRAKE CALIPERS HAVE EACH SEIZED TWICE (BOTH CALIPERS WERE REBUILT BY A DEALER AFTER THE INITIAL FAILURES). WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURS THERE IS A BURNING BRAKE SMELL, THE ROTOR GLOWS ORANGE, THE ENTIRE WHEEL GETS EXTREMEMLY HOT, AND THE VEHICLE IS DESTABILIZED TOWARDS OVERSTEER. THE BRAKE PADS ARE DESTROYED VERY QUICKLY RESULTING IN INOPERATIVE REAR BRAKES (INCLUDING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE). THE BRAKE ROTOR MAY ALSO WARP DUE TO HEAT DAMAGE. IT IS DIFFICULT TO IMMEDIATELY DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE CORRECTLY SINCE IT INITIALLY JUST SEEMS LIKE A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY A RUBBER SEAL (HANDBRAKE PIVOT-PIN SEAL) THAT DETERIORATES PREMATURELY ALLOWING MOISTURE AND CONTAMINATION TO ENTER THE CALIPER WHERE IS CAUSES THE NEEDLE BEARINGS TO CORRODE. IT THEREFORE ONLY EFFECTS PROBE MODELS WITH REAR DISC BRAKES (PROBE GT). FORD REVISED THE REAR CALIPERS ON PROBE GT'S MANUFACTURED AFTER 5-JAN-1995 TO CORRECT THE DEFECT ALTHOUGH EARLIER MODELS WERE NEVER CORRECTED.*AK
REAR BRAKE CALIPERS DO NOT RELEASE PROPERLY WHEN HANDBRAKE IS RELEASED. THIS CAUSES FRICTIONAL HEATING AND WARPED ROTORS. FORD UK HAS PAID FOR NEW CALIPERS, BUT FORD US HAS REFUSED. *AK
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK
MAJORITY OF 2ND GENERATION PROBE OWNERS HAVE PROBLEM WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE. SEIZING OF LEFT REAR BRAKE CALIPER MAY CAUSE EMERGENCY BRAKES TO NOT OPERATE DURING EMERGENCY. THE BRAKE CABLE MAY BREAK DUE TO SEIZED PIVOT PIN IN THE CALIPER OR CAN CAUSE UNBALANCED BRAKING SINCE ONE SIDE WILL NOT WORK. IF EMERGENCY BRAKES ARE APPLIED DURING SOME SPEED THE UNBALANCING OF REAR BRAKES MAY CAUSE THE CAR TO SPIN OUT INTO DEADLY CRASH. *AK
WHEN DEPRESSING BRAKES VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND STEERING WOULD LOCK UP. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
NEWLY DESIGNED BRAKES WHICH ARE MADE WITH NON-ABSESTOS, CAUSING THE BRAKES TO RUSTED THROUGH AND A SQUEAKING NOISE, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, WHICH MAY RESULT A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
AFTER RELEASING THE HAND BRAKE THE REAR WHEELS REMAIN LOCKED. I UNDERSTOOD THAT TIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. I HAD TO DRIVE 6 MILES FROM WORK WITH THE REAR WHEELS ALMOST LOCKED AND DUE TO THE OVERHEATING OF THE REAR DISCS, WITH ALMOST NO BRAKES!!!! FORD HAS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS! I HAVE CONTACTED A FORD AUTHORIZED DEALER AND I AM WAITING FOR THEIR RESPONSE. I AM SURE THAT I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM ON THE 93 PROBE. IF FORD KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND FIXED IT IN '95 AND LATER PROBES WHAT ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO BOUGHT THE 93 AND 94 MODELS??? THERE SHOUD BE SOMETHING THAT SOMEBODY SHOULD DO ABOUT THIS! FORD HAS TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT PART THAT HAS A VALUE OF MORE THAN 250 $. PEASE HELP US! ALIN.
REIMBURSEMENT IS DESIRED SINCE OBVIOUS DESIGN FLAW. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN THE SUMMARY. *AK
BOTH REAR BRAKE CALIPERS LOCKED, FAILING TO RELEASE. SECOND TIME IN 6 MONTHS. *AK
REAR CALIPERS SIEZED, FAILING TO RELEASE BRAKE PADS FROM DISC. *AK
PASSANGER SIDE REAR BRAKE CALIPER LOCKED UP, DESTROYING ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS, MANY PROBE OWNERS REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM, VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. *AK
LEFT REAR CALIPER LOCKED UP ON A COLD MORNING. WAS NOT ABLE TO TELL, DROVE FOR 1 MILE, ROTOR HEATED UP ENOUGH TO TURN CHERRY RED, SMOKING VERY BADLY. THIS IS VERY COMMON PROBLEM, EVERY '93 & '94 FORD PROBE GT HAS THIS PROBLEM. I NOW HAVE NO PARKING BRAKE WHICH I SHOULD HAVE. I AM ALWAYS HEARING OF PROBLEMS FROM OTHERS ON A PROBE FAQ SITE. YOU WILL BE HEARING FROM OTHERS ON THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE MAKE FORD RECALL THIS VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM! *AK
THIS IS A WELL KNOWN DEFECT OF 1993/94 FORD PROBE GT'S. I HEAR A REDESIGN CORRECTED THE PROBLEM WITH 95 MODELS. JUST NO ONE WANTS TO PAY FOR THE DEFECT FOR US 93 OWNERS. SEE HTTP://WWW.KLIO.NET/PROBE/ISSUES.HTML FOR MORE INFORMATION. *AK
PARKING BRAKE LOCKED UP TWICE. FORD DIDN'T REPLACE UNTIL CAR WARRANTY EXPIRED. FIRST LOCKUP AT 2/13/95, MILEAGE 24,273, BUT NO CALIPER REPLACEMENT, JUST A LUBE AND REPOSITION. SUBSEQUENT INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS REPORTED TO DEALER, BUT UNREPRODUCIBLE AT DEALER. SECOND CALIPER SEIZURE ON 2/4/97 AT 52,941 MILES. DEALER REPLACED CALIPER AT $400 COST TO ME. THIS WAS A CHRONIC PROBLEM ON 1993 AND 1994 PROBES AND MAZDA MX-6S THAT COULD LEAD TO CALIPER SEIZURES WHILE DRIVING. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. *AK
HAND BRAKE FAILS TO RELEASE. REAR CALIPERS SIEZE REAR CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES- APPROXIMATELY EVERY 43K MILES. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM I HAVE SEEN IT MENTIONED REPEATEDLY AT FORD PROBE SITES ON THE INTERNET
NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR THIS VEHICLE. *AK
BOTH REAR CALIPERS HAVE SEIZED. I CANNOT USE THE HANDBRAKE WHEN I PARK. TALKED TO 4 DIFFERENT DEALERS. ALL WANT AN ARM AND LEG TO REPLACE DEFECTIVE PART. RESULTANT FAILURE HAS CAUSED BAD BUSHINGS/ROTORS/TIRE WEAR.
WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE RIGHT REAR CALIPER WILL TOUCH THE DISC AND MAKE A VERY LOUD SCREACHING NOISE. EVEN WITHOUT USING THE BRAKES, THE SQUEALING APPEARS. SOMETIMES, USING THE BRAKES MAKES IT MOMENTARILY STOP, AND SOMETIMES IT JUST MAKES IT WORSE. FORD DEALERSHIP ESTIMATE FOR REBUILT CALLIPER IS $420, AND $600 FOR A NEW ONE. I HAVE HEARD ABOUT FORD PAYING FOR SOME OF THESE REPLACEMENTS, SINCE IT IS DESIGN DEFECT AND WAS ONLY SOLVED BY A REDESIGNED CALLIPER IN 95+ MODELS. KOONS DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THAT AND SAID IT WOULD BE VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE. SEEING AS HOW IT IS A DESIGN DEFECT, I DON'T THINK THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY $420-$600 TO HAVE IT REPLACED. *AK
MY WIFE PURCHASED THIS USED CAR IN OCT 1997. SHE HAD THE REAR DISC BRAKES LOCK UP WHILE DRIVING JUST AFTER SHE TOOK POSSESSION. THE BRAKES HAVE LOCKED UP ON EITHER SIDE THREE ADDITIONAL TIMES SINCE SHE HAS DRIVEN IT. IT HAS BEEN SO BAD THA T THE ROTOR HAVE CHERRY RED AND SMOKE POURING OFF THE WHEEL. WHAVE HAD BOTH CALIPERS REPLACED AND IT CONTINUES TO HAPPEN. MY WIFE CANNOT DRIVE THIS VEHICLE DUE TO FEAR OF BEING KILLED. I HAVE HAD A COMPLAINT AGAINST NORTHEAST SUBARU IN DEL.CO. CONSUMER AFFAIRS OVER A YEAR AND CAN GET NOWHERE.THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. *AK
I HAVE READ ON THE WEB THAT AFTER SO MANY MILES THAT THE REAR ABS CALIPERS WOULD WEAR OUT BECAUSE OF A DESIGN FLAW. UK FORD HAS AKNOWLEDGED THIS FLAW AND HAS HELPED TO REPLACE THE CALIPERS ON THE PROBE. ALTHOUGH MY CALIPERS ARE NOT YET LOCKING UP, MANY OTHER US PROBE'S HAVE HAD THE PROBLEM. THE PROBLEM IS CAUSED BY A QUICK DETERIORATING RUBBER SEAL ON THE REAR CALIPER. ONCE THE SEAL IS GONE, WATER CAN CAUSE THE BEARINGS TO CORRODE CAUSING A MAJOR BRAKE FAILURE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF FORD IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS AND WHY HAVEN'T US PROBE OWNERS BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM SINCE UK PROBE OWNERS HAVE. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM BECAUSE THE BRAKES CAN POSSIBLY MALFUNCTION AT ANY TIME. PLEASE SEND ME ANY INFORMATION THAT MAY HELP ME SOLVE MY DILEMNA. THANK YOU!
ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. ALSO, BRAKES AND THE STEERING FAILED. DEALER INDICATED CONSUMER NEEDED A NEW HEAD GASKET. *AK
PARKING BRAKES DO NOT DISENGAGE. EXTREME HIGH HEAT RUINED REAR ROTORS, POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. *AK
BOTH REAR CALIPERS SEIZED DUE TO DETERIORATED HANDBRAKE PIVOT-PIN SEAL AND NEEDLE BEARINGS INSIDE CALIPERS. CALIPER PISTON WON'T RELEASE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO PADS AND INTENSE HEAT TO ROTORS WITH BURNING SMELL. FORD-UK AND MAZDA-UK HAVE CONTRIBUTED TOWARDS COST OF REPLACING CALIPERS, BUT NOT FORD - USA. *AK
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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