IllustrationRELEASE 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
1993 Ford Probe
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Probe years
Owner complaints for the 1993 Ford Probe are substantially higher than the model-year median of 78.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Probe years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 7 of 205 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 48 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 25 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
21 crash reports8 fire reports15 injury reports
Parking Brake complaints
12 reportsMAJORITY 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…
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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
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 C…
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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
PARKING BRAKES DO NOT DISENGAGE. EXTREME HIGH HEAT RUINED REAR ROTORS, POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. *AK
PARKING BRAKE PIVOT PIN SIEZED, WHICH CAUSED REAR BRAKE PADS TO REMAIN IN CONTACT WITH BRAKE ROTOR, WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY OVERHEATED. *ET
WHEN USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, IT MAY NOT RELEASE. THE REAR BRAKE WILL START SMOKING AFTER A FEW MILES. THE DRIVER WILL REPAIR THE EXISTING CALIPER BY SPRAYING OIL ON THE PART OF THE CALIPER WHERE THE EMERGENCY CABLE ATTACHES TO THE PIVOT AND SPRING, THEN WORKING THE HAND LEVER UNTIL IT BECOMES FREE.
FAULTY PARKING BRAKE MECHANISM.
REAR CALIPERS MALFUNCTIONED. ALSO REPLACED PARKING BRAKE PIVOT PIN. *AK
REAR BRAKE CALIPER FREEZES UPON USE OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE.
Official recalls
193V058000 · Structure:body:hatchback/liftgate:support Device/strut
Apr 13, 1993
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LOWER PIVOT PIN THAT JOINS THE LIFTGATE GAS STRUT TO THE BODY CAN SEPARATE FROM THE LOWER STRUT MOUNTING BRACKET DUE TO AN UNDERSIZED RIVET HEAD.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: PIVOT PIN SEPARATION CAUSES THE LIFTGATE TO DESCEND SUDDENLY, RESULTING IN AN INJURY IF SOMEONE IS STRUCK BY THE LIFTGATE.
Remedy: REPLACE LIFTGATE STRUT ASSEMBLIES HAVING UNDERSIZED PIVOT PIN RIVET HEAD DIAMETERS WITH ASSEMBLIES WITH ADEQUATE PIVOT PIN RIVET HEADS.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1SQ98008 · Audio System Fires
Opened May 4, 1998 · Closed May 8, 1998
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Electrical System
SEE RESUME FOR DETAILS.