1993 FORD PROBE Parking Brake Problems

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

Mileage: 40,000

MAJORITY OF 2ND GENERATION PROBE OWNERS HAVE PROBLEM WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE. SEIZING OF LEFT REAR BRAKE CALIPER MAY CAUSE EMERGENCY BRAKES TO NOT OPERATE DURING EMERGENCY. THE BRAKE CABLE MAY BREAK DUE TO SEIZED PIVOT PIN IN THE CALIPER OR CAN CAUSE UNBALANCED BRAKING SINCE ONE SIDE WILL NOT WORK. IF EMERGENCY BRAKES ARE APPLIED DURING SOME SPEED THE UNBALANCING OF REAR BRAKES MAY CAUSE THE CAR TO SPIN OUT INTO DEADLY CRASH. *AK

PARKING BRAKE LOCKED UP TWICE. FORD DIDN'T REPLACE UNTIL CAR WARRANTY EXPIRED. FIRST LOCKUP AT 2/13/95, MILEAGE 24,273, BUT NO CALIPER REPLACEMENT, JUST A LUBE AND REPOSITION. SUBSEQUENT INTERMITTENT PROBLEMS REPORTED TO DEALER, BUT UNREPRODUCIBLE AT DEALER. SECOND CALIPER SEIZURE ON 2/4/97 AT 52,941 MILES. DEALER REPLACED CALIPER AT $400 COST TO ME. THIS WAS A CHRONIC PROBLEM ON 1993 AND 1994 PROBES AND MAZDA MX-6S THAT COULD LEAD TO CALIPER SEIZURES WHILE DRIVING. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL. *AK

HAND BRAKE FAILS TO RELEASE. REAR CALIPERS SIEZE REAR CALIPERS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES- APPROXIMATELY EVERY 43K MILES. THIS APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM I HAVE SEEN IT MENTIONED REPEATEDLY AT FORD PROBE SITES ON THE INTERNET

PARKING BRAKES DO NOT DISENGAGE. EXTREME HIGH HEAT RUINED REAR ROTORS, POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. *AK

PARKING BRAKE PIVOT PIN SIEZED, WHICH CAUSED REAR BRAKE PADS TO REMAIN IN CONTACT WITH BRAKE ROTOR, WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY OVERHEATED. *ET

WHEN USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, IT MAY NOT RELEASE. THE REAR BRAKE WILL START SMOKING AFTER A FEW MILES. THE DRIVER WILL REPAIR THE EXISTING CALIPER BY SPRAYING OIL ON THE PART OF THE CALIPER WHERE THE EMERGENCY CABLE ATTACHES TO THE PIVOT AND SPRING, THEN WORKING THE HAND LEVER UNTIL IT BECOMES FREE.

FAULTY PARKING BRAKE MECHANISM.

REAR CALIPERS MALFUNCTIONED. ALSO REPLACED PARKING BRAKE PIVOT PIN. *AK

REAR BRAKE CALIPER FREEZES UPON USE OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE.

EMERGENCY BRAKE WILL NOT RELEASE CAUSING THE REAR CALIPERS TO OVERHEAT.

EMERGENCY BRAKE REAR CALIPER STICKING IN THE OPEN POSITION, MAKING EMERGENCY BRAKES INOPERATIVE. *AK