2003 Ford F-150 Brakes Problems

BRAKE PEDAL BECAME SPONGY AT FIRST BUT THEN WENT CLEAR TO THE FLOOR WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP. THE VEHICLE STOPS BUT WITH VERY LONG REACTION TIME. THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW UNIT...BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. ABS UNIT WAS THEN REPLACED WITH SALVAGE UNIT...PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED EVERY DAY FOR APPROXIMATELY A WEEK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 178,157.

NOTHING HAS REALLY HAPPENED BUT BOTH ANTI LOCK BRAKE WIRES KEEP RUBBING ON THE RIMS AND WHERING THROUGH I HAVE REPLACED BOTH SIDES TWICE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED AND FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS FLUID LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE END OF A FLEXIBLE HOSE HAD EXCESSIVE RUST AND WAS FRACTURED WHERE IT WAS CONNECTED TO THE BRAKE CALIPER. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

2003 FORD F150. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE BRAKE ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE CAME TO A STOP, WITH HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD. THE DEALER REPLACED THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT. ALSO, THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD WAS CRACKED.

WITHOUT WARNING, THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WHILE TOWING A 6000LB TRAILER. STOPPED FOR DINNER - ALL FELT NORMAL. UPON FINISHING DINNER AND RETURNING TO MY TRUCK, I PUT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND SHIFTED FROM PARK TO DRIVE WHEN SUDDENLY THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I TRIED SEVERAL MORE TIMES AND EACH TIME THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE SHOWED THAT THE BRAKE LINE LEADING TO THE REAR BRAKES HAD ROTTED THROUGH FROM THE OUTSIDE. THIS VEHICLE IS METICULOUSLY MAINTAINED AND HAS NEVER BEEN USED NEAR SALT WATER, OR TO LAUNCH BOATS. MY MECHANIC HAS ADVISED ME THAT ROTTING BRAKE LINES IS A COMMON PROBLEM. WITH THAT KNOWLEDGE, I AM DISMAYED AND DISAPPOINTED TO FIND OUT THAT FORD DOES NOT OFFER ANY TYPE OF REPLACEMENT LINES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL ABNORMALLY INTO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO APPLY PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 7/12/12 *CN THE INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONSUMER THEN WENT TO GET A SECOND OPINION, AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED HIM, HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL SLIGHTLY MOVED TOWARDS THE FLOOR UPON ENGAGING. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

ON MY 2003 FORD F-150 XLT REGULAR CAB, SHORT WIDE BED PICK-UP I NOTICED A FEW MONTHS AGO THAT THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED FOR A SHORT PERIOD THEN WENT OFF AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES. SOMETIMES WHEN I WOULD SHUT OFF THE ENGINE THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT WOULD GO OUT AND NOT REAPPEAR AGAIN FOR A FEW DAYS TO WEEKS. APPROXIMATELY 2 WEEKS AGO THE ABS BRAKE LIGHT ON THE DASH CAME ON AGAIN AND THIS TIME IT STAYED ON. THIS TIME I ALSO NOTED THAT AFTER I TURNED THE IGNITION SWITCH OFF I COULD STILL HEAR WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE SOUND OF SMALL ELECTRIC MOTOR CONTINUOUSLY RUNNING UNDER THE HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD AND DETERMINED THE NOISE WAS ORIGINATING FROM THE ABS BRAKE CONTROL MODULE. I FELT THE MODULE AND IT WAS WARM. I PHONED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT SOMETIMES IF THE BATTERY IS DISCONNECTED THE MODULE WILL RESET ITSELF. I DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY FOR A MOMENT THEN RECONNECTED IT AND THE ABS BRAKE MODULE LIGHT ON THE DASH WENT OFF SO I ASSUMED IT HAD RESET ITSELF AND WAS NOW OK. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE TRUCK FOR APPROX 1 1/2 WEEKS WITH NO TROUBLE THEN SUDDENLY THE ABS LIGHT ON THE DASH AGAIN CAME ON. AS BEFORE WHEN I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE THE NOISE UNDER THE HOOD OF A SMALL ELECTRIC MOTOR RUNNING WAS AGAIN HEARD. THE ABS CONTROL MODULE WAS HOT TO THE TOUCH AND A HOT SMELL WAS NOTED ALSO. I VISITED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THE ABS CONTROL MODULE NEEDED REPLACED AT A PRICE OF SOMEWHERE AROUND $700.00 UP TO POSSIBLY $1200.00 SINCE WHEN THE ABS CONTROL MODULE GOES BAD THEN THE HYDRAULIC PORTION OF THIS SYSTEM IS LIKELY ALSO BAD. THE TRUCK ONLY HAS 68500 MILES, LOOKS LIKE NEW, AND HAS BEEN TREATED EXTREMELY GENTLY SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW IN 2003. *TR

REAR BRAKE LINE CORRODED THROUGH LEAKING BRAKE FLUID ON THE GROUND UNDER THE VEHICLE RENDERING THE BRAKES INOP. FORTUNATELY IT DIDN'T OCCUR WHILE DRIVING. THIS SHOULDN'T HAPPEN ON A VEHICLE THAT WAS ONLY 7 YEARS OLD AND LESS THAN 90,000 MILES, TO ME THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. *TT

THE BRAKE LINE FROM CAB AREA TO REAR WHEEL ON MY 2003 FORD F150 CORRODED AND EMPTIED THE MASTER CYCLINDER OF BRAKE FLUID. IT IS SIGNIFICANT TO NOTE THAT NO OTHER BRAKELINES OR CONNECTIONS SHOWED SIMIILAR CORROSION- MORE LIKE YOU WOULD EXPECT ON A 7 YEAR OLD VEHICLE. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE CORROSION IS A MATERIALS PROBLEM AND MAY BE A REOCCURRING PROBLEM IN OTHER VEHICLE OF THIS TYPE. I ALSO NOTED EXCESSIVE SCALING OF THE FRONT WHEEL HUBS AND STEARING ARMS OF THE SAME VEHICLE. THIS I BELIEVE IS THE RESULT OF INFERIOR PARTS- I HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS LEVEL OF DETERIOATION OF VEHICLE COMPONENTS LIKE THIS. WHETHER THIS IS A SAFETY PROBLEM OR NOT I DON'T KNOW. PLEASE ACCEPT THIS INFORMATION AS A COUPLE OF DATA POINTS ON THIS VEHICLE. I JUST FELT IT WAS NECESSARY TO ADVISE NHTSA OF THE SITUATION.

ANTI-LOCK BRAKE FAILURE - FAILURE OF ELECTRONIC HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT WHILE BRAKING A FEW WEEKS AGO I WAS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 65-70 MPH WHEN A CAR ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD STARTED TO PULL ONTO THE HIGHWAY. I WAS ONLY ABOUT 200 FEET AWAY FROM THE CAR SO I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES - IT SEEMED LIKE THE CAR WAS GOING TO STOP PULLING OUT SO I LET GO OF THE BRAKES FOR A SECOND BUT THEN THE OTHER DRIVE DID PULL RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME AND I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AGAIN. THE SECOND TIME THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON, THE REAR WHEELS LOCKED UP AND THE CAR BEGAN TO FISHTAIL. ONLY BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ANY ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS A COLLISION AVOIDED. THE LIGHT NEVER TURNED OFF, AND THE BRAKES BEHAVE ERRATICALLY. A FRIEND IS A MECHANIC WHO USED A SNAP-ON SOLUS DIAGNOSTIC TOOL WHICH SHOWS THE ABS DHCU SEES THE CAR MOVING AT 3-4 MPH WHILE PARKED, THE SYSTEM OFF, BUT WHEN YOU DRIVE THE CAR IT APPLIES THE ABS SYSTEM WHILE SLOWING BELOW ABOUT 5MPH UNDER NORMAL DRIVING (LIKE APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT) INCREASING THE STOPPING DISTANCE CONSIDERABLY. THE MODULE DOES NOT RESPOND TO RESET ATTEMPTS, AND REPAIR IS BY REPLACEMENT ONLY. THE CAR IS A SPECIAL PRODUCTION FORD F150 LIGHTNING, WITH A DHCU SPECIFIC TO THE LIGHTNING EDITION. REPLACEMENT OF THE MODULE IS ABOUT $700 PLUS LABOR. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAS 16,000 MILES ON IT, ABOUT 15,500 WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. *TR

WHEN MOVING A SLOW SPEED (10MPH TO 15MPH) A SMALL SUDDEN TAP OF THE BREAKS AND THE BRAKE SOMETIMES WILL GO DOWN FARTHER THAN MY FOOT. ALMOST AS IF WHEN TAPPED THE BREAK KEEPS GOING DOWN WHEN MY FOOT IS GOING UP. THIS HAS HAPPEN 2 TIMES TO DATE. WHEN IT HAPPENS THE TRUCK ALMOST FEELS AS THOUGH I AM SLAMMING THE BREAKS TO THE FLOOR AND ALL PEOPLE INSIDE ARE SLUNG FOWARD. WHEN I AM JUST TRYING TO SLOW CAUSE OF A CAR IN FRONT HAS SLOWED. BUT I HAVE TO TAP THEM JUST RIGHT TO DO IT AND I CANT ALWAYS MAKE IT HAPPEN AT WILL, IT JUST DOES IT EVERY NOW AND THEN WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECTED IT.

DT: THE OWNER TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP BECUASE OF THE BRAKES. THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES WHEN GOING ABOUT 50 MPH. THE BRAKES WERE REPLACED, BUT PROBLEM RECURRED. LAST WEEK WHEN THE CONSUMER DROVE A RENTAL CAR HE NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE WORKING WELL. *AK

MY 2003 FORD FOCUS ZX3 WAS TAKEN IN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ITS 20,000 MILE SERVICE AND THE TECHNICIAN SAID THE FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED. I DISCUSSED THE ISSUE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER AND SINCE IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE, HAD THE WORK DONE AND THEN CONTACTED FORD CUSTOMER CARE. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT I HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE OBVIOUSLY FAULTY BRAKE ROTORS AND FORD DOES NOT CARE HOW OR IF ITS DEALERS HONOR THEIR WARRANTY. AS A SIDE NOTE, THERE WERE TWO MINOR BODYWORK ISSUES THAT THE SAME DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO FIX UNDER WARRANTY, WHICH WE TAKEN CARE OF BY ANOTHER DEALERSHIP IN MY AREA.

MY HUSBAND AND I ARE LEASING A 2003 FORD EXPIDITION OF WHICH WE RECEIVED ON 5/5/03. AS OF 10/04 THIS SUV HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER TWICE FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, (SENSORS BURN OUT). ALSO IN 10/04 THE FRONT END BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED, AND THE AGAIN ON 2/05, THE FRONT END BRAKES BACK BRAKES AND ALSO FRONT END ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED AS WELL. WE WERE INFORMED THAT THIS SUV SHOULD IN NO WAY NEED NEW BRAKES THIS SOON AND DEFINITLEY NOT ROTORS. THIS SUV ONLY HAVE 35,000 MILES AS OF 5/19/05. BUT WHEN THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED IT ONLY HAD 31,000 MILES. I WOULD LIKE SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS PROBLEM, BECAUSE I HAVE SPOKEN TO NUMEROUS OF EXPIDITION OWNERS AND THEY ALL ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEMS THE BRAKES AND ROTORS. I WOULD LIKE TO BE RE-INBURSED FOR THEY MONEY WE HAVE SPENT THUS FAR FOR AN ON GOING DEFECT. ALSO WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD BE CONTACTED WHEN THE LOWER GRILL OF THE TRUCK ARRIVED, BECAUSE OURS DID NOT HAVE ONE WHEN WE PICKED IT UP FROM THE DEALER, WELL WE ARE STILL WAITING AS OF 5/05.

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKES WERE DEFECTIVE. THE FIRST TIME HAD TO HAVE THE FRONT ROTORS CHANGED DUE TO AN ACCUMULATION OF RUST. THE SECOND TIME HAD TO THE ROTORS AND PADS REPLACED ON THE REAR BECAUSE OF RUST. THIS LAST TIME THE DEALERSHIP URGED THE CONTACT HE HAD TO HAVE THE FRONT ROTORS AND PADS CHANGED DUE TO RUST ON THE ROTORS. *AK

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH AND TRYING TO AVOID A MERGING VEHICLE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE BUT BRAKES WERE NOT RESPONDING PROPERLY. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKES WERE EMPLOYED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER HAS POSSESSION OF THE VEHICLE AWAITING AN EXAMINATION. *AK THE SERVICE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER FAILED AND CAUSED THE COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. *SC

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH THE BRAKE DEPRESSED, THE FRONT WHEELS BEGAN TO TURNED WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL DOWN A DRIVEWAY. DURING THIS INCIDENT A BABY WAS INJURED. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NM

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE BRAKES SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND OFF ON IT'S OWN.. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *NM THE DEALER REPLACED THE VSS AND FOUND OPEN CIRCUIT IN WIRING CONNECTOR. THE DEALER ALSO ADDED BRAKE FLUID BECAUSE IT WAS LOW. *NM