Owner-reported complaints naming the brake system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2023 Ford Maverick Hybrid submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 32 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 32, in the owner's own words
The Ford Maverick has a known issue with "grabby brakes." I recently took my vehicle in for service and was advised the vehicle had an outstanding service bulletin to solve this problem. The repair given by Ford is ineffectual. There is a potential problems, even at low speeds, for sudden braking and collisions. This is ongoing at every stop and experienced by other Maverick owners.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Maverick Hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and depressing the brake pedal, the pedal vibrated and pulsated, but the vehicle did not immediately stop, causing the braking distance to be extended. Additionally, the contact stated that the warning message "Pre Collision Activated" was erroneously displayed while driving with no other vehicles or large objects nearby. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to determine the cause of the failures. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 10,000.
I was traveling in heavy traffic on [XXX] I was coming to a stop light so I tapped the brakes nothing there I had a choice hit the guy in front of me or go to the driveway to the right and I chose the driveway on the yard hit the e brake to prevent going into the building…the dealer Sanderson ford found the whole braking system imploded there repair is to put the same product back on..I’m worried the same thing will happen again both myself and the person in front of me could have at minimum been seriously injured this repair scares me…the abs and collision control lights came on as well as the brake light…there was 8000 miles on this vehicle INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Brakes are very "grabby" and lurchy at low speeds. sometimes it starts to shudder
pre collision assist stops working or false alert when driving around 25-35 miles i had the truck for about 15 months and had many issues with the pre - collision sensor / camera. i took the truck to the dealer and could not duplicate the issue or fix it the sensor show and sound the alarm about crash and no car close in the front of the truck. some times the alert sound when a car is parked on the side and i am driving in a small street i have the alert recorded in the ford mobile App also rear brake locks without pressing the pedal on highway driving
Note: Nobody was hurt, I am pre-emptively reporting this as I see it as a potentially dangerous issue. Transmission can jump/nudge the car a bit, especially in cold starts and if the engine is under load (e.g. AC or Heat). I've seen it online in Reddit reported, but mine seems to be a fairly strong version of it. It occurs pretty much every time the engine is cold. As I learned in a trip, if you don't press the brake hard enough, it can move. We did a road trip. I was stopped at a light (fully stopped). Brakes were pressed hard enough to not move, but not 'to the floor'. The vehicle jumped and moved about a foot into the crosswalk when I was stopped properly before then. Freaked me out. Nobody was in the crosswalk, so thankfully nobody was hurt. But this could be very dangerous behavior in a city where there are a lot a people. A surprising lurch when you think it's stopped isn't safe, and is going to create a liability for me. Me living near a big city, it's a worry. I've already brought it to a dealer about this, they said 'it's normal for mavericks' after investigating it for 25 days. I will re-raise this with them, but am not expecting much. I ran the truck with a diagnostic tool I own, no codes thrown through the bus, no warning lights during the event either. Examples: [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
There are/were no warning lights or errors that popped up. When I am coming to a stop (last couple seconds of slowing) I will often feel like there is suddenly no brakes, then a harsh braking suddenly. There has not been an incident where this has resulted in an accident, but it makes me feel like I don't have control of the vehicle if I can't anticipate braking behavior on perfectly dry, smooth surfaces. This would be compounded if there were wet or otherwise slippery/rough conditions.
I believe this incident occurred on June 25th (though it might have been the 24th or 26th). I left work shortly after 5:00 pm and was driving around a roundabout. I was going slowly, lightly tapping the gas pedal to maintain a speed between 10-15 mph. During one of these light taps, my truck gave an audible alert and the brakes engaged suddenly for a split second. I immediately took my foot off the gas pedal. The alert and chime stopped, and I continued driving normally. I'm fairly sure some kind of alert appeared on the instrument panel cluster, but it happened and disappeared so quickly that I couldn't see anything clearly. It all happened in the blink of an eye. The brakes engaged and released so rapidly that I tried to recreate the event using the brake pedal to ensure my foot wasn't on it by mistake. However, the brakes did not engage as quickly or abruptly during my attempts. I am certain my foot was on the gas pedal, not the brake. The gas pedal has a lighter, bouncy feel, while the brake pedal requires more pressure. And I remember a light touch causing this issue. When this incident occurred, I am confident that the light taps on the gas pedal to maintain a low speed triggered the issue. I drove home without any further problems, and this has not happened since. I also want to mention that my truck had previously gone into limp mode suddenly, but I had that recall issue fixed shortly afterward.
Without warning the truck will stop itself and the parking brake will engage. The service engine light will come one along with the service power train malfunction lights and the pre collision assist not available light. When the truck has been put back into gear it will accelerate on its own but only up to 35 MPH no matter how much gas is applied. This is the second time this has happened both were identical. After sitting overnight with the truck off the issue goes away temporarily but will come back with no warning. Vehicle may be inspected. Ford has already looked at the issue once and is scheduled to look at it again. If this had happened while on the highway, I could have been in a serious wreck that could have been fatal.
We on the interstate cruising @ 75. Lost all drive power, flashed something about a lower gear while I was making my way to the shoulder. When I got down to about 10 mph, the parking brake activated. When we came to a stop, it went into park, but the "P" was flashing. I couldn't disengage the brake or put it into gear . I turned it off and back on and was able to shift into drive and release the brake. It would move at this point, but it very slowly. We limped to the next exit. I turned it off and topped the tank off( had half tank) Then it started and was able to drive the other 170 miles home. CEL stayed on. Our concern is that this will happen again, cause an accident and injure or kill my family.
All of a sudden, in the rain while driving home, suddenly the (Drive) Shift knob light was flashing, warnings started flashing, hill start assist not available, service vehicle soon, pre collision assist not available, service advance Trac, and parking brake applied automatically and total loss of power…. I almost got into an accident in the rain and traffic because the people driving behind me were going fast and my truck just suddenly lost power and I had those cars coming from behind that had to swerve out of my way. I managed to get it pulled off to a side street and turned it off and back on and still had no power and all the lights/warnings were still on. When you press on the gas, it wouldn’t go…. No throttle response. Could not go. Almost in an accident and it could have been worse if this happened with more traffic.
Regenerative braking system is not in sync with traditional braking system at low speeds. Braking will studder and cause the truck to jump as it brakes to a stop.
Received multiple error messages while driving including: -Pre-collision assist not available -Service engine soon -Powertrain malfunction/reduced power -Drive mode selection disabled. The “D” on the gear shift was also flashing. I slowed down and the parking brake automatically engaged while still driving, which caused the truck to stop hard. I was able to drive it to a parking lot, but it felt like it was in between gears. I turned the truck off in the parking lot for a few minutes, and then successfully started it and made it to the dealership with warning lights on. This likely would have caused a wreck if it happened on a busy road at higher speeds. It sounds like many Maverick owners are experiencing this same issue after the last recall. I don’t feel safe driving my vehicle until this is resolved.
The brake system in Hybrid model Ford Mavericks is unreliable and inconsistent in the way it applies the brakes at slow speeds, causing the driver to over or under apply the brakes and making the vehicle unsafe and unpredictable. My 2023 model braked normally for the first 6 months of ownership and then started to grab at slow speeds when attempting to use the brakes. When coming to a stop it will grab suddenly. It is extremely challenging to drive in stop and go traffic. Ford has issued a software fix, TSB23-2060, the second one they've issued. Neither fix has solved the issue. I often under apply the brakes in anticipation of the brakes grabbing and then have to overapply at the last moment to compensate. It really is unsafe and needs to be fixed. I hope the NHTSA can force the issue.
Brakes surge shortly after startup causing vehicle to lunge forward multiple times when at a stop. Has happened multiple times since getting vehicle new with less than 4500 miles. No warning lights has not been inspected by dealership but many other people have mentioned this happens to them frequently on Ford Maverick truck forums.
On the middle of the road when driving, of a sudden, powertrain malfunction, pre-collision not available message pop up and the service light, check engine light also started blinking on the dashboard. Gas pedal was unresponsive and the truck coasted, was not able to drive,and I was luckily able to merge over into the shoulder. Started the truck a few times and the issue persisted. Could move forward with the battery but still no input from the gas pedal. I towed the truck and is with the dealer. But i am really scared to drive it again. I was lucky to be on the slow speed zone road and was able to get out to the shoulder. However, I might have been hit and killed if it happens in the highways. Very scary moment. Ford should take some safety responsibility more carefully.
Vehicle was going down the highway around 70 mph and suddenly warning message appeared on display that the select drive has been disengaged and the brake light ( lower right of instrument panel ! Red brake illuminated and the engine stop propelling engine and started to brake and slow down. Had to coast to the shoulder and car was not running and brakes were still applied even I was not applying the brakes . This is the second time it acquired. Second time was after Ford dealership had again done an ecm update and said the issue was resolved.
