2000 Ford F-350 Brakes Problems

On 7/2/24, I went to Robinson Brothers Ford in Baton Rouge, LA to address an unrepaired Recall item on a 1994 F350. The service advisor refused to perform the recall work. They stated that the vehicle was too old. This recall is concerning an issue with a switch that can leak break fluid and cause an engine fire.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD F-350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INDEPENDENT FACILITY AND THE SELLER OF THE VEHICLE MADE NO MENTION OF A FAILURE WITH THE FRONT BRAKES AND THE REAR BRAKES, WHICH WERE WARPED BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE COOLING FAN HAD HOLES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED NOR DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE COOLING FAN, AND FRONT AND REAR BRAKES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.

BRAKE LINES FAILED AND TRUCK RAN INTO FENCE.

2000 FORD F350 CREW CAB 4X4 BRAKE LINE WAS CORRODED FROM DIFFERENT METALS USED. HAD HOLE IN LINE AND BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR CAUSING ME TO HAVE NO BRAKES. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!!! *TR

BRAKE LINE FAILURE ON MAIN LINE FROM MASTER CYLINDER TO REAR AXLE. RELEASED FLUID ON GROUND AND IN AIR, BASICALLY NO BRAKES WHEN THIS HAPPENED' LINE WAS CORRODED RIGHT WHERE STAINLESS LINE CHANGES TO METAL SOME SORT OF DISSIMILAR METAL CORROSION GOING ON MANY CASES ON LINE ABOUT THESE TRUCKS AND BRAKE LINES.

#1 JUST USING VEHICLE. #2 BRAKES BECAME SPONGY. AFTER STOPPING VEHICLE I NOTICED BRAKE FLUID RUNNING ON GROUND IN FRONT OF DRIVER SIDE REAR WHEEL COMING FROM FRAME RAIL. IT APPEARS BRAKE LINE IS CORRODED. VEHICLE HAS 100 THOUSAND MILES ON IT, AND UNDER CARRIAGE IS RINSED AS NEEDED. A WRITTEN REQUEST HAS BEEN SENT TO KLABEN FORD (KENT OHIO) REQUEST ALL BROKEN PARTS. *TR UPDATED 01/11/08. *LJ UPDATED

DRIVING AT RATE OF 40 MPH WHEN I HAD TO SUDDENLY STOP FROM HITTING ANIMAL ON THE ROAD. BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR WHEN PEDAL WAS SUDDENLY PRESSED. BRAKE LINE WAS BUSTED ON DRIVERS SIDE UNDERNEATH THE CLIP HOLDING BRAKE LINE. VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. *JB

FRONT BRAKES, FADE AND EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE; THERE ARE FLOAT PINS WHICH KEEP THE CALIPERS CENTERED OVER THE ROTORS . THEY HAVE SEIZED UP. THE VEHICLE BREAKING WAS BECOMING SLUGGISH. REPEATED INSPECTION OF THE FRONT BRAKE PADS INDICATED THEIR CONDITION TO BE GOOD. EVENTUALLY I DECIDED TO ORDER NEW CALIPERS WITH PADS. THESE UNITS CAME WITH 'NEW FLOAT PINS'. MUCH TO MY SURPRISE MY CALIPERS WERE GOOD BUT THEY WERE LOCKED IN POSITION BECAUSE OF THE SEIZED FLOAT PINS. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THE PRESSURE WAS TO THE INSIDE PAD ONLY GREATLY LENGTHENING THE STOPPING DISTANCE. AS THE PROBLEM CAME ON GRADUALLY I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW POOR THE BRAKING HAD BECOME UNTIL I REBUILT THE SYSTEM. THE PINS WHICH NEED TO SLIDE FOR PROPER BRAKING HAVE LITTLE RUBBER BOOTS TO KEEP OUT ROAD DEBRIS AND WATER. THESE BOOTS WERE NOT SEATED ON THE GROVE ON THE ORIGINAL CALIPER BODY. AS THE SYMPTOMS COME ON GRADUALLY THERE ARE OTHER VEHICLES OUT THERE WITH SEVERELY DEGRADING BRAKE PERFORMANCE. CURIOUSLY THE REPLACEMENT CALIPERS HAD A BAG OF SPARE PARTS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED; THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR. THE SERVICE PERSONNEL DISCOVERED THE BRAKE LINE WAS FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION.

I EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE BRAKE LINE FAILURE AND LOSS OF BRAKE USE ON MY 2000 FORD F350 SUPER DUTY 4X4 PICKUP. LUCKILY, THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED BY THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO THE NEAREST FORD DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY PROCEEDED TO BILL ME EXTENSIVELY FOR REPLACING THE MAIN BRAKE LINE. *JB

VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30 MPH WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. THERE WAS BRAKE FLUID SPILLING, AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED, BUT IT WAS STILL DIFFICULT FOR THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP.*AK

THE BRAKE LINE HAD RUSTED . AS A RESULT, THE BRAKES FAILED. NO IMPACT REPORTED. *JB ALL THE OTHER LINES INCLUDING THE FUEL LINES WERE RUST FREE. *SC *JB

WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE BRAKES FAILED, CAUSING CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO COLLIDE WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES, AND VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. *AK

RIGHT FRONT CALIPER WON'T RELEASE. APPARENTLY COMMON PROBLEM WITH 4X4 PER MECHANIC. GOUGED OUT ROTOR AND ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT. *JB

THE FRONT BRAKES ON MY F350 4X4 FAILED WHILE DRIVING INTERSTATE 77.*AK

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED BOTH FRONT ROTORS, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RESURFACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION AND COMPLETE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE. *JB

THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WHEN APPLIED. THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *NLM

ALTHOUGH I HAVE ONLY LISTED THIS AS 1 INSTANCE OF FAILURE SIMPLY BECAUSE THIS POORLY DESIGNED (DANGEROUS) SOLUTION FINALLY COST ME GETTING INTO AN ACCIDENT. THIS ABS PROBLEM HAS CAUSED ME TO LOOSE SLEEP AT NIGHT SINCE OWNING THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE VARIOUS TIMES IT HAS FAILED ME! IT SHOULDN'T TAKE AN EINSTEIN TO FIGURE OUT THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH A BRAKE SYSTEM THAT FAILS WHEN YOU REALLY NEED IT TO WORK! NOT ONLY DOES IT FAIL THE BRAKES, BUT SINCE THE POWER STEERING IS USED TO (HYDROBOOST) POWER THE BRAKE SYSTEM, WHEN THE ABS UNIT DUMPS THE FLUID TO RELEASE THE BRAKE PRESSURE, YOU ALSO LOOSE STEERING ABILITY! I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE BEEN KILLED BY THIS INADEQUATE DESIGN. I GUESS I SHOULD COUNT MYSELF LUCKY THAT I'M EVEN ABLE TO WRITE THIS, BUT THIS SYSTEM IS PLAINLY INADEQUATE AND FLAWED AT THE DESIGN LAYER. EITHER SOMEONE REQUIRES THIS TO BE CORRECTED OR EVERYONE THAT DRIVES A VEHICLE WITH THIS TYPE OF SOLUTION BETTER TRIPLE THEIR LIFE INSURANCE AND QUADRUPLE THEIR LIABILITY INSURANCE AND ATTEND CHURCH SERVICES DAILY IN HOPES THAT THEY SURVIVE THE EXPERIENCE!!!!!!!!!! OH, MAYBE I'VE TOUCHED ON SOMETHING THERE. DO YOU THINK THE INSURANCE COMPANIES MIND THE PROSPECT OF HAVING EVERYONE HAVING TO INCREASE THEIR INSURANCE TO PREPARE FOR THE RESULTS? DT

WHILE APPROACHING THE HIGHWAY, BRAKES WERE APPLIED, THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON, THEN BRAKES LOCKED UP AND ENGINE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN CAUSING BRAKES TO GO IN ABS, CONSUMER RAN INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND STARTED TO PUSH THE OTHER VEHICLE TWO LANES LENGTH. CONSUMER APPLIED PARK BRAKE AND VEHICLE STOPPED. CONTACTED DEALER AND THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE. *AK *TT

THE FRONT WHEEL ROTORS WARPED AND HAD TO BE RE-SURFACED AT 22,000 MILES. THE DEALER TURNED THE ROTORS AND INSTALLED NEW FRONT BRAKE PADS. AT 32,000 MILES THE FRONT ROTORS WERE WARPED AGAIN. WHEEL VIBRATION COULD BE FELT IN THE BRAKE PEDAL AND FRONT END ON HARD BRAKING WHILE GOING DOWN STEEP HILLS. THE DEALER SAID THAT THE WARPING WAS CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE HEAT. AT 32,000 AND 38,000 MILES THEY SAID THAT BRAKES ARE NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THEY WOULD NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THE RECOMMENED HAVING THE ROTORS TURNED AND INSTALLING "COMPOSITE/METALLIC" BRAKE PADS. THEY STATED THAT THE FACTORY BRAKE PADS ARE TOO HARD FOR THE ROTORS. THE BRAKE PADS HAVE SHOWN LITTLE WEAR. THERE IS AN EXHAUST BRAKE ON THE VEHICLE AND THE BRAKES HAVE BEEN USED SPARINGLY. I FEEL THAT THERE IS AN ENGINEERING PROBLEM WITH THE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM. DT