RoadVitals

1993 Ford Probe Engine Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Engine reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
23
Latest Nov 16, 2007
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
11%
of 205 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. 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. 23 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.

Owner reports naming engine

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Engine
Filed Nov 16, 2007

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 FORD PROBE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE FUEL CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT WAS OCCASIONALLY ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER TWO OR THREE MINUTES. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND ADVISED HER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALER FOR A PROPER DIAGNOSIS. AS OF NOVEMBER 16, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,550 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

NHTSA ID
10209159
Incident
Sep 21, 2007
Mileage
74,550 mi
ElectricalEngine
Filed Aug 14, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ON A FREEWAY AT 60 MPH RPMS STARTED TO DROP. VEHICLE STARTED TO LOSE POWER AND DIE. CONSUMER FELT THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THEY WERE ON THE HIGHWAY. TOOK TO DEALER, AND THEY SAID IT WAS DISTRIBUTOR. CONSUMER REPLACED TFI MODULE ,AND REPLACED IT WITH SAME PART. THERE MAY BE A DEFECT IN DESIGN OF PART. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
894335
Incident
Aug 7, 2001
EngineFuel system
Filed Apr 23, 2001

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. *AK DISTRIBUTOR FAILED. *SLC

NHTSA ID
886544
Incident
Apr 16, 2001
Engine
Filed Mar 9, 2001

AFTER BEING PARKED OVERNIGHT IN GARAGE WHEN ENGINE WAS STARTED LOUD NOISES COMING FROM ENGINE. DEALER STATE LOW OIL PERSSURE WAS CAUSING LIFTER TO GO BAD. *AK LIFTERS DAMAGED DUE TO LOW OIL PRESSURE DEALER RECOMMEND REPLACED OIL PUMP. REPLACE TIMING BELT DUE TO MILEAGE. *YH

NHTSA ID
882604
Incident
Feb 22, 2001
Engine
Filed Aug 4, 2000
Crash reported

THERE IS A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE ENGINE. *AK

NHTSA ID
726653
Engine
Filed Jul 10, 2000

CAR STALLS AT INTERSECTIONS MOSTLY IN COLD WEATHER. *AK

NHTSA ID
725185
ElectricalEngineFuel system
Filed Jun 17, 2000
Fire reported

THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED 02/14/0 DUE TO THE THE DISTRIBUTOR SYSTEM WAS REPLACED TOTAL $515.28 AND THE DIAGNOSED AND FILTERING STSEM WAS REPLACE AT $161.00. THE NEXT INCIDENT WAS 03/03/00 WHERE PHIL FITTS SPOTTED A PLUGGED IDLE AIR VALVE THAT WAS REPLACED. PHIL FITTS. 3250 WILMINGTON RD, NEW CASTLE, PA 16105. I DIDN'T MIND THE OCCURANCE ON 03/03/00 BUT THE ONE 2/14/00 WAS QUOTED AS SOMETHING THAT WAS RARE ON CAR FOR THE WHOLE DISTRIBUTOR SYSTEM TO GO. I HAD TO BE TOWED TICE WHICH I DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT I HAVE INSURANCE TO COVR THAT.WHEN I BROKE DOWN IT WAS A COLD EVENING AND THE CAR HAD JUST DIED AND STARTED TO SMOKE TO ME THAT WAS ALOT OF MONEY TO PUT IN A CAR THAT YOU JUST PURCHASED 2 MONTHS PRIOR.I ALWAYS LIKE DEALING WITH FORD I HOPE SOMEONE COULD LOOK INTO THIS FOR ME I KNOW THAT I BOUGHT THE CAR USED BUT, TO ME THAT IS ALOT OF MONEY. THANK YOU, CAROLE NOCERAE

NHTSA ID
724140
Incident
Feb 14, 2000
EngineSuspension
Filed Apr 21, 2000

VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VERY BADLY. . TOOK TO DEALER WHO SAID THAT IT NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. *AK

NHTSA ID
860736
Incident
Apr 18, 2000
Driver assistanceEngine
Filed Apr 12, 2000

WHEN COMING TO A STOP LIGHT VEHICLE DIED. . SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL WITH FOOT ON GAS PEDAL TO KEEP VEHICLE IDLING, AND IT REVVED AND THEN IDLED. ALSO, WHEN VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN IT WOULD STALL. TOOK IT TO MECHANIC WHO REPAIRED IT FIRST TIME. SECOND TIME, WARRANTY EXPIRED, BUT IT WAS REPAIRED AT CONSUMER'S EXPENSE. *AK