[XXX] car malfunctioned in same ways it has been before. Car was going 76 on the highway, no cruise control, when a message about the gear shifting pops up and the accelerator stops working. Car begins to slow, and we pull over onto side of the highway. After getting down to about 40 parking break pops on and messages begin flashing through on the display saying: AdvanceTrac Off, Collision Assist Off, Parking Break On, Service System Soon, and all the warning lights such as check engine and slippery surface come on as well. Turned car off and waiting 5 minutes, then got back on highway. Car repeated this exact same process again after driving 3 more minutes going 76 with no cruise control. Here is a link to a video taken the first time this happened on this day: [XXX] Car had been taken to have this exact issue repaired the previous week and held over night on [XXX]. This is the second time that the car has been taken to be repaired for this issue. The first time I was told it is a computer melt down. The second I was told that the recalls that they fixed they did not fix entirely, and that it should be fine now. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
[XXX] car malfunctioned. First said that the gear was working incorrectly, then accelerator stopped working and Drive light on gear shifter started blinking. I pulled over to the shoulder and the brakes continued to work, and all the messages in my video came up. I started on cruise control going 78 then once I got to [XXX] my parking break came on. Once stopped I tried to go back into drive, which didn't work. The car would not go forward, almost as if it was attached to something. I turned the car on and off several times trying to get the parking break off. After I believe the third time I turned off the car, I left it off for about a full minute before turning it back on. The lights on the car went off except the check engine light, and the emergency brake light, though it finally let me turn the break off and switch into drive. I drove the last 4 minutes home without incident. This links to a video I took after I got onto the side of the highway showing what was happening on my display. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I took my ford Maverick to dealer for the recalls for three recalls: 24c01,23c41 & 23e09. About 1 hr later driving on highway the engine lost all power, gearshift knob was flashing; warnings started flashing , hill start assist not available, service soon, pre collision assist not available, service power trac( I think) , check engine light came on & a wrench illuminated on dash. Went from 55-60 mph to a crawl in a few seconds. Fortunately was able to pull off-road. As soon as I touched brake pedal the emergency brake applied automatically & I slammed to a halt. After about 5 minutes & turning ignition on & off a few times everything worked again. Check engine light remained on but turn off the next day. I called dealership and they had no idea. Said to bring in again. This occurred on 3/6/24 and again on 3/10/24, both times identical situation. Both times I was fortunate no one behind me and room to get pull on shoulder. I posted this on the Maverick forum online only to discover it is happening to many people that have had the recalls done. Some their engines stopped on the freeway, going from 70 to a crawl in seconds. One person mentioned they almost got nailed by an 18 wheeler rig. I called the dealership to let them know what I found out online and they had no idea or how to correct. Whatever the recall did ( seems to be the recall associated with emissions - from online discussions) ford needs to correct. This type situation is an accident waiting to happen and putting lives in danger.
Brakes grab unpredictably when slowing to a stop. When car has slowed from higher speeds down to less than 6 mph, the brakes suddenly grab, stopping the vehicle without warning. The degree of grabbing is never the same twice, happens almost every time I stop. It is especially bad after vehicle has been parked for a period of time, and is noticeably worse in moist conditions. I feel that this condition can cause a car behind me to possibly hit me. My FORD dealer has had service tech drive it and confirm this is occurring, but they have thus far been unable to apply a fix.
On occasion, at slow speeds, typically when coming to a slow stop (such as at a stop sign or light), the vehicle's brakes appear to "grab", car "shutters", feels as if car's brakes are locking or vehicle is about to turn off. I am the original owner of this vehicle, less than 7,000 miles, this problem has happened approximately 10 times. This problem could have resulted in a dangerous situation, the last time this happened someone was crossing in front of me at a crosswalk and I was not sure vehicle was going to stop.
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Maverick. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where the PCM was reset. The vehicle was repaired. While driving at unknown speeds, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle began to shake. The vehicle was taken back to the same local dealer, and the contact was informed that the ABS was engaged. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to another dealer. The contact stated that the failure was related to TSB: 22-2493 (Service Brakes). The failure mileage was approximately 800.
Driving on highway when all warning lights came on the dash, including the messages: AdvanceTrac Off Collision Assist Off Parking Break On Service System Soon. My brakes and accelerator stopped working, and the car immediately started slowing down. I started pulling over but didn't even make it all the way out of the lane. I changed gears, but could not go Forward, emergency brake was on but wouldn't let me turn it off. It did let me put my hazards on. I kept attempting to change gears, and eventually the emergency brake went off and I could shift into drive and pull out of the highway lane. The truck was towed to the shop, and they told me on the phone there was an open recall on the emergency brake. They have not figured out the problem or been able to replicate the issue.
The brakes on my 2023 Ford Maverick (Hybrid) are very grabby at low speeds, usually just before coming to a stop. They are also very noisy especially after a hard rain. I have experienced one incident where the brakes did not want to stop the truck until after a long pause. When I stop, my passengers will lunge forward. I do not have confidence that the brakes will perform as required in an emergency situation. I realize that this has been an ongoing problem with the 2022 and 2023 hybrid models.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
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