1997 Ford F-350 Brakes Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD F-350 WITH A DIESEL ENGINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN HE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT UNUSUALLY WEAK AND THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF BRAKE FLUID IN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT THEN ACCELERATED TO SPEEDS OF 10 MPH AND MADE A TURN. IN DOING SO, HE NOTICED FLAMES FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD NEAR THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE ENGINE WAS SHUT OFF AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED ACCORDINGLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER; HOWEVER, THE DEALER DID NOT WANT THE VEHICLE ON THE PROPERTY AND THE CONTACT TO REMOVE IT IMMEDIATELY. THERE WERE NO REPAIRS MADE TO THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD TO A LOCAL JUNKYARD. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 275,404 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 275,404.

A STEEL BRAKE LINE ON MY TRUCK RUSTED AND RUPTURED CAUSING A COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE. THIS IS THE SECOND OCCURRENCE OF THIS PROBLEM ON THIS VEHICLE. THE BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED AND HAD A PARTIAL FAILURE, CAUSING A LEAK. THE RUSTED SECTION WAS REPLACED ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO. THE RECENT LINE FAILURE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *TR

WHILE BRAKING, WITH NO WARNING, BRAKES FAILED. BRAKE LINE RUNNING FROM DIVERTER TO REAR AXLE RUSTED THROUGH BEHIND FRONT FUEL TANK AT PLASTIC BRACKET. THERE WAS NO PEDAL RESISTANCE AND NO BRAKING AT ALL. ALL FLUID WAS LOST. THE HOLE IN THE LINE IS ABOUT 0.250 INCH LONG AND ABOUT 0.045 INCH WIDE. THERE WAS NEVER A PROBLEM OR A SOFT PEDAL PRIOR TO THIS. LUCKILY THIS OCCURRED IN A VALLEY IN A DRIVEWAY WHILE TURNING AROUND SO THERE WAS NO DAMAGE. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC HAD IT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE ROAD OR WHILE MANEUVERING ON A STEEP GRADE. THE TRUCK IS CLEAN WITH NO BODY RUST. I AM REPLACING THE BRAKE LINE. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED ON A 7 YEAR OLD VEHICLE. *AK

BOTH FACTORY FRONT BRAKE ROTORS WERE FOUND TO HAVE A LARGE CRACK IN THEM, EXTENDING FROM THE CENTER TO THE OUTER EDGE. DEALER REPLACED BOTH. NOW ROTORS LAST FOR APPROX. 15,000 MILES BEFORE THEY BECOME SO WARPED THAT THE TRUCK SHUDDERS TERRIBLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. ROTORS HAVE SINCE HAD TO BE TURNED TWICE. CALIPERS DO NOT SEEM TO BE DRAGGING.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN PUMP FAILS THERE IS A TOTAL LOSS OF ALL BRAKING AND THIS HAPPENS WITH NO WARNING. *AK

WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH BRAKE LIGHT STARTED TO FLICKER ON/OFF. CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN BY PRESSING BRAKES, BUT AUTOMOBILE WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP. CONSUMER HAD TO USE BOTH FEET TO PUSH THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN. EFFECT OF THIS WAS THAT CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO STOP W/O WARNING, AND WAS PRONE TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *AK

LOSS OF VACUUM PUMP ON FORD F350 CREW CAB CAPEABLE OF TOWING 20000 LBS RESULTS IN MECHANICAL BRAKING IMMEDIATELY. I WAS LUCKY, I WAS ONLY DOING 35MPH WHEN FAILURE OCCURRED. FOR MORE INFO ON FAILURES GO TO HTTP://WWW.FORD-DIESEL.COM AND SEARCH VACUUM PUMP FAILURE *AK

BOTH BRAKE ROTORS FOUND TO HAVE NUMEROUS HAIRLINE CRACKS AS WELL AS 2 LARGE CRACKS ONE EXCEEDING .5 INCHES IN WIDTH AN EXTENDING FROM HUB TO OUTER EDGE OF THE ROTOR. CAUSED SEVERE SHAKING AND NEAR UNCONTROLABLE STEERING. DEALERSHIP NOTIFIED AND UNCONCERNED WITH INCIDENT. *AK

EXPERIENCING ONGOING PROBLEM WITH FRONT ROTORS GOING OUT OF ROUND. ROTORS HAD BEEN REPLACED ON TWO PREVIOUS OCCASIONS WITHIN 35,000 MILES OF WEAR. SEEKING HELP FROM NHTSA IN THIS MATTER. *AK

VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALER 7 TIMES FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THERE WAS A GRINDING SOUND,LIKE METAL TO METAL. ALSO, EXTENDED BRAKING DISTANCE. DEALER DETERMINED THAT EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS NOT RELEASING PROPERLY, CAUSING DAMAGE TO BRAKE DRUMS. DRUMS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE THUS FAR. DEALER CANNOT REMEDY PROBLEM WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE. *AK

THE ABS LIGHT INDICATOR CAME ON AND INDICATES PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES. MANUAL STATES TO RETURN VEHICLE TO DEALER, REPAIR WORK DONE FIVE TIMES. BRAKES WOULD PULL TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT SIDE, AND STEERING WAS OFF. DEALER CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHEN TRAVELING AT 20 TO 35 MPH AND UPON DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP, BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD, RESULTING IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. CONSUMER ALSO HAS EXPERIENCED A PROBLEM WHEN TRAVELING, FIRE SHOT OUT OF THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, CAUSING OBJECTS IN THE ROAD TO CATCH ON FIRE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ABOUT 30 MPH CONSUMER SAID WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES TRYING TO STOP, THE ABS LOCKS UP, GRABING THE BRAKES. MANUFACTURER AND WERE CONTACTED. *AK

THE BRAKES ON THIS F350 TRUCK LOCK UP INTERMITTENTLY, FRONT AND REAR, AND HAS DONE THIS SINCE ABOUT 8,000 MILES. THE DEALER HAS MADE MANY, MANY UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. SINCE THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, WHEN THE FORD REP WAS CALLED AND CAME TO INVESTIGATE THE BRAKES WERE WORKING FINE AT THAT TIME. WE HAVE TRIED TO GET THEM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE AND DRIVE IT FOR MORE THAN 5 MINS. TO CHECK IT AND HE SAID HE DID NOT HAVE TIME. WE HAVE WORKED WITH THE DEALER UNTIL WE FEEL WE CAN NO LONGER DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. IT IS UNSAFE. SEVERAL PEOPLE AT THE DEALERSHIP HAVE DRIVEN IT AND HAVE HAD THE BRAKES LOCK UP BUT NOT THE PERSON IN "AUTHORITY" TO REPORT TO FORD. EVEN AN OUTSIDE SERVICE PERSON HAS DRIVEN IT AND EXPERIENCED THE LOCKING UP OF THE BRAKES. WE ARE SEEKING LEGAL COUNSEL AT THIS POINT SINCE WE ARE GETTING NO HELP. WE HAVE TRIED TO GET FORD TO BUY BACK THE VEHICLE AND THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO DO THIS AT THIS POINT. SO I HAVE REQUESTED AN ARBITRATION PACKAGE FROM THE FORD CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER TODAY. THEY REFUSED TO SEND ME COPIES OF THE REPORTS I HAVE CALLED IN TO THEM CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM TOO. SO IT LEAVES ME NO CHOICE BUT TO MOVE ON. FORD HAS BEEN UNWILLING TO LISTEN. MAYBE THEY WILL LISTEN IN COURT.

NO SUMMARY

BRAKES STARTED LOCKING UP/GRABBING, AND VIBRATING, AT 8,000 MILES, AND CONTINUED AT 48,000 MILES. DEALER HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN REPAIR OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. I CANNOT DRIVE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. HELP! *AK

BRAKE LINE RUBBING AGAINST HEAT SHIELD, CAUSING FLUID LEAK.

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45MPH WHEN HE TOOK HIS FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL TO BEGIN SLOWING DOWN FOR ENTERING THE BELTWAY, WHEN HE TRIED TO PRESS THE BRAKES AGAIN, HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE ANY BRAKES. *AK

THE FRONT BRAKES CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES AT 2 MILES. OWNER IS HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR BRAKES. *AK