1996 Ford Probe

These are unverified consumer reports filed with NHTSA, shown as submitted.

• 12/14/2005· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ON SUNDAY DECEMBER 11, 2005 WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY I EXPIRED A SUDDEN SPIKE IN TEMPERATURE ON MY 1996 FORD CROWN VICTORIA. AFTER TAKING MY CAR TO A FORD DEALERSHIP I WAS INFORMED THAT MY "PLASTIC" INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD CRACKED. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE CURRENT INVESTIGATION AND HAD NEVER RECEIVED ANY SORT OF CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION FROM FORD. I HEARD ABOUT THE MANIFOLD ISSUE FROM A FELLOW EMPLOYEE. THE TOTAL COST OF REPAIRS FOR THIS FAULTY MANIFOLD WAS $978.00. I FEEL IF THEY KNEW THEY NEEDED TO UPDATE IT WITH AN ALUMINUM MANIFOLD THAN THEY KNEW THE PLASTIC ONES WERE FAULTY.*JB

• 12/10/2000· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  WATER PUMP FAILED RESULTING IN LEAKAGE. *MJS

• 12/08/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN,EXTERIOR LIGHTING

  NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

• 12/07/2007· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  MY 1996 MERCURY VILLAGER DEVELOPED A FAILURE IN THE AIR FLOW SENSOR (PART $330) THAT RESULTED IN VEHICLE STALLS, INCLUDING STOPS ON THE HIGHWAY, THAT NEARLY RESULTED IN CRASHES. THE REQUIRED REPAIRS EXCEEDED $500. I KNOW FORD HAS A SIMILAR RECALL OUT NOW FOR THE 1997-2003 (/) MODELS). *TR

• 11/28/2004· POWER TRAIN

  I OWN A 96 FORD PROBE WITH A CD4E TRANSMISSION WITH ONLY 66000 MILES ON IT. A FEW DAYS MY TRANSMISSION STARTED TO ACT UP. IT WOULD REV HIGH THEN SHIFT INTO 2ND GEAR, WHEN ATEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR, IT JUST WOULDN'T. THIS CAUSES MY CAR TO ONLY GO A BLISTERING SPEED OF 45MPH?!? THIS TRANSMISSION , THE CD4E, IS PRODUCED BY MAZDA AND IS ALSO IN THE 626. I SEARCH THE WEB TO SEE IF ANYONE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS AND NOW I WANT TO GET RID OF MY CAR I FELL IN LOVE WITH 4 YEARS AGO. THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS FROM 94-TO 99. THOUSAND OF REPORTED PROBLEMS BUT NO RECALL? WE NEED SOMEONE TO TAKE ACTION AGAINT MAZDA AND THE PROBLEM TRANSMISSION.*AK

• 11/22/2005· POWER TRAIN

  1996 FORD PROBE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS ( SAME AS MAZDA 626 TRANSMISSION . ITS BEEN REBUILT 2 TIMES ALREADY AND NOW NEEDS A 3RD , ONLY 120000 MILES AND ALL THAT!!! COSTS THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS!!! *JB

• 11/18/2006· POWER TRAIN

  1996 FORD PROBE SE AUTO TRANSMISSION FAILURE,SAME AS MAZDA 626 ALL OF THESE CARS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM THAT COST THOUSANDS TO FIX,CHECK THE INTERNET,WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL?

• 11/16/2000· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

  ENGINE CHECK LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON THE PANEL. ABS SENSOR ASSEMBLY IS MAIN PROBLEM. ALSO, VEHICLE HAS OTHER DEFECTIVE PROBLEMS. *AK

• 11/04/1997· POWER TRAIN

  TRANSMISSION FAILED.

• 11/03/2004· WHEELS

  WHILE DRIVING A LOUD NOISE WAS HEARD COMING FROM THE REAR. CONSUMER PULLED OVER, AND NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR RIM EXPLODED. CONSUMER CHANGED THE TIRE, AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

• 10/31/1997· VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  THE ACCELERATOR MECHANISM WAS STUCK IN THE DOWN POSITION AND THE HOSE NEXT TO THE ACCELERATOR MECHANISM WAS TURNED IN SUCH A WAY THAT THE BEND IN THE HOSE CAUGHT THE ACCELERATOR AT FULL THROTTLE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SUDDENLY ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING.

• 10/29/1996· VISIBILITY

  STRONG ODOR FROM VENTILATION SYSTEM,

• 10/27/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  BOTH CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AND CAMSHAFT SENSOR REPLACED. *AK

• 10/27/1998· STEERING

  WHILE DRIVING DOWN HWY 288 AT 70 MILES PER HOUR MY POWER STEERING BELT BROKE AND CAUSED THE WHEEL TO LOCK. I WAS ABOUT TO EXIT ON TO HWY 6 AND LUCKILY I WAS SLOWING DOWN THE BELT AND ALL KINDS OF SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE HOOD, BLINDING ME AND MAKING ME THINK THAT THERE WAS A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. ALSO THE WHEEL LOCKED UP ON ME AND I COULD NOT STEER, BECAUSE THE POWER STEERING IS CONNECTED TO THAT BELT ALONG WITH THE AIRCONDITIONING. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT REPLACED BECAUSE THE BELT WAS ONLY 3 MONTHS OLD, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE BELT WAS GOOD BUT THE CONDESOR HAD CAUSED THE CAR TO LOCK BECAUSE THE AIR CONDITIIONING AND THE POWER STEERING ARE ON THE SAME BELT. IF I HAD NOT BEEN A STRONG PERSON I DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE WRECKED MY CAR, SOME ONE NOT AS STRONG OR OLDER WOULD HAVE DRIVEN OFF THE ROAD. PLEASE CHECK AND SEE IF THIS MATTER HAS HAPPENED TO OTHERS AND PUT A BULLETIN OUT TO THE PUBLIC TELLING THEM HOW THIS CAN CAUSE A WRECK BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN OF THE CAR.

• 10/27/1998· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  BELTS WERE REPLACED. WHEN DRIVING AT 60MPH, AND TURNING ON EXIT, A REPLACED BELT BROKE, CAUSING WHEELS TO LOCK. THE DEALER CONTACTED AND WERE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

• 10/27/1997· LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

  PASSENGER DOOR SPRING AND BINDING LATCH FAILED.

• 10/27/1997· STEERING

  STEERING COLUMN FAILED.

• 10/27/1997· STEERING

  POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED RESULTING IN NOISE.

• 10/26/2000· ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

  THIS M/V HAS BEEN WORKED ON AT LEAST 15-20 TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM IN THE BEGINING CAR WAS TAKEN TO SULLIVAN BROS WHILE UNDER WARRENTIE AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. SINCE 7-2000 THIS CAR WAS AT TWO DEALERS AND THE COST CLOSE TO $800,00 CAR STILL HAS SAME PROBLEMS. STALLS THE PAST WEEK THIS CAR HAS ALMOST BEEN IN TWO ACCIDENTS AS THE CAR HAS STALLED WHILE MAKING LEFT TURN INTO ON COMING LANES. CAR STALLS AND EVERY THING GOES DEAD. SINCE AUGUST THE CAR HAS BEEN WORKED ON AT SHIRETOWN FORD INC 147 SAMOSET ST PLYMOUTH MA #02360 STILL WAITING FOR PHONECALL TO BRING CAR BACK AGAIN WHAT CAN I DO. *AK

• 10/21/2002· EQUIPMENT

  CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING THEIR IS A LOUD CLICKING NOISE. HAD VEHICLE SERVICED. THE CV JOINTS HAD BROKEN, GOT PART REPLACED. PROBLEM REOCCURED TWICES SINCE THEN. DEALER CONTACTED. TS

• 10/19/1999· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN

  THERE IS A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND THE GEARS ARE HARDER TO SHIFT. THE 5TH GEAR FEELS AS IF IN 3RD. DEALER HAS SEEN VEHICLE, AND CAN'T FIND A SOLUTION. *AK

• 10/11/1996· AIR BAGSCrash

  CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 35 MPH FRONTAL CRASH IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED CAUSING THE WINDSHIELD TO BREAK.

• 10/10/2008· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  FIRST MY ENGINE SEEMED TO OVERHEAT A BIT THEN EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE IT WOULD SOUND LIKE THE ENGINE WAS GRINDING ON SOMETHING AND WOULDN'T STOP.. SOUNDED LIKE A BUNCH OF CHAINS IN MY HOOD. BUT THEN ON OCCASIONS THE STUPID THING WOULDN'T SHUT OFF WHEN IT WAS MAKING THE CHAIN SOUND, EVEN WITH MY KEY OUT. IT JUST HAPPENED AGAIN AND NOW THE THING SMELLS LIKE SOMETHING IS BURNING AND I HAVE NO POWER WHAT SO EVER IN MY VEHICLE. BEFORE WHEN IT FINALLY SHUT OFF IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS ABOUT TO SPARK. THEN IT WAS MAKING A CLICKING NOISE THAT WASN'T COOL. *TR

• 10/07/1998· SEAT BELTS

  SEAT BELT HAS EXTENDED BEYOND FORD'S MAXUMUM SPECS, REVEALING A "REPLACE IMMEDIATELY" NOTICE ATTACHED TO BAS EOF SEAT BELT WEBBING. WILL NOT RETRACT. *AK

• 10/03/1996· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  THERE IS A VERY BAD SMELL COMING INTO THE VEHICLE THAT MAKES YOU SICK. *AK

• 09/25/2001· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  PREVIOUSLY HAD CATALYTIC CONVERTER/AIR MASS FLOW SENSOR AND OTHER MINOR ITEMS REPAIRED IN 04/1999. NOW 2 YEARS LATER I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT IT'S THE SAME PROBLEM. IT JUST SEEM RIGHT THAT THE SAME MAJOR PROBLEM WOULD ARISE AGAIN SO SOON UNLESS THERE IS A PROBLEM SOMEWHERE IN THE EMISSION OF MY CAR OR THE PARTS WERE DEFECTIVE. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR CO AND THEY STATED THAT THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR ME SINCE I HAVE LONG SURPASSED THE 100,000 REQUIRED MARK TO HAVE REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. I WANTED TO KNOW IF OTHER PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED FOR THE SAME ISSUE OR AM I A LONER IN THIS SITUATION.*AK

• 09/15/1998· SEAT BELTS

  DRIVERS SIDE RESTRAINING SYSTEM REPLACED DUE TO A FAULTY RETRACTOR.

• 09/09/1997· FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

  GAS/FUEL DOOR FAILED.

• 09/09/1997· SEAT BELTS

  SEAT BELTS FAILED.

• 08/20/1998· ELECTRICAL SYSTEMFire

  CONSUMER WAS PUMPING GAS WHEN SHE EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL SHOCK. DURING THE PROCESS THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK

• 08/16/1999· STEERING

  I HAD MY CAR CHECKED BY GOODYEAR BECAUSE I WAS HEARING A CLICKING NOISE WHEN I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. INITIALLY ITWAS THOUGH TO BE THE CV JOINT, BUT WAS DEFINATELY CONFIRMED AS THE RACK AND PINON ASSEMBLY. IT SEEMS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THAT I DID ANYTHING TO CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. THE CAR IS NOT EVEN 3 YEARS OLD YET AND I GET ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE DONE. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY COULD NOT HELP BECAUSE THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. PLEASE LOOK INTO BECAUSE IT IS VERY DISTURBING.

• 08/03/2006· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,POWER TRAIN

  I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND AS SOON AS I GOT UP TO SPEED PAST 30 MILES PER HOUR IT KICKED INTO TO GEAR REALLY HARD AND I COULD FEEL THE TRANSMISSION BARELY SLIPPING INTO GEAR..AND HAD TO HAVE THE WATER PUMP FLUSHED IT WAS OVER HEATING THOUGHT IT WAS THE THERMOSTAT BUT IT WAS CHECKED AND FINE SO I HAD TO REPLACE THE WATER PUMP...WAS MISSING A MOTOR MOUNT ON ONE SIDE AND THE OTHER WAS CORRODDED.. WHEN I ARE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD I CAN HEAR MY CAR 4 BLOCKS AWAY..BRAKES AREN'T RIGHT THEY DON'T PRESS DOWN LIKE THEY SHOULD AND HALF THE TIME THEY JUST DON'T WORK...IF I AM LUCKY, I HAVE TO START BRAKING AROUND 2 BLOCKS AWAY, I MAY STOP IN TIME. I PURCHASED THIS CAR ON JULY 16,2006 AND THIS ALL HAPPENED STARTING JULY 17,2006. PAYMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE ON TIME AND HAVE HAD TWO ESTIMATES AS THEY REQUESTED FOR ALL THE REPAIRS BUT THEY STILL ARE STATING I HAVE TO COME UP WITH HALF THE MONEY UPFRONT AND THEN THEY WILL TACT ON THE REST TO THE END OF MY BILL I OWE TO PAY OFF THE CAR. *JB

• 07/26/2002· POWER TRAIN

  WITHOUT WARNING, THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED. I LOST ALL ABILITY TO MOVE IN ANY OF THE FORWARD GEARS, AND STRUGGLED TO GET THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. ON THE SHOLDER, I DISCOVERED I COULD ONLY MOVE IN REVERSE, ALL OF THE FORWARD GEARS WERE INOPERABLE. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO LEEMYLES, AND THEY PERFORMED $2,200 IN REPAIRS. THIRTY DAYS LATER, THE TRANSMISSION COMPLETELY FAILED AGAIN, FORTUNATELY LEEMYLES HONORED THEIR WARRANTY AND PERFORMED ANOTHER COMPLETE REPAIR. IT IS NOW WORKING, BUT I AM AFRAID. I HAVE SEARCHED THE WEB AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS PARTICULAR TRANSMISSION HAS A DOCUMENTED HISTORY OF FAILURE. I REQUEST THE NHTSA REVIEW THIS COMPLAINT, COUPLED WITH WHAT I SUSPECT ARE A LARGE QUANTITY OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS, AND FORCE FORD TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE EXPENSES I INCURRED IN REPAIRING THIER FAULTY MACHINERY.*AK

• 07/21/1998· SEAT BELTS

  AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT COMES ON WITHOUT REASON.

• 07/16/2008· SUSPENSION

  LT FRONT SPRING BROKE & PUNCTURED THE INSIDE SIDEWALL OF THE TIRE MAKING IT GO FLAT. *TR

• 07/09/1998· POWER TRAIN

  WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE TRANSMISSION BURNT OUT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL, IN WHICH IT ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER. *AK

• 07/04/2001· POWER TRAIN

  MY O/D LIGHT STARTED FLASHING, I TOOK IT IN AND PAID $300 TO FLUSH THE TRANSMISSION. . ABOUT 2 WEEKS LATER THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, I TOOK IT BACK, THEY CHARGED $65 MORE AND TOLD ME THE TORQUE CONVERTOR AND SOLENOIDS WERE BAD. NEED TO REPLACE WHOLE TRANSMISSION AT ABOUT $3000. HAPPENED ON MY 95 FORD PROBE SE ALSO AT 62000 MILES RIGHT BEFORE I GOT IN A WRECK WITH IT AND TRADED IT ON THIS ONE.*AK

• 07/03/2007· TIRESCrash

  TIRE ON 2 CASES BLEW THE TREAD AND BELT, THE LATER OF THE TWO INCIDENCES WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH THAT TOTALED THE VEHICLE, AND RESULTED IN TWO INJURIES TO BOTH THE DRIVER AND THE PASSENGER. BOTH NEEDED TO BE HOSPITALIZED.*AK

• 06/27/2005· UNKNOWN OR OTHERFire

  ON 06/03/2005, A GOVERNMENT OWNED, 1996 FORD BRONCO, WAS OBSERVED ON FIRE WHILE PARKED IN A PARKING GARAGE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TURNED OFF AND PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY EIGHT HOURS WHEN THE FIRE OCCURRED. THE FIRE WAS OBSERVED AT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, AND BURNED FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE IT COULD BE EXTINGUISHED. THE FIRE WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THE CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH.

• 06/24/2008· POWER TRAIN

  AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILURE. SECOND TIME. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED VERY EXPENSIVE TO REPAIR. *TR

• 06/22/2006· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

  DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SPEED CONTROL DEACTIVATION SWITCH WAS LEAKING FLUID. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL ON OTHER FORD VEHICLES. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, THE REPAIR WERE MADE FOR A FEE. ALSO EVERY 25000 MILES, THE OIL PAN GASKET NEEDED TO BE CHANGED DUE A SMALL LEAK. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THIRD, THE EXHAUST AND INTAKE MANIFOLDS WERE LEAKING CAUSING A NOXIOUS SMELL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE SAME SERVICE DEALER. THE DEALER REPLACED BOTH MANIFOLDS, AND DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK DRIPPING ONTO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM.

• 06/18/1997· SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

  FACTORY INSTALLED PUSH-ROD, BETWEEN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND MASTER CYLINDER, WAS NOT THE PROPER PART (IT WAS TOO LONG). THE RESULT OF THIS ERROR HAS CAUSED FAILURE TO THE ABS SYSTEM.

• 06/11/2002· SUSPENSION

  LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE (DUE TO DEFECTIVE MATERIAL AND/OR CORROSION) GOING OVER CURB. TIRE PUNCTURED; CAR NOT DRIVEABLE. TOWED TO LOCAL FORD DEALER FOR REPLACEMENT OF FRONT COIL SPRING & COMPONENTS. SPENT ADDITIONAL $$ TO HAVE CORRESPONDING RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING REPLACED (AS SAFETY PRECAUTION) ALTHOUGH DEALER DID NOT SUGGEST DOING SO. FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE BEEN ON EXPRESSWAY DRIVING AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED. *AK

• 06/06/2000· AIR BAGSCrash

  VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL/PASSENGER'S SIDE COLLISION AT 40 MPH, AND BOTH AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPOLY. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

• 05/25/2005· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING,EQUIPMENT

  INTAKE MANIFOLD WAS REPLACED ON 1996 THUNDERBIRD IN 2000. IT IS NOW CRACKED, AND AFTER SPENDING 550.00 TO FIND THAT OUT, THERE IS NOTHING FORD WILL DO EVEN THOUGH IT IS ON CAMPAIGN (97M91). NOW I CAN NOT DRIVE MY CAR.

• 05/20/2006· POWER TRAIN

  I HAVE A 96 FORD PROBE THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS BAD. IT WAS AN AUTOMATIC . WITH IT BEING AN AUTOMATIC IT WOULD SEEM THAT THEY WOULD NOT GO BAD COMPARED TO A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. I'VE BEEN READING THAT A LOT OF THE MAZDA/FORD TRANSMISSION ARE TERRIBLE AND PEOPLE HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION WHICH IS THE CD4E. I WOULD LIKE TO JUST LIKE TO LET OTHER PEOPLE KNOW THEY ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM OF THE CD4E. I'VE HAD IT FIXED HOWEVER THE MECHANICS MUST STILL NOT HAVE IT EXACTLY CORRECT CAUSE ITS STILL IS NOT WORKING RIGHT. SO NOW I HAVE TO TAKE IT BACK IN FOR THEM TO LOOK OVER AGAIN. *NM

• 05/19/2011· SUSPENSION

  REPLACED RIGHT LOWER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY WITH A NEW PART FROM O'REILLY AUTOPARTS STORE ON 8/31/10 AND ON 11/05/10 THE BALL JOINT CAME COMPLETELY OUT OF THE NEW CONTROL ARM MAKING AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. DEFECTIVE NEW PART, REPLACED IT AGAIN ON 11/09/10 WITH ANOTHER NEW REPLACEMENT PART FROM O'REILLY AUTOPARTS STORE. *TR

• 05/15/2001· POWER TRAIN

  GEARS WOULD SHIFT BY THEMSELVES, AND TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP AND SLOWLY BREAK DOWN. *AK

• 05/13/1997· ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

  ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON DUE TO FAILED CATALYTIC CONVERTER/GASKETS.

• 05/08/2002· POWER TRAIN

  CD4E TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO INHERANT DESIGN PROBLEM.*AK