NHTSA ID
860200
Incident
Jan 4, 1996
Driver assistanceElectricalEngine
Filed Mar 15, 2000

VEHICLE STALLS WHEN VEHICLE IS COMING TO A STOP. I AM UNABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO IDLE WITHOUT PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO FIX THIS PROBLEM 4 TIMES IN THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, BUT THE PROBLEM INTERMITENTLY PERSISTS. THE DEALER HAS CHANGED THE IAC VALVE, THE DISTRIBUTOR, THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP, THE PLUGS AND PLUG WIRES, AND NOW THEY WANT TO CHANGE THE IAC VALVE FOR A 2ND TIME! BY REVIEWING THIS DATABASE I SEE THAT MANY OTHER PROBE OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM, BUT IT DOES NOT APPEAR THAT THE DEALER HAS A SOLUTION TO FIX IT. ALSO, AFTER TALKING TO FORD'S CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE PHONE LINE, IT DOES NOT APPEAR AS IF FORD IS EVEN WILLING TO ADMIT THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM! IT COSTS ME AT LEAST $500 EVERYTIME I HAVE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER SO THAT THEY CAN ATTEMPT TO "FIX" THIS REOCCURRING PROBLEM AND I AM GETTING QUITE FED UP WITH THE ENTIRE SITUATION! *AK

NHTSA ID
720150
Incident
Mar 13, 2000
Engine
Filed Aug 18, 1999

WHENEVER COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN. TO PREVENT THIS, DRIVER HAS TO HOLD DOWN THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE APPLYING THE GAS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
845328
Engine
Filed May 20, 1999

WHILE DRIIVING VEHICLE STALLED UNEXPECTEDLY AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHICH ALMOST CAUSED CRASHES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THIS OCCURRENCE HAPPENED 4 TIMES. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#. *AK

NHTSA ID
838237
Incident
Jun 1, 1998
BrakesEngineSteering
Filed Jan 21, 1999

ENGINE HEAD GASKET BLEW, CAUSING THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. ALSO, BRAKES AND THE STEERING FAILED. DEALER INDICATED CONSUMER NEEDED A NEW HEAD GASKET. *AK

NHTSA ID
833876
Engine
Filed Jan 19, 1999

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE HAS TO SIT FOR AWHILE AND THEN IT WILL START BACK UP. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

NHTSA ID
833669
Engine
Filed Jul 23, 1998

WHILE DRIVING 60 TO 65 MPH VEHICLE SHUTS OFF. DEALER REPLACED BATTERY, BUT PROBLEM REOCCURED. CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY DEALER THAT A FEE WOULD BE CHARGED FOR RUNNING A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. CONSUMER FEELS THAT DEALER SHOULD NOT CHARGE FOR DIAGNOSTIC TEST. PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED 3 TIMES. *AK *TT

NHTSA ID
825808
Engine
Filed Mar 3, 1998

MUFFLER FAILED.

NHTSA ID
535830
Incident
Jul 18, 1997
Engine
Filed Feb 20, 1998

EXTREME ENGINE NOISE DURING WARM UP.

NHTSA ID
531240
Engine
Filed Jan 24, 1998

VALVE COVER GASKETS FAILURES.

NHTSA ID
529742
Incident
Dec 15, 1997
Engine
Filed Feb 16, 1997

VEHICLE STALLS AT TEN MPH OR BELOW. PROBLEMS WORSENS AS VEHICLE TEMPERATURE INCREASES. DEALER CANNOT DETERMINE CAUSE AND DIAGNOSTICS DO NOT DETECT ANY PROBLEMS.

NHTSA ID
546733
Engine
Filed Jan 8, 1997
Fire reported

OWNER STATES THAT SHE HAD JUST DRIVEN VEHICLE AND PARKED IT WHEN SHE WENT IN THE HOUSE AND LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW HER VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. SHE NOTES THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT SAID IT COULD HAVE STARTED FROM THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *AK

NHTSA ID
807298
Incident
Jan 1, 1997
Engine
Filed Apr 1, 1996

VEHICLE STALLED AFTER DRIVING THROUGH ANKLE DEEP WATER. *SD

NHTSA ID
503075
Incident
Apr 1, 1996
Engine
Filed Feb 5, 1996

INTERMITTENT STALLING. *SD

NHTSA ID
501367
Incident
Sep 1, 1994
Engine
Filed Apr 18, 1995

SPARK PLUG GASKET BELOW VALVE COVER FAILED TWICE. *SKD

NHTSA ID
489448
Incident
Apr 9, 1995

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .