← New search

1994 Ford Probe

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Probe years

Owner complaints for the 1994 Ford Probe are substantially higher than the model-year median of 78.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected 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: 14 of 166 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 33 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

16 crash reports7 fire reports11 injury reports

What owners actually said

166 reports
Mileage unknown · Feb 20, 2003
Parking BrakeCrash

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 PROBLE…

Read full complaint

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.

NHTSA ODI #10007877

Mileage unknown · Sep 17, 2002
Vehicle Speed Control

WAS TOLD THAT THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED B Y MECHANIC. ADDED FUEL ADDATIVE NOW FOR A YEAR AS NEEDED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. THIS WEEK ADDATIVE DID NOT HELP. CAR WILL DRIVE FINE ON HIGHWAY BUT AT ANY SLOWDOWN IT WILL DIE AND NEED TO BE RESTARTED...DANGER AT INTERSECTIONS. LOW MILAGE FOR AGE AND STICK SHIFT BUT NOT DRIVEN…

Read full complaint

WAS TOLD THAT THROTTLE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED B Y MECHANIC. ADDED FUEL ADDATIVE NOW FOR A YEAR AS NEEDED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. THIS WEEK ADDATIVE DID NOT HELP. CAR WILL DRIVE FINE ON HIGHWAY BUT AT ANY SLOWDOWN IT WILL DIE AND NEED TO BE RESTARTED...DANGER AT INTERSECTIONS. LOW MILAGE FOR AGE AND STICK SHIFT BUT NOT DRIVEN HARD OR ABUSIVELY. HAS BEEN MAINLY USED TO DRIVE TO AND FROM WORK THAT WAS ONLY A FEW BLOCKS AWAY UNTIL WE MOVED TO WACO IN 1999. WAS USING TO DRIVE TO MEXIA UNTIL DYING PROBLEM COULD NOT BE CORRECTED WITH FUEL ADDATIVE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #767269

Mileage unknown · Sep 2, 2002
Power Train

WHILE DRIVING THE RIGHT AXLE FAILED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO WANDER TO THE RIGHT AND MAKE CONTACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE, ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE OFFICER OBSERVED THAT WHEN THE DRIVER TURNED THE WHEEL, THE LEFT TIRE WOULD TURN BUT THE RIGHT TIRE WOULD NOT (OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT). NLM

NHTSA ODI #567276

Mileage unknown · Jul 25, 2002
Fuel System, Gasoline

CONSUMER STATES WHEN FILLING THE GAS TANK, GAS LEAKS OUT. CAUSE UNKNOWN, DEALER NOTIFIED.*JB THIS VEHICLE TAKES APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES TO FUEL BECAUSE OF THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS NEEDED. WHEN FUELING THE GASOLINE BACKS UP AND WILL SPILL OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE PERSON FILLING THE TANK WINDS UP STANDING IN A POOL OF GASOLI…

Read full complaint

CONSUMER STATES WHEN FILLING THE GAS TANK, GAS LEAKS OUT. CAUSE UNKNOWN, DEALER NOTIFIED.*JB THIS VEHICLE TAKES APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES TO FUEL BECAUSE OF THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS NEEDED. WHEN FUELING THE GASOLINE BACKS UP AND WILL SPILL OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE PERSON FILLING THE TANK WINDS UP STANDING IN A POOL OF GASOLINE AND ALSO BECOMES DRENCHED IN GASOLINE. *JG

NHTSA ODI #8014731

Mileage unknown · Jun 10, 2002
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE STALLS AT ANY SPEED, TAKEN TO DEALER 5-6 TIMES. DEALER CANNOT FIND CAUSE.

NHTSA ODI #8011415

Mileage unknown · May 13, 2002
Engine And Engine CoolingPower Train

O/D LIGHT FLASHING ,CODE 628 RETRIEVED....CONVERTER CLUTCH SLIPPING.*AK

NHTSA ODI #761848

Mileage unknown · Feb 9, 2002
Parking BrakeService Brakes, HydraulicUnknown Or Other

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…

Read full complaint

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

NHTSA ODI #758022

Mileage unknown · Jan 9, 2002
Seat BeltsCrash

WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH AT NIGHT ON DRY ROADS CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A SIDE COLLISION THAT RESULTED IN DRIVERS SIDE LAP AND SHOULDER BELT NOT ENGAGING, CONSUMER DIED AS A RESULT.*AK (CHIEF DEPUTY CORONER, ARDEN HUGHES ON BEHALF OF DECEASED). *SLC

NHTSA ODI #8001829

Mileage unknown · Dec 28, 2001
Power Train

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ODI #756147

Mileage unknown · Nov 27, 2001
Power Train

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT THE FAILURE OF THE CD4E 1994 TRANSMISSION. THERE IS ONLY 113000 MILES ON THIS CAR AND THE TRANSMISSION SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE OUT. I WOULD LIKE HELP IN PAYING TO GET THIS WELL KNOWN PROBLEM REPAIRED.

NHTSA ODI #754965

Official recalls

1

93V169000 · Air Bags:frontal

Oct 15, 1993

IF THE PASSENGER-SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYS IN AN ACCIDENT AND THERE IS NO PASSENGER IN THAT SEATING POSITION, THE AIR BAG CAN DETACH FROM, AND DEFORM, THE MOUNTING BRACKET.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: INSTALLATION OF A REPLACEMENT PASSENGER-SIDE AIR BAGWOULD BE IMPEDED BY THE DAMAGE TO THE MOUNTING BRACKET AND WOULD REQUIRE MOREEXPENSIVE REPAIR WORK. THIS MAY DETER THE VEHICLE OWNER FROM HAVING THE REPAIRMADE AND THE REPLACEMENT AIR BAG INSTALLED, WHICH WOULD PLACE FUTURE PASSENGERSAT HIGHER RISK OF INJURY IN AN ACCIDENT.

Remedy: A NEW AIR BAG MODULE WITH A SLIGHTLY REVISED DOOR TO IMPROVE FIT AND APPEARANCE WILL BE INSTALLED AND A DOUBLER WILL BE INSTALLED ON THE MOUNTING BRACKET TO MORE SECURELY RETAIN THE MODULE.

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

1

DP98005 · Engine Oil Pump Failure

Opened Jun 4, 1998 · Closed Aug 27, 1998

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available