1993 FORD PROBE — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1993 FORD PROBE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE FUEL CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT WAS OCCASIONALLY ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AFTER TWO OR THREE MINUTES. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND ADVISED HER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A FORD DEALER FOR A PROPER DIAGNOSIS. AS OF NOVEMBER 16, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,550 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000.

I HAVE OWED 2 1993 FORD PROBES AND BOTH HAVE HAD THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE FIRST ONE WAS ONLY 1 AND A HALF YEARS OLD AND THERE'S A LOT MORE OUT THERE WITH THIS PROBLEM THE O/D LIGHT STARTS TO FLASH AND THE CAR STOPS SHIFTING PROPERLY THEN YOU TAKE IT TO FORD DEALER OR ANY OTHER SHOP THEY SAY NEW TRANSMISSION NEEDED. *JB

ICM OVERHEATED SEVERAL TIMES THIS SUMMER (ALWAYS WHILE ON INTERSTATE), CAUSES THE CAR TO SHUT OFF WHILE AT 65+MPH, ALL POWER LOST (BRAKERS, STEERING, ACCELERATION). CAR ONLY AT 37,000 MILES DURING FIRST FAILURE. REPLACED ICM/DISTRIBUTOR (ICM BUILT INSIDE DISTRIBUTOR) WITH A NON-OEM PART. *JB

RELEASE 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

I'VE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR EVER SINCE I'VE OWNED MY 1993 FORD PROBE GT (V6-CYLINDER). I HAD 3 PREVIOUS NEW AND REBUILT COMPRESSORS REPLACED. THEY ONLY LASTED BETWEEN 1 AND 2 YEARS. EACH TIME COSTING ME BETWEEN $750 AND $1100 FOR LABOR AND TO REPLACE THE COMPRESSOR, O-RING, CONDENSER, PULL A VACUUM, RECHARGE THE SYSTEM, ETC. I WAS INFORMED BY ALL OF MY AC REPAIR GUYS THAT THE PROBLEM WAS A SMALL $10 VALVE ON THE COMPRESSOR THAT HAD A LIMITED 1-2 YEAR LIFE BUILT-IN TO IT BY THE FORD MANUFACTURER. FORD CALLS THIS A KNOWN DESIGN FLAW. THIS VALVE IS NOT AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. EVIDENTLY IT'S ONLY AVAILABLE TO AUTHORIZED FORD COMPRESSOR REBUILDERS. FORD HAS NOT TAKEN ANY STEPS TO FIX THIS VALVE DESIGN FLAW. SO, WHEN MY COMPRESSOR (VALVE) WENT OUT FOR THE 4TH TIME, I DECIDED TO TRY REPAIRING IT MYSELF. THIS IS WHAT I DID TO REPAIR MY AIR CONDITIONER MYSELF FOR ONLY A SMALL FRACTION OF THE COST 1). I PUT IN LEAK DETECTOR TO VERIFY THAT ONLY THE VALVE WAS LEAKING. IT WAS. 2). I SANDED AND CLEANED THE END OF THE DEFECTIVE VALVE. 3). I PUT JB WELD ON THE END OF THE VALVE TO PLUG UP THE HOLE. 4). I RECHARGED THE SYSTEM WITH FREON. THAT'S IT. 4 EASY STEPS AND MY AIR CONDITIONER IS BLOWING LIKE GANGBUSTERS AGAIN FOR LESS THAN $50. YOU WOULD THINK THAT FORD COMPRESSOR MANUFACTURERS WOULD HAVE FIXED THIS VALVE BY NOW, OR MAYBE MY AIR CONDITIONER REPAIR GUYS COULD HAVE JUST PLUGGED-UP THE HOLE IN THE VALVE WITH JB WELD JUST LIKE I DID. BUT NOOOOOOOO! THAT WOULD BE TO EASY, AND THEY WOULDN'T MAKE A TON OF MONEY OFF ME. IT SEEMS THAT THEY ARE ALL IN IT TO MAKE MAJOR BUCKS OFF OF THE SUPPOSED DESIGN FLAW OF A VALVE.