NHTSA Complaint #10342379 — 2000 FORD EXPEDITION

I OWN A 2000 MY FORD EXPEDITION XLT. ON JULY 4, 2010, I WAS LEAVING MY HOUSE AND DRIVING DOWN THE STREET TOWARDS AN INTERSