Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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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 1994 Ford Probe submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 48 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 48, in the owner's own words
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD PROBE. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR AND THE VEHICLE HESITATED. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR CALIPERS WERE RUSTED, WHICH PREVENTED THEM FROM MOVING. AS OF SEPTEMBER 18, 2007, THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 104,948.
LEFT REAR BRAKE CALIPER, SPECIFICALLY THE PARKING BRAKE PIVOT PIN, IS PRONE TO SEIZURE DUE TO WATER AND DIRT INTRUSION PAST A RUBBER SEAL. REPAETED CLEANING AND LUBRICATING ONLY TEMPORARILY FORESTALLS THIS CONDITION. RESULTANT CALIPER DRAG CAUSES INDREASED PAD WEAR AND HIGH TEMPERATURES, A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD IN ADDITION TO GREATLY INCREASED BRAKES PAD/ROTOR WEAR. EVENTUAL HEAT, WEAR AND CORROSIVE STICKING RENDER THE PARKING BRAKE VERY INEFFECTIVE. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THIS CALIPER TWICE DUE TO THE SAME CONDITION.
REAR CALIPER BRAKES SEIZED ON MY 1994 FORD PROBE GT, CAUSING EXTREME OVERHEATING AND SMOKING. *NLM
CAME OUT OF GEAR (PARKING BREAK HAS NEVER WORKED RIGHT ) ROLLED BACKWARDS OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND ROLLED 50 FEET DOWN HILL AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE WHOLE BACK END CAME OFF. THE CAR IS MADE OF NOTHING. THIS HAS BEEN THE WORST CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED. I THINK ALL FORD PRODUCTS ARE BAD AND COST TO MUCH TO FIX WHEN IT IS FORD'S PROBLEM BEFORE THEY EVER COME OUT OF THE FACTORY. EVERYONE I TALK WITH HAS THE SAME TO SAY. I WOULD NOT HAVE A FORD. NOW I HAVE TO GET A NEW CAR AND IT SURE WILL NOT BE ANOTHER FORD. I ALSO HAVE HAD A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR, ITS SO MUCH I CAN NOT LIST ALL.
PARKING BRAKE: PARKING BRAKE IS USELESS. BOTH CALIPERS REPLACED BECAUSE PARKING BRAKE FROZEN. BRAKE PADS REPLACED AND THEN PADS AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. EMERGENCY BRAKE WORKED FOR A FEW DAYS AND NOW DOES NOT WORK AGAIN. AFTER READING ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS, I ASSUME THAT I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM THAT EVERYONE ELSE IS HAVING. I AM SURE IT WILL NOT BE LONG AND I WILL BE REPLACING MY BRAKE PADS AGAIN, UNLESS OF COURSE THERE IS A FIRE DUE TO THIS CALIPER PROBLEM IT SEEMS THE 1994 PROBE HAS. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THERE WERE OTHERS THAT HAD THEIR SPARK PLUG WELLS FILL UP WITH OIL. THAT HAPPENED TO MY PROBE ALSO WITH NO EXPLANATION AS TO WHY. THESE PROBLEMS OCCURRED WITH LESS THAN 50000 MILES DRIVEN ON THE VEHICLE. NOW, I AM EXPERIENCING MY PROBE STALLING OUT FOR NO REASON WHILE IT IS ON THE ROAD? THIS JUST STARTED HAPPENING AND I NOTICE THAT THE RECALL FOR THE FORD IGNITION MODULES DO NOT INCLUDE THE PROBE, BUT I WONDER IF THIS IS RELATED. I AM ALSO NOW HAVING ANTIFREEZE LEAKS AND I AM DEEPLY CONCERNED THAT IT IS THE HEAD GASKET. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ, THERE ARE GASKET PROBLEMS WITH 93-95 FORDS AND THE OIL FILLING UP IN THE SPARK PLUG WELLS MIGHT BE AN INDICATOR. ALL OF MY PROBLEMS ARE LISTED MANY MANY TIMES ON THIS SITE AND OTHER, ESPECIALLY THE BRAKE PROBLEM.*AK
IN MARCH OF 1999 THE LEFT REAR BRAKE CALIPER OF MY FORD PROBE LOCKED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND WOULD NOT RELEASE, CAUSING THE BRAKE PADS TO OVERHEAT AND SMOKE WHILE I DROVE AND ADVERSELY AFFECT THE HANDLING OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED WITH NO WARNING FROM THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE WARNING SYSTEM OR OTHERWISE - I WAS UNAWARE OF THE PROBLEM UNTIL I SAW AND SMELLED SMOKE FROM THAT WHEEL. AT THE TIME, I HAD BOTH REAR BRAKE CALIPERS REPLACED BY A FORD DEALER (DILLON FORD), WHO SAID THAT BOTH HAD FAILED. ON MAY 18, 2001 (ABOUT 20,000 MILES LATER) THE REPLACEMENT LEFT REAR BRAKE CALIPER AGAIN LOCKED AND WOULD NOT RELEASE WHILE I WAS DRIVING, AGAIN CAUSING THE BRAKE PADS TO OVERHEAT AND BURN. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND DISCOVERED THAT MANY OTHER PEOPLE WHO OWN THIS VEHICLE HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE SAME SITUATION - HOWEVER, I CONTACTED THE FORD MOTOR CO. ON BOTH OCCASIONS AND THEY REFUSE TO GET INVOLVED, SAYING THAT THERE IS NOT A RECALL OR TECH. SERVICE BULLETIN REGARDING THAT PROBLEM. THIS SEEMS UNSAFE TO ME - I APPRECIATE ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN GIVE ME.*AK
THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS DO NOT DISENGAGE AFTER USING THE HANDBRAKE. THE HANDBRAKE IS CURRENTLY USELESS ON THE CAR SINCE IT NEVER DISENGAGES PROPERLY. THIS ESSENTIALLY MAKES THE CAR IMMOBILE AT THE POINT WHERE THE HANDBRAKE WAS USED. ANY PASSENGER OR DRIVER CAN ENGAGE THE HANDBRAKE NOT KNOWING THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH IT DISENGAGING. IF THE CAR IS DRIVEN IN THIS CONDITION THERE COULD BE DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES SUCH AS A WRECK DUE TO THE VEHICLE NOT HAVING NORMAL CONTROL AND FIRE DUE TO THE BRAKE DISCS OVERHEATING. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT PUTS THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS IN A SITUATION WHERE THERE IS A HIGHER PROBABILITY OF DANGER. *AK
I WOULD LIKE FORD TO FIX THE PROBLEM, I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE CALIPERS TWICE.
FOR MY BRAKE PROBLEM. THE REAR CALIPERS SEIZE WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS APPLIED AND WILL NOT RELEASE. THE WHEEL PROBELM, I WAS COMING OFF OF AN ON-RAMP WHEN I STRUCT A POTHOLE AND THE FACTORY WHEEL SPLIT INTO TWO PIECES.
REAR BRAKE CALIPERS WOULD NOT RELEASE FULLY AFTER HANDBRAKE RELEASED. REAR CALIPERS HAD BEEN REPLACED 17000 MILES AGO AFTER CALIPERS WERE NOT RELEASING FULLY AND CAR WOULD NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION. THIS FIRST REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE CALIPERS OCCURRED IN AUGUST OF 1998- 13 MONTHS AGO.
REAR DISC CALIPERS FREEZE UP WHEN EMERGENCY BRAKE IS SET. UPON RELEASE OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE THE CALIPERS DO NOT RELEASE CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR OF BRAKE PADS. THIS CAUSED BY FAILUR OF PIVOT PIN WHICH HAS BECOME CORRODED DUT TO A DEFECTIVE SEAL.
WHEEL SPLIT CAUSING TIRE TO BLOWOUT.
BOTH REAR CALIPERS ON MY 1994 FROD PROBE GT HAVE SIEZED AND ONE ALMOST STARTED THE CAR ON FIRE, WITH THE LEFT REAR ROTOR GLOWING ORANGE. THERE WAS NO PRIOR SIGNS OF SIEZING, AND NO TROUBLE WITH THE BRAKE HANDLE. FORD CHANGED THE DESIGN IN THE YEARS AFTER 1995, BUT I BELIEVE THAT THE UPDATED CALIPERS SHOULD BE RETROFITTED TO ALL OF OUR CARS THAT HAVE FAILING CALIPERS AND BRAKE PROBLEMS, RESULTING FROM THIS PROBLEM. *AK
NO SUMMARY
VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY BUT IT SEEMS THAT ALL PROBES WITH REAR DISC BRAKES HAVE THIS PROBLEM AT THIS MILEAGE, ITS VERY COSTLY AND NO DEALERSHIP IS WILLING TO BUDGE ON PRICING OF PARTS ITS A VERY COSTLY REPAIR AND I'D LIKE ANY INFORMATION ON ASSISTANCE REGARDING AT LEAST PARTIAL COMPENSATION
THIS IS THE THIRD TIME I HAVE REPLACED THIS COMPONENT ON THIS CAR. THIS COMPONENT HAS NOT BEEN SUBJECTED TO ANY "UNUSUAL" STRESSES, YET HAS FAILED THREE TIMES UNDER "NORMAL" CIRCUMSTANCES.
THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR, DEALER HAS BEEN NO HELP AT ALL.
REAR BRAKE CALIPER SEIZED, PREVENTING THE CAR FROM MOVING WHILE STILL ON THE ROAD. *AK
THE LEFT REAR CALIPER SEIZED WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING APPROX 30 MPH. MY 2 YEAR-OLD SON WAS IN THE CAR AT THE TIME OF THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE CAR SKIDDED OUT OF CONTROL AND NEARLY LEFT THE WET ROAD SURFACE. I CONTACTED 2 LOCAL FORD DEALERS AND THEY INDICATED. INCOMPLETE SUMMARY. *AK
I AM WRITING CONCERNING THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS ON MY '94 PROBE GT. A DESIGN FAULT ON PRE JAN 5TH 1995 VEHICLES CAUSES THE REAR BRAKE CALLIPERS NOT TO RELEASE. THIS DESIGN FAULT HAS BEEN LINKED TO THE HANDBRAKE PIVOT PIN SEAL OF THE REAR CALIPER. THE DESIGN FAILURE OCCURS BECAUSE OF SEAL FAILURE. THIS RESULTS IN CORROSIONDESTRUCTION, AND CAUSES THE PIVOT PIN TO SEIZE. THIS CAUSES THE HANDBRAKE TO FAIL TO RELEASE OR THE CALIPERS TO NOT RELEASE DURING HEAVY BRAKE APPLICATION,CAUSING HEAT TO BUILD UP AND DESTROY THE CALIPER. I KNOW SOME OWNERS HAVE HAD THE CALIPERS REPLACED (LABOR NOT INCLUDED) AT FORD'S EXPENSE. FORD INFORMED ME THAT BECAUSE I AM NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER, THEY WILL NOT ASSIST ME BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE AN "OFFICIAL RECALL". I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM FORD WITH 18K MILES AND AN INTACT WARRANTY. FORD IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND HAS TSB'S ON IT. I WOULD BE SATISFIED IF FORD WOULD PROVIDE REPLACEMENTFOR REAR CALIPERS. THANK YOU FOR ANY AIDE THAT YOU PROVIDE OR RECOMMEND. *AK
I PULLED OUT OF MY PARKING SPOT AT A LOCAL STORE AND DROVE MY CAR TOWARDS THE LOT EXIT. I PROCEEDED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN OUT OF THE LOT WHEN MY CAR'S REAR SPUN OUT TO THE RIGHT. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE LOT HAD A DUSTING OF SNOW ON IT. I PULLED THE CAR OVER TO DETERMINE WHAT JUST HAPPENED AND NOTICED THAT DESPITE BEING ON A DECLINE, MY CAR WAS NOT SLIPPING - EVEN WITHOUT THE HANDBRAKE ON. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE DISK WAS GLOWING A BRIGHT RED AND WAS SMOKING. APPARENTLY, THE HANDBRAKE/PARKING BRAKE HAD STUCK IN THE "BRAKE/PARK" POSITION. I WAITED FOR THE BRAKE TO COOL OFF AND GOT UNDER THE CAR AND MANUALLY RELEASED THE BRAKE LEVER AS ANOTHER PERSON MADE SURE THE CAR DIDN'T ROLL ON ME. NO INJURIES. I THEN TRIED TO OPERATE THE HANDBRAKE A FEW OTHER TIMES OVER THE NEXT DAY AND IT ALWAYS STUCK, ONLY NOW IT APPEARS BOTH REAR BRAKES STICK. I HAVE A MAUAL TRANSMISSION, SO THIS IS SOMETHING I WILL NEED TO FIX ASAP DUE TO OPERATING THE CAR ON INCLINES, PARKING, ETC. I AM AWARE OF OTHER FORD PROBE GT OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT I BELIEVE ONLY THE 1993-95 PROBES ARE EFFECTED BECAUSE FORD CANGED THE DESIGN DUETO THIS PROBLEM THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN AND HELP.
NO SUMMARY PROVIDED FROM CONSUMER.
THE CALIPER STICKS WHEN THE PARKING BRAKE IS APPLIED CAUSING THE PARKING BRAKE TO REMAIN ON UNTIL THE LEVER ON THE CALIPER IS UNSTUCK. THE ONLY FIX IS TO REPLACE THE CALIPER. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT FORD-UK IS REPLACING THESE ITEMS, BUT NOT AS PART OF A RECALL. WHY WOULD AN AMERICAN COMPANY REPLACE THE PART FOR FOREIGNERS AND NOT FOR THOSE WHO PUT UP WITH UNIONS AND OVERPAID FACTORYLINE WORKERS?
REAR BRAKE CALIPER FAILED.
PARKING BRAKE FROZE CAUSING REAR CALIPERS TO FAIL TO RELEASE, DESTROYING THE CALIPERS.
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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