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.

NHTSA ID

10322892

Incident

Mar 17, 2010

Mileage

280,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10230411

Incident

Jun 9, 2008

Mileage

97,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10100259

Incident

Nov 19, 2004

Mileage

82,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10025949

Incident

Jul 12, 2003

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

765286

Incident

Aug 5, 2002

WHILE DRIVING AT 55MPH AND APPLYING BRAKES, BRAKES HESITATE TO STOP VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER, DEALER REPLACED PARTS 2 TIMES. HOWEVER, PROBLEM STILL OCCURRING. *AK CONSUMER STATES BRAKE CABLES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS, DUE TO DEALER USING THE WRONG CABLES, THE CABLES ARE CAUSING THE BRAKES TO FAIL.*JB

NHTSA ID

8007013

Incident

Feb 8, 2002

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

NHTSA ID

897934

Incident

Sep 24, 1998

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

NHTSA ID

742371

Incident

Mar 13, 2001

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED VEHICLE EXPERIENCES EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. *AK

NHTSA ID

878190

CONSUMER WAS SLOWING DOWN FOR SHARP CURB & APPLIED BRAKES, FRONT WHEEL LOCKED UP. VEHICLE WENT OVER BANK OF HILL, HEADING TOWARD A LAKE & EVENTUALLY STOPPED SLIDING. DEALER AND CERTIFIED MECHANIC STATED THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH IT. ROTORS SEEM TO BE WARPED. *AK FRONT WHEELS SQUEAL AND GRAB WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED, EXCESS DUST WAS FOUND IN REAR BRAKE DRUMS. DEALER STATED THAT FRONT END COULD NOT BE ALIGNED, AFTER MARKET COMBER BUSHINGS WERE INSTALLED ON VEHICLE WHICH WAS ABLE TO BE ALIGNED. *SLC

NHTSA ID

875222

Incident

Apr 1, 1999

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

NHTSA ID

861375

Incident

May 3, 2000

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

NHTSA ID

717427

Incident

Jan 4, 2000

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

NHTSA ID

714653

Incident

Feb 1, 1998

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.

NHTSA ID

714328

Incident

Feb 1, 1998

NO SUMMARY

NHTSA ID

714324

Incident

Feb 1, 1998

WHEN APPLYING THE ABS BRAKES ON WET OR DRY PAVEMENT THE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

847012

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

NHTSA ID

844418

Incident

Nov 30, 1998

VACUUM PUMP FAILED CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKES FROM FLUID LEAKAGE. MJS

NHTSA ID

546087

BRAKING SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING NO BRAKING ABILTY WHICH RESULTED IN A CRASH. DEALER REPLACED ROTORS TWICE, AND HAD ROTORS TURNED TWICE. ALSO, REPLACED BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER, AND BROKEN REAR BRAKES TWICE. HOWEVER, PROBLEM REOCCURRED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION AND VIN#.*AK

NHTSA ID

837568

Incident

Sep 1, 1997

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

NHTSA ID

705247

Incident

Apr 3, 1999

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

NHTSA ID

827220

Incident

Aug 25, 1998

ABS PROBLEM; WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES DURING NORMAL BRAKING/ DRY ROAD CONDITIONS/ REGULAR ROAD SURFACE, THE TRUCK PULLS REAL HARD TO THE LEFT, THE DEALER IS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE BRAKING PROBLEM, AND STATED THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS NORMAL. *AK *JB

NHTSA ID

826125

Incident

Jan 1, 1997

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES IN NORMAL CONDITIONS, THE REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

824881

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

NHTSA ID

823546

Incident

May 20, 1998

BRAKE LINE RUBBING AGAINST HEAT SHIELD, CAUSING FLUID LEAK.

NHTSA ID

531154

Incident

Jan 27, 1998