2001 Ford F-150 service brakes, hydraulic problems

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN IT SUDDENLY DROPPED TO THE FLOOR BOARD. THE CONTACT CONTINUED DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED THE BRAKE LINES WERE CORRODED AND FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.”

“WHILE RETURNING HOME, TOWING 25' PONTOON BOAT, APPROACHING DRIVEWAY WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR, NO BRAKES. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE INTO MY YARD AND STOP WITH PARKING BRAKE. ROOT CAUSE WAS FOUND TO BE BRAKE LINE ABOVE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WHEEL HAD RUSTED THROUGH AT FITTING CAUSING LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID. UPON CLOSE INSPECTION, MANY BRAKE LINES, TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES, GAS TANK STRAPS (THE LATTER SUBSEQUENTLY REPLACED PER FORD RECALL) ARE DETERIORATING DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST. ALTHOUGH THIS VEHICLE IS 11 YEARS OLD, IT ONLY HAS 58,867 ORIGINAL, DOCUMENTED MILES, AND HAS NOT BEEN EXPOSED TO EXCESS ROAD SALT (MID-ATLANTIC REGION). I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE BRAKE ROTORS, CALIPERS, BRAKE SHIELDS, EGR TUBE, EXHAUST SYSTEM FROM MUFFLER BACK, AND PARKING BRAKE ASSEMBLY ALL DUE TO EXCESSIVE, AND WHAT I CONSIDER, PREMATURE RUST. IF THAT WERE NOT BAD ENOUGH, YESTERDAY I LOOK UNDER THE TRUCK AND SEE A PUDDLE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID. ONE OF THE TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES BETWEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE UPPER RADIATOR HAS RUSTED THROUGH, AND ONCE AGAIN I WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. I HAVE OWNED MANY FORD PRODUCTS IN MY 44 YEARS OF DRIVING BUT HAVE…”

“I HAVE A 2001 FORD F-150 THAT I WAS USING TO DROP MY SON OFF AT HIS FRIEND'S HOUSE. ON THE WAY HOME MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, I WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 35 MPH AND I WAS NOT ABLE TO STOP AT THE INTERSECTION LIKE I WAS SUPPOSED TO. I DID MANAGE TO DRIVE HOME WITH LITTLE TO NO BRAKES. WHEN I GOT HOME I LOOKED IN THE BRAKE FLUID WELL AND THERE WAS NO FLUID IN THERE. I LOOKED AT THE GROUND ON THE DRIVERS SIDE NEAR THE REAR TIRE AND I SAW FLUID DRIPPING ON THE GROUND. I GOT UNDER THE TRUCK AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE A LOT OF BRAKE FLUID ON THE SIDE OF GAS TANK AND DRIPPING FROM THE FRAME. THIS IS A VERY UNUSUAL AND DANGEROUS SITUATION. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I NO LONGER HAVE THE USE OF MY VEHICLE. I RECENTLY TOOK THE TRUCK IN FOR RECALL SERVICE TO HAVE THE GAS TANK SUPPORT STRAPS REPLACED, IS POSSIBLE THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS COMPROMISED DURING THE RECALL WORK? I HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS. I CONTACTED FORD ABOUT THIS UNUSUAL INCIDENT AND THEY STATED THAT BECAUSE MY TRUCK IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY THAT I SHOULD TAKE IT TO A DEALER AND HAVE IT REPAIRED. THE LARGER ISSUE IS THAT SOMETHING LIKE THIS SHOULD NEVER…”

“FOR A LONG TIME WE HAD ISSUES WITH THE BRAKES EVEN AFTER GETTING NEW ONES,ABOUT 3 WKS BEFORE THE FIRE MY CRUISE STOPPED WORKING.ON THE DAY BEFORE THE FIRE I ROLLED MY FRONT WINDOWS DOWN AFTER I WENT BACK TO WORK,AN WHEN I GOT OFF WORK MY WINDOWS WOULD NOT ROLL UP,AN I COULD NOT GET THE GEAR OUT OF PARK,SO I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF ,AN JUST TURNED THE KEY ON,AN GOT IT TO GO INTO NEUTRAL SO I COULD START IT AN GET IT INTO DRIVE.THE NEXT MORNING I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP TO SEE ABOUT THE WINDOWS,AN BEFORE IT COULD BE CHECKED ,ABOUT 3:00 IN THE AFTERNOON THE ENGINE OFF,THE SHOP OWNER CAME OUT AN THE TRUCK ENGINE WAS FULLY ENGULFED. WE DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL AFTER THE FIRE THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL ON THE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM THAT COULD RESULT IN A ENGINE FIRE. WE NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. *TR”

“TL - THE DRIVER OWNS A 2001 FORD F150 SUPER CREW. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARK AND UNOCCUPIED THE VEHICLE BURNED DUE TO THE MASTER CYLINDER SAFETY SWITCH. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. TWO OTHER VEHICLES AND TWO EXTERIOR GARAGES WERE DAMAGED. THE FORD F150 AND ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”

“RE: 2001 FORD F150 2WD, BOTTOM BOLT HOLDING LEFT FRONT BRAKE CALIPER TO SPINDLE ASSEMBLY FELL OUT. SCRUBBING SOUND AT BRAKING INITIATED AN INVESTIGATION OF PROBLEM AND FOUND LOWER FASTENER MISSING AND UPPER FASTENER LOOSE. THE CALIPER HAD ROTATED AND CAST IRON PISTON ASSEMBLY WAS RUBBING INTERIOR OF ALUMINUM WHEEL. FORTUNATELY I WAS WITHIN THREE MILES OF HOME. CONTINUING TRAVEL HAD THE POTENTIAL TO DESTROY THE WHEEL AND CAUSE FURTHER DAMAGE OR ACCIDENT. THE RIGHT SIDE WAS INVESTIGATED AND BOTH FASTENERS WERE IN PLACE. THE FORD SUPPLIED CAPSCREWS (BOLTS) DID NOT HAVE SERRATED FLANGED HEAD, DID NOT HAVE LOCKWASHERS, DID NOT HAVE THREAD LOCKING LIQUID COMPOUND APPLIED TO THREADS. LOCAL FORD DEALER WAS CLOSED ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON. ALL FOUR FASTENERS WERE REPLACED BY OWNER USING FLANGED STAINLESS STEEL CAPSCREWS OF THE CORRECT THREAD AND LENGTH USING THREAD LOCKING LIQUID COMPOUND. OWNER HAS POSSESSION OF THE THREE FASTENERS REMOVED. VEHICLE MILEAGE 04-03-2010 WAS 046741.4 THERE ARE REPORTED INCIDENCES OF THIS POTENTIAL DEFECT ON THE INTERNET WHICH HAVE THE ABILITY TO CAUSE A CRASH OR DAMAGE OR DEATH. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ISSUED OR POTENTIAL…”