Car won't start
My car cranks but won't turn over. It smells like gas. I thought it might be the timing belt but I'm not sure how to tell. What could the problem be?
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1989 Ford Probe Reviews, Pricing & Specs
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User reviews for 1989 Ford Probe
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by Anonymous
Oct 16, 2011
Love the looks. It has almost no blind spots. Have had issues with the wiper motor a couple of times. Gas mileage has always been low 30's to mid 30's for all types of driving. Handles like a dream and it fun to drive. Never felt unsafe in it. Oct 16, 2011
by Andrew H
Aug 24, 2010
Easily Upgradable.
Enthusiasts car
Very comfortable interior
Low cost of parts, but needs constant fixing
Handled very well around the corners and stopped equally as fast
High Tech for the age
Has a tendency to rust
Appearance not relevant on today's standards
Aug 24, 2010
by Anthony R
Jul 10, 2010
This was a very fast car to drive and not for the tame of heart. It was as fast as
most V8 sports cars and handled well on roads due to multiple settings for the
suspension adjustable by rocker switch. It took wear and tear pretty well without
major repairs if you drove average to spirited speeds occasionally. It was a low
profile 2 door with a moon roof and a rear seat to boot. Without rust proofing the
car will rust out from under you, but still it is a blast to drive.Jul 10, 2010
User rating:
by Anonymous
Oct 16, 2011
Love the looks. It has almost no blind spots. Have had issues with the wiper motor a couple of times. Gas mileage has always been low 30's to mid 30's for all types of driving. Handles like a dream and it fun to drive. Never felt unsafe in it. Oct 16, 2011
by Andrew H
Aug 24, 2010
Easily Upgradable.
Enthusiasts car
Very comfortable interior
Low cost of parts, but needs constant fixing
Handled very well around the corners and stopped equally as fast
High Tech for the age
Has a tendency to rust
Appearance not relevant on today's standards
Aug 24, 2010
by Anthony R
Jul 10, 2010
This was a very fast car to drive and not for the tame of heart. It was as fast as
most V8 sports cars and handled well on roads due to multiple settings for the
suspension adjustable by rocker switch. It took wear and tear pretty well without
major repairs if you drove average to spirited speeds occasionally. It was a low
profile 2 door with a moon roof and a rear seat to boot. Without rust proofing the
car will rust out from under you, but still it is a blast to drive.Jul 10, 2010
by Derick S
Apr 25, 2010
The car had power. It was fast and the acceleration was good. It had good handling and good brakes in it. Gas mileage was really good i drove like 400 miles and still was a little bit above E. It was really fun to drive cuz it was a stick. Also sounded very nice piped!Apr 25, 2010
by Justin S
Mar 06, 2010
i like my sports car and wish to do more with it it goes wehn it wants to and it has the balls it needs to go werever it needs to go i would like to performance it in the future
Mar 06, 2010
by Kyle K
Feb 19, 2010
I bought my 1989 Ford Probe GL with only 92k on it. It was a grandmas car, it had only been driven back and fourth to the grocery store and it was garage kept. It was a nice first car for me. It had a 2.2L In line four Mazda motor and it ran well(for the first 6 months). I'm sure back in its day it was a very popular coupe. But now, it is very rare to find a first gen Probe on the road. My probe had a cold air intake system and a fart cannon exhaust with not cat or resonator. It was a fun car to mess arround with but the first thing to go was the alternator. After replacing that, then came the starter. Then the rocker arm started to make a terrible knocking noise. The front right wheel bearing was going and caused my brakes to be unresponsive. The car was even louder with a blown exhaust manifold gasket and everything rattled inside the interior when my tourque converter started to go. Overall the car was nice at first but then it turned to a major headache. I bought the car for 1000 but then I got a quote to repair most of the problems. When i saw the Quote from five different mechanics saying 3300 was the best they could do, I was finished. I traded it in for 500 dollars at a really dumb dealer and now i have a 2002 Buick LeSabre Custom.Feb 19, 2010
by Matt K
Feb 03, 2010
The Ford Probe was a joint-venture between Ford and Mazda and was originally meant to be the replacement to the Ford Mustang. Well when Mustang enthusiasts found out about the FWD 4-Cylinder platform, they protested. So the new mustang became the Ford Probe. Based off the Mazda MX-6, the GL and LX models originally were equipped with the 120hp 150lbft of torque F2 Engine. While the GT models were equipped with the 145hp 190lbft of torque F2T, turbo-charged engine.
The Probe I have is a 1989 GL equipped with the Ford 4EAT 4-Speed Automatic. I bought the car with 88,000 miles. It has respectable performance and will easily hold a gear to it's relatively low 6,000 Redline with the Transmission in Power Mode. It now has 106,000 miles and it is still running strong. The Build quality is solid. The only problem I have with the car is vibration at idle, but that's my own fault for losing a vacuum hose. Once it is replaced it will again be a very solid daily driver that will get me around town with pep. It makes a very sexy sound that stock sounds way better then any honda.
I average about 26mpg, with a 20 year old automatic with respectable performance I can't complain. It has a 15 gallon tank so I average about 370 miles before I have go back to the pump. As it is one of the most reliable cars I know, coupled with it's respectable mileage, it's cost of ownership is low.
I won't say it has been free of issues, but the Mazda F2 is one of the easiest engines I know of to service with costs of parts relatively low.
If this car wasn't fun, I wouldn't talk about it. I think thats all I need to say lol.Feb 03, 2010
by Bryan W
Jan 04, 2010
Fun Factor - It will kick your cars ass
Performance - Ahead of it's time
Build Quality - Excellent, no big issues
Cost of Ownership - 25-28mpg Excellent
Appearance - Sporty, cuts right through the air like an arrow
1989 Ford Probe GT's kick assJan 04, 2010
by James M
Nov 04, 2009
2-2 Litre Turbo intercooled engine pushing in nowadays HP
Ratings about 200. Excellent acceleration 0-60 in about 7 if
you do it right. 24-26 MPG making it decent for a turbo 4
cylinder. Easy to maintain unless you are doing a rotor and
brake job. this car is one of the funnest cars i have ever
ownedNov 04, 2009
by John A
Oct 01, 2009
Technology - Fully computerized monitoring center with diagnostics and information (unmatched by anything I've seen today).
Performance - Acceleration great for a 4-cylinder, Mazda handling!
Build Quality - After 20 years and nearly 200,000 miles it does have it's issues and quirks. Frame absorbs crashes without a trace so great structure.
Apperance - Sports Car look, hatchback storage and functionality.
Cost - 22-27 mpg, and now high-mileage maintenance (still really good all things considered)
Fun Factor: Excellent! One of the most fun cars I've ever driven.Oct 01, 2009
by Kyle M
Sep 30, 2009
The turbo version of this car is very quick, even with no performance upgrades. Handles very well and was a pleasure to drive.
Build quality was ok, but not great. Body stood up well to the weather, but the engine had notorious head gasket issues. Good on gas, even when driven like it was stolen.Sep 30, 2009
by Adam L
Sep 21, 2009
It was the first year the car was built. It was only a four cylinder with a 5 speed trans, but it did move. It was good on gas. Only thing that made it fun was it had a killer sound system.Sep 21, 2009
by Jake A
Sep 17, 2009
Pros.
was not fast but got up to speed quick.
lots of features for an 89.
comfy interior.
decent on gas.
Cons.
Flip up headlight malfunctions
speed alarm stopped at 85 mph
2.2L was not the greatest motor made by ford.Sep 17, 2009
by Anonymous
Jul 13, 2009
My 89 Probe GT has done really good. it handles like a beast and can easily smoke any wannabe racers around here. rocks everyone at stoplights. can even throw people in their seats in 5th gear, which is rare on a car. The only real problem with it is that upgrades are a bit limited for it. Due to it having the ford logo on it many asian car enthusiasts looked past this car as a sports car, front wheel drive didn't help that judgement at all. Though almost all the body panels say Mazda on the inside. If you want to ride this car hard. it can reach 120 quickly. Extremely fun to drive.Jul 13, 2009
by Shawn C
Feb 23, 2009
It had it problems but it would blow away stock GSX and GST out there. It was a fun ride and only cost me $900 at the time. Blew up the turbo in the end. All in all I wold but one to build it up again. Feb 23, 2009
by Nikki G
Nov 03, 2008
It has great handling even in the snow...The only thing is that it was alittle light in the back but just add sand bags and it was fine...The altanator was a piece of crap it's a Mazda part..couldn't put ford part in it not enough room...The outside of it had to be repaired so it was two different colors of blue the inside looked pretty good though..When we first got it the windows had been broken out and some other things had to be fixed....I loved that carNov 03, 2008
by Bonnie Q
Aug 26, 2008
it was cool. it was sweet. a bad end did it meet. I loved this car!!!! it drove real smooth and quite. The only probablem I has with it whas the fact that the aultinator went out twice.
It was really fun though. I would love to find a nother one to drive!Aug 26, 2008
by Donald H
Aug 14, 2008
I kept this car for 13 years, and put over 300K on the clock. The entire electrical system would shut down when you hit a bump in the road. Half the electronics were broken or failed. The plastic dry rotted. The A/C was broken. The fuel gauge liked to get stuck. It leaked oil over the block like a seive. And the hood smoked at stop lights! But it just kept running!
I somewhat miss it though. After all it was my first car. And I cut my teeth (or rather my lead foot) on this car.Aug 14, 2008
by Tate M
Jul 29, 2008
Well I really like my 4 cylinder ford probe. it used to be a normal car but now it is raced as a novice hornet at Algona raceway. the transformation only took about a week or less. The people that made it into a racecar for me took the car stripped put in a 5 point harness racing seat and also put in a roll cage the transformation was hard but they got it done for me. the car has been raced for two seasons and has held up pretty well and also held up well when it was a normal car. Jul 29, 2008
by Jacob P
Jun 30, 2008
Still runs. It needs more power. Jun 30, 2008
by Jd D
Jun 20, 2008
He was a BEAST!Jun 20, 2008
by Sean M
Jun 10, 2008
I wouldnt drive this car on street though.Jun 10, 2008
by Mark J
May 24, 2008
Fun car almost to much for a 16 year old drive, but I managed. May 24, 2008
by Lisa K
Apr 22, 2008
I bought Penelope the Probe after Dad smashed the Escort. This car got me cheaply and reliably through college, grad school and my first year of work. Conveniently, I was just about to put it up for sale when the Escort got totalled. My dad drove it for another 100,000 mi. He finally got a real new car after that, not another one of my rejects. Apr 22, 2008
by Terry M
Mar 31, 2008
one word...AWESOMEMar 31, 2008
by Terry M
Mar 31, 2008
responds well to anything aftermarket..even in stock form itll make you scratch your head in wonderment, why did Ford drop the ball on this car...
The looks for its age, the performance and handling awesomeness made this car the STi of the ol' school.Mar 31, 2008
by Kristopher W
Mar 06, 2008
Good first car Mar 06, 2008
by Ben D
Feb 10, 2008
Its a Probe... not much more to sayFeb 10, 2008
by Lauren L
Jan 26, 2008
strong reliable quick sporty for 4cyl
only downfall is cost of parts/incuranceJan 26, 2008
by Steve G
Jan 15, 2008
Got me through college, and the Turbo charger won me some races off the line along the wayJan 15, 2008
by Matt M
Jan 12, 2008
No governor on the GT's so people blow them up and think they are crap. Take care of this car and it will take car of you. Very fun to drive, corners nice for a FWD. Good on gas and the wind wont take it away on the highway.Jan 12, 2008
by Matthew T
Jan 09, 2008
built FORD toughJan 09, 2008
by Gerald H
Jan 05, 2008
mod:
Performance -->
Fuel pressure regulator cosmos
custom 3" exhaust down pipe au muffler
HKS Blow Off Valve
Greddy turbo timer avec harness
MCB 10psi
Suspension -->
front strut bar eagle talon 1g
shock tokico bleu fife
coil pro kit elback
rear strut bar
Esthetique-->
vitre teinte 20% arriere et 50% avant
mag 16" motor max old style
boost gauge
shifter boots en suede noir et rouge
pommeau chromer avec bout en fibre de carbone
Car audio-->
JVC mp3 USB portJan 05, 2008
by Anonymous
Dec 31, 2007
what i learned to drive stick with. It had a turbo so it had some pickup to itDec 31, 2007
by Sauli P
Dec 22, 2007
This car has a LOT of electricity problems, and the cold winters here in scandinavia won't help, e.g. the headlights have to be allways up or they freeze and jam...
Interior is kinda cheapish; i've driven allmost 10 year older cars, that basicly allways have everything in good condition...this baby needs new seats, panels and so on....
Yet it's a nice car when it comes to performance, for example the engine can go 0-90km/h (56mph) at 2nd gear @6000rpm, just on the limit! Just needs a turbo and stuff, let's see later how it turns out =)Dec 22, 2007
What users have asked
Does the NSS Switch also tell the on board computer what gear to be in and when to shift on a 1989 Probe?
I need a 1989 Ford Probe Specialists to answer this question. I replaced a faulty neutral safety switch on a 1968 Ford Probe (1st Generation) but the old switch had 2 plastic connectors, one with 3 HD wires (12 Gauge) attached to it and the other had 4 wires (14 Gauge?). The only replacement NSS available (for Probe and Mazda 6) are ones with 3 HD wires with matching color codes but the other larger connector has 6 wires (rather than 4). In order to make the new NSS work I pulled the old wires out of the original connector and the new wires out of the new connector and matched up the color codes and position in the connector. I left the other 2 wires (solid yellow and red on yellow) in the original connector cover and taped them shut to keep out corrosion. When I put the new NSS in the Probe and aligned the fine adjustment the car started immediately which was great however the car appears to be taking off in 2nd gear (automatic transmission) rather than first which poses a safety issue in getting into traffic and may cause harm to the transmission. I believe I need to find another (perhaps from a junk yard) in order to make it work correctly. My question is – on a 1989 Probe does the NSS do more than just preventing the car from starting in gear or does it also tell the on board computer what gear to be in and when to shift?
53 views
how to fix a 1989 ford probe it quits after 20 mins
it starts fine then after 20min it quits but restarts again and quits again
60 views
engine swap
i'm trying to find what will fir engine wise in my 89 probe. i want to to a V8 swap but can't find the right engine can someone message me if anyone knows
1069 views
Top Comparisons
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1989 Ford Probe Pricing
Original MSRP
$11,253 to $14,387Price range
N/AAverage price on CG
N/AYoY price change
N/ATrims & specs
Audio System
Antenna Type: power · AM/FM radio
Convenience Features
Steering wheel: tilt-only
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Audio System
Antenna Type: power · AM/FM radio
Convenience Features
Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheels: steel
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent
Audio System
Antenna Type: power · AM/FM radio
Brakes
ABS: 4-wheel
Convenience Features
Steering wheel: tilt-adjustable
Lights
Exterior entry lights: security approach lamps
Mirrors
Exterior mirrors: power
Seats
Front seat type: bucket · Upholstery: cloth
Tires and Rims
Wheel type: aluminum alloy
Windows
Front wipers: intermittent