1994 Ford Probe

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.

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

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.

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?