1994 Ford Probe

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.

TRANSMISSION FREEZES; VEHICLE WON'T MOVE FORWARD OR BACKWARD WHEN IN GEAR. OD LIGHT FLASHES CONTINUOUSLY ON DASHBOARD. COMPUTER INDICATES A FAILURE WITH THE VSS SPEED SENSOR. PART WAS REPLACED BUT THE VEHICLE IS STILL NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. CAR MOVES FOWARD IN REVERSE; MOVES BACKWARD IN DRIVE. DEALERS CLAIMS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. CAR WAS BROUGHT IN UNDER WARRANTY WITH 10,952 MILES. DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION.