NHTSA complaint: 1997 FORD F-150 — SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
I HAD EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF BRAKES ON THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. I BROUGHT VEHICLE TO MANUFACTURES SERVICE REPRESENATIVE. I EXPLAINED I LOSS MY BRAKES FOR A SHORT MOMMENT AND THEN THEY RETURN. WITH THE MOST RECENT OCCURANCE THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON. THIS DID NOT HAPPEN IN PREVIOUS INCIDENCES. THEY CHECKED THE ABS SYSTEM FOUND NO ERRORS, THEY CHECKED THE BRAKES NO PROBLEMS. THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING, I HAD TO SPEEK WITH THE SERVICE TECH DIRECTLY GIVING MORE OF A DETAIL OF WHAT HAPPENS. THEY CAME BACK AND FOUND THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER WAS LEAKING CAUSING THE INTERMITTENT (EXTREMELY RANDOM) FAILURE. THEY CHARGED ME FOR THE REPAIR (NO PROBLEM). I CALLED FORD MOTOR DIRECT AND ASKED TO BE REFUNDED MY REPAIR COST BECAUSE I DID'NT THINK A MASTER BRAKE CYCLINDER SHOULD BE FAILING @ 38K. THEY WERE VERY PROFESSIONAL AND HAD NO OBJECTIONS, THEY AGREED TOTALLY (THEY PAID ME FOR THE REPAIR). A WEEK LATER, THIS MORNING I ALMOST CRASHED INTO A SEMI. THE END OF MY ROAD HAS A STOP SIGN CONECTING TO A MAJOR HIGHWAY. WHEN I PROCEEDED TO USE MY BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP! THE BRAKE PROBLEM WAS BACK. THIS INCIDENT WAS THE WORST OF THE BRAKE FAILURES, I LITERALLY ALMOST GOT CRUSHED BY THE SEMIDID. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURES SERVICE REP. THEY TOLD ME THEY THOUGHT THEY HAD THE FIX WITH MASTER CYCLINER, OBVIOUSLY IT WAS NOT THE FIX. I ASKED WHAT THEY THOUGHT IT COULD BE THEY HAD NO CLUE! I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT THIS MONDAY WITH THE SHOP TO SEE IF THEY CAN FIND THE CAUSE ONE MORE
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation