1999 Ford F-150 Brakes Problems

THIS WHOLE EPISODE HAPPENED WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN MY 1999 FORD F-150. I DID START TO NOTICE THAT WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN TO MATCH TRAFFIC SPEEDS, THE TRUCK WOULD VEER TO THE LEFT.THE BRAKES DID TAKE IN A FUNNY WAY AND THANK GOD THERE WAS NO COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. AFTER 30 MILES, I GOT OFF THE FREEWAY TO TURN AROUND AND WHEN I CAME TO A STOP SIGN, I COULD NOT STOP AT ALL. THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK EVEN AFTER I PRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I ALSO SMELLED BURNING RUBBER COMING FROM NEAR THE ENGINE.THE PARKING BRAKE DID WORK AND I LIMPED INTO THE NEAREST GAS STATION. I CALLED AAA TO GET IT TOWED TO THE FIRESTONE TIRE SHOP NEAR MY HOUSE THAT HAS DONE ALL MY TIRE AND AUTO REPAIR NEEDS FOR OVER 15 YEARS. WHEN THEY TEST DROVE IT AFTER THE 2 HOUR TOW, THE BRAKES STARTED WORKING AGAIN. ROBERT/FIRESTONE TOOK THE WHEELS OFF AND AFTER EXAMINING THE ROTORS/PADS ADVISED THAT THE FRONT RIGHT PADS HAD LOCKED AND WERE PRESSING UNEVENLY ON THE ROTOR. HE ALSO PLANNED TO REPLACE THE BRAKE FLUID HOSE THAT HE THOUGHT WAS WORN OUT AND POSSIBLY LEAKING. I ALSO WENT OVER TO THE FORD DEALER AND CHECKED WITH THEM TO SEE IF THEY HAD ANY RECALLS OR ADVICE. NO RECALLS OR SERVICE NOTICE WAS UNCOVERED. ALL I WAS TOLD WAS TO CHECK THE MASTER CYLINDER AS IT COULD BE LEAKING INTERNALLY. THAT IS ALL I GOT FROM FORD. I AM VERY LUCKY THAT I DID NOT HAVE A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE ON THE FREEWAY POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT/INJURY. WE DETERMINED THAT WE NEEDED TO REPLACE THE ABS MODULE.FORD DOES NOT MAKE IT ANY MORE AND WE HAD TO SEARCH THE SALVAGE YARDS TO GET THIS PART AS IT IS NIT MADE NAYMORE BY THE ORIGINAL MANUFACTURE.VERY FRUSTRATING EXPERIENCE.WILL NEVER BUY A FORD TRUCK AGAIN. .

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING AT 15 MPH, THE BRAKES STOPPED FUNCTIONING WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LINES FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000.

WHEN BACKING UP AFTER MY F150 HAS BEEN SITTING ABOUT 2 DAYS I HAVE NO BRAKES UNLESS I REV UP THE ENGINE FOR ABOUT 20 SEC TO BUILD UP PRESSURE IN THE ELECTRIC VACUUM BRAKE BOOSTER. HAVE ALMOST HIT MY WIFE'S CAR IF I FORGET TO LET IT SIT TO BUILD UP PRESSURE. I HAVE CONTACTED MY FORD DEALER AND THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE I AM PAST THE WARRANTY. I AM GOING TO HAVE TO REPLACE IT MYSELF BECAUSE THIS IS UNSAFE CONDITION AND FORD WON'T REPAIR IT. ALSO MY TRUCK LOSES POWER SOMETIMES WHEN ACCELERATING AND FORD STATED THAT THE TURBO CHARGERS ARE SOMETIMES SUCKING IN WATER THAT SHUTS DOWN ONE SIDE OF THE ENGINE TO PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE TURBO CHARGERS. THERE FIX IS TO PUT A SHIELD OR LONGER TUBE ON IT TO PREVENT THIS. AGAIN BECAUSE IT IS OVER THE WARRANTY PERIOD THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN MY F-150 3.5 ECOBOOST AND WON'T BE BUYING ANOTHER ONE.

BRAKES BECAME MUSH, THEN LINES BURST IN BACK OVER TANK. MASTER CYLINDER WAS BONE DRY. *TR

PULLED INTO PARKING SPACE, APPLIED BRAKE AND PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO FLOOR. TRUCK ROLLED FORWARD INTO BUMPER OF PARKED CAR. UPON INSPECTION, FOUND STEEL BRAKE LINE RUSTED THROUGH, JUST ABOVE FLEX LINE RUNNING TO DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT BRAKE, WITH BRAKE FLUID FLOWING OUT OF CORROSION HOLE. THERE WAS NEVER ANY INDICATION THAT THE TRUCK HAD ANY PROBLEMS AT ALL WITH THE BRAKES. I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE HIGHWAY AND AM THANKING GOD I DECIDED TO MAKE A QUICK STOP TO MY LOCAL FOOD STORE FIRST. IT COULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE DISASTER! I CAN'T BELIEVE FUEL AND BRAKE LINES ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL - MOST ESPECIALLY IN STATES THAT SALT THE ROADS IN WINTER! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND NOTICED THE BRAKE PEDAL DROPPED TO THE FLOOR BOARD ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED BRAKE FLUID LEAKING FROM THE BRAKE LINES AS A RESULT OF CORROSION OF THE BRAKE LINES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,000. UPDATED 05/08/12*LJ

FORTUNATELY, I WAS UNDER 1/2 MILE FROM MY HOUSE. MY ROAD DEAD ENDS ONTO ANOTHER. I APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AS I APPROACHED THE STOP SIGN. I WENT THROUGH THE STOP SIGN AND INTO THE DRAINAGE DITCH ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD. BECAUSE MY VEHICLE IS 4 WHEEL DRIVE, I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE DITCH AND RETURN HOME. UPON INSPECTION, I FOUND THAT THE BRAKE LINE THAT GOES FROM THE FRONT TO THE REAR WAS RUSTED AND FAILED. THERE WAS LITTLE DAMAGE FROM THE CRASH, JUST A FENDER THAT NEEDS REPLACED. I AM ANAL WITH REGARD TO MY VEHICLES CONDITION AND MAINTENANCE. TO HAVE A FAILURE LIKE THIS ON A WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST BUILT TRUCK IS ABSURD AND TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE! MY BROTHERS 1999 HONDA, MY STEP SON'S 1991 NISSAN STANZA (RECENTLY SOLD) A 1993 GEO PRIZM (I.E. TOYOTA COROLLA!!!) RECENTLY SOLD HAD ZERO RUST ON ANY BRAKE FITTING, BRAKE LINE OR FUEL LINE. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE PEDAL WOULD FEEL SPONGY AS IF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT GOING TO STOP. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL FOR THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V388000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE DEALER ALSO REPAIRED THE LEAK IN THE BRAKE LINE BUT NOT THE AIR THAT WAS BEING RELEASED AND CAUSING THE BRAKES TO NOT PERFORM PROPERLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE DEFECT WAS NOT DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE RECALL. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 204,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F150. THE CONTACT WAS ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE. AS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ABNORMALLY DEPRESSED INTO THE FLOORBOARD. AFTER INSPECTING THE FAILURE HE NOTICED CORROSION AND RUST ON THE BRAKE LINE AND THE FUEL STRAPS. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE RUST AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

BRAKE LINE IS RUSTED COULD CAUSE FAILURE OF BRAKES. GAS TANK AND SUPPORTS ARE RUSTED REPLACED ONCE BUT STILL ALL RUSTED. ALL FRAME UNDERNEATH IS RUSTED IMPOSSIBLE TO DO REPAIRS. *KB

1999 FORD F150 BRAKE FAILURE DO TO BRAKE LINES RUSTED THROUGH. *TR

THREE BRAKE LINES RUSTED OUT AND LEAKING IN LAST 2 YEARS INCIDENT DATE IS AN ESTIMATE. *TR

WAS STOPPING ON HIGHWAY, BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. VEHICLE STOPPED, UPON INSPECTION FOUND REAR BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED AND LEAKING. I REPLACED THE FAILED BRAKE LINE. *TR

I HAVE A 1999 FORD F-150 WHILE ON VACATION I HEARD SOMETHING BREAK WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP THEY SAID THAT ALL OF MY STRAPS HAD SNAPPED THE ONLY THING HOLDING IT UP WAS SKID PLATE AND ON THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS WHEN I WAS DRIVING MY BRAKE PEDAL HAD WENT SOFT CAUSING ME TO ALMOST CAUSE AN ACCIDENT THEN THE BRAKE LIGHT HAD CAME ON WHEN I TOOK IT TO FORD THEY HAD SAID THAT ALL MY BRAKE LINES FROM THE BACK TO THE MASTER CYLINDER HAD TO BE REPLACED SO BETWEEN THE TWO INCIDENTS THE TRUCK HAS COST ME CLOSE TO ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS. *TR UPDATED 08/01/11 *BF BOTH STRAPS FAILED DUE TO RUST. THERE WAS NO FUEL SPILL. UPDATED 08/02/11

1999 FORD F-159 ABS LIGHT ON AND RED BRAKE LIGHT ON INTERMITTENTLY WITH CHANGE IN BRAKE "FEEL". *TR

FRONT BRAKES:: GRADUAL UNKNOWN BRAKING DEGRADATION OVER TIME UNTIL IT GOT TO THE POINT I HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKES LIKE AS IF A BRAKE LINE WAS SUCKING AIR OR THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS GOING BAD, IN ORDER TO STOP. UPON INVESTIGATING I FOUND THAT BOTH DUST SHIELDS ON THE FRONT BRAKES WERE EXTREMELY RUSTED AND THE RUST PIECES WERE FALLING BETWEEN THE FRONT INBOARD BRAKE PADS AND REAR ROTOR SURFACES CAUSING EXTREME CONTAMINATION OF THE BACKSIDE OF BOTH ROTORS TO THE POINT THAT LESS THAN 50% CONTACT SURFACE WAS LEFT. SINCE THE INBOARD BRAKE PADS DO MORE STOPPING THAN THE OUTSIDE BRAKE PADS IT'S A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. TO ADD TO THE DANGER THE FRONT BRAKING SYSTEM DOES ABOUT 75% OF A VEHICLES TOTAL BRAKING. AND, IF IT HAPPENS ON A LONG DOWN HILL GRADE WITH ALLOT OF BRAKING, IT CAN CAUSE THE FRONT BRAKE FLUID TO BOIL INSIDE THE CALIPERS GIVING SOMEONE ONE HELL-OF-A WILD RIDE. IN FACT, ONE DAY I HAD TO HIT THE BRAKES WITHOUT HAVING TIME TO PUMP THEM AND JUST ABOUT HIT A KID ON A BIKE THAT DARTED OUT FROM BETWEEN 2 CARS. THAT'S WHEN I DECIDED I HAD BETTER DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I SUSPECT FORD HAS BEEN LOVING IT BECAUSE NON-MECHANICAL PEOPLE WILL NEVER KNOW OR FIND OUT AND FORD WILL JUST RIP PEOPLE OFF FOR A MAJOR BRAKE OVERHAUL IN THE TUNE OF $600.00 AND THROW EVERYTHING AWAY SO NOBODY WILL EVER KNOW. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A GRADUAL DEGRADATION OF BRAKING. THE FIX IS TO REPLACE BOTH DUST SHIELDS (FORD P/N= 2L3Z - 2K004 - AA) "THE PRIMARY CAUSE" OF THE PROBLEM. I TOOK MANY PICTURES WITH MY DIGITAL CAMERA OF ALL THE COMPONENTS AND CAN E-MAIL THEM TO NHTSA . I ALSO HAVE ALL THE FRONT BRAKE COMPONENTS; 2 ROTORS, 4 BRAKE PADS, 2 DUST SHIELDS. THE ROTORS ARE VERY HEAVY BUT I WOULD BE HAPPY TO PACK EVERYTHING UP AND SEND IT TO NHTSA IF YOU PAY THE SHIPPING. *TR

MY BRAKES FAILED ON MY 1999 FORD F150 THAT ONLY HAS 102,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS AMAZED TO DISCOVER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A HEAVILY CORRODED STEEL BRAKE LINE. I AM HAVING A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING WHY THE NHTSA DOESN'T REQUIRE AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS TO USE STAINLESS STEEL FOR BRAKE LINES. AFTER TALKING WITH A FEW MECHANICS, IT SEEMS THAT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IS NOT UNCOMMON IN VEHICLES WITH 100,000+ MILES ON THE ODOMETER. I'M AFRAID TO THINK WHAT KIND OF ACCIDENTS CAN OCCUR WITH THIS TYPE OF PREMATURE BRAKE FAILURE. *TR

3 SEPARATE INCIDENTS OF BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO ROTTED/RUSTED BRAKE LINES. LUCKILY THE INCIDENTS HAPPENED AT LOW SPEEDS AND I WAS ABLE TO STOP WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. IF I WAS GOING FASTER THIS COULD HAVE HAD DEADLY CONSEQUENCES! SINCE THEN, ALL BRAKE LINES HAVE BEEN REPLACED WITH STAINLESS STEEL LINE AT MY OWN EXPENSE. EVERY PROBLEM THAT I HAVE HAD WITH THIS TRUCK (AND THERE WERE MANY) CAN BE TRACED BACK TO CATASTROPHIC METAL FATIGUE! THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THIS MANUFACTURERS CONTINUED USAGE OF SUBSTANDARD AND/OR POORLY DESIGNED MATERIALS!!!! *TR

ABS FAILURE ON A FORD 1999 F-150. I HAVE HAD THE ABS FAIL TWICE AND THIS TIME IT HAS BEEN IN THE FORD DEALERS SHOP FOR OVER 30 DAYS. IT IS AT MORRISTOWN FORD IN MORRISTOWN,TN.37814. EACH TIME MY BRAKES HAVE FAILED AND ALMOST CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THIS TIME THIS REPAIR WAS NOT AT MY FAULT, SERVICE WRITER STATED IT HAD MOISTURE IN THE MODULE AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED? MORRISTOWN REPLACED THIS MODULE IN AUG. 2007, I FEEL I WAS SOLD A DEFECTIVE PART AND NOW THE ABS MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF OVER $600.00. I FEEL FORD SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS REPAIR SINCE THE PART THAT WAS REPLACE MUST HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE SINCE SERVICE WRITER TOLD ME IT WAS MISSING GREASE THAT SHOULD HAVE PREVENTED MOISTURE. PLEASE HELP! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 FORD F150. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION, THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED LIT UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE ABS MODULE. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PART DUE TO THE MANUFACTURER DISCONTINUING THE COMPONENT. THE TECHNICIAN ATTEMPTED TO SEARCH THE SALVAGE YARD FOR A USED PART, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY INOPERATIVE AND HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 86,000. UPDATED 11/12/08 *CN UPDATED 11/18/08. *JB