IllustrationWHILE IN AN ACCIDENT AIR BAG DEPLOYED, CAUSING INJURY TO CONSUMER . MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
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
What owners actually said
205 reportsWHILE 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
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH TRIED TO STEER TO THE RIGHT BUT COULDN'T BECAUSE IT WAS TOO HARD. BUT WHEN CONSUMER TRIED TO STEER TO LEFT IT WAS SOFTER THAN RIGHT SIDE. AFTER 2 VISITS TO DEALER, PROBLEM IDENTIFIED AS RACK AND PINION LOCKING UP. PROBLEM BEING REPAIRED. *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 …
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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
HATCHBACK LOWER PIVOT PIN SEPARATED FROM THE LOWER STRUT BRACKET, CAUSING THE HATCHBACK TO FALL WHEN UP. THE MANUFACTURER HAS RECALLED THESE VEHICLES, BUT THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED. RECALL 93V058. *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 REP…
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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
HOSE CLAMP TWISTED AND CAUSED THROTTLE TO STICK WIDE OPEN CAUSED ENGINE TO OVER REV AND DAMAGED ENGINE, AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A DEADLY ACCIDENT IF SOMEONE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN FRONT OF HER OR CROSSING IN FRONT OF HER AT A STOP LIGHT, IF SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN GOING FASTER A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURED. FORD REP AND LOCAL FO…
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HOSE CLAMP TWISTED AND CAUSED THROTTLE TO STICK WIDE OPEN CAUSED ENGINE TO OVER REV AND DAMAGED ENGINE, AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A DEADLY ACCIDENT IF SOMEONE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN FRONT OF HER OR CROSSING IN FRONT OF HER AT A STOP LIGHT, IF SHE WOULD HAVE BEEN GOING FASTER A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE OCCURED. FORD REP AND LOCAL FORD DEALER SAY THEY CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. MANY ACCIDENTS MAY HAVE HAPPENED OR MAY OCCUR WITH THIS VEHICLE AND NO ONE WOULD KNOW THE CAUSE OF IT EXECPT IT WAS SPEEDING, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW IT
THIS CAR WITH A FAILED AIR IDLE BYPASS VALVE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND COULD RESULT IN A TRAFFIC INJURY OR FATALITY. WHEN THIS CONDITION OCCURS YOU LOSE POWER STEERING, SPEED AND ENGINE CONTROL. THIS VALVE HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED TWO TIMES BEFORE, AND IS AGAIN NEEDING REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $700.00. I FEEL THAT THIS IS AN O…
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THIS CAR WITH A FAILED AIR IDLE BYPASS VALVE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND COULD RESULT IN A TRAFFIC INJURY OR FATALITY. WHEN THIS CONDITION OCCURS YOU LOSE POWER STEERING, SPEED AND ENGINE CONTROL. THIS VALVE HAS HAD TO BE REPLACED TWO TIMES BEFORE, AND IS AGAIN NEEDING REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $700.00. I FEEL THAT THIS IS AN ORIGINAL FACTORY DEFECT, AND SHOULD BE REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP WITH NO COST. IT IS A HAZARD ON THE ROAD. *AK
WHEN THE HATCHBACK IS UP, IT FALLS DOWN BY ITS SELF. THERE IS A RECALL, BUT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED. *AK
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.