• The Probe joined Ford's line of sport compact cars in 1989. Originally considered as a possible replacement for the Mustang, that idea was scrapped when Mustang fans began complaining about its lack of V8 engine and front-wheel drive. Motor Trend named it "Car of the Year" in 1993, the same year Ford revamped its model for the Probe.
  
  

Fuel Filters

• According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), certain SPX Filtran fuel filters, used in the Probe's engine, were found to be leaky and thus recalled at various points between 1993 and 1997. This turned out to be a common problem for owners of the Probe, who reported that both their engines and their transmissions leaked fluid repeatedly.
  
  

Airbags

• In 1994 and 1995, the NHTSA recalled certain Probes due to problems with their passenger-side airbags. In some cars, the airbags detached from their mounting brackets when deployed, rendering them less useful in a crash. In other cars, the passenger airbag didn't inflate properly when deployed. In still others, the mechanism that causes the bag to inflate broke, releasing hot gases into the main cab of the car.
  
  

Stalling

• There have been complaints of engine stalling with 1993 and 1994 Probes. This problem occurs when the transmission is shifted into drive, and its source was usually found to be a cracked mass airflow snorkel tube. This defect was first noted with Ford cars as early as 1988, but the specific parts that malfunctioned were included in cars up to 1994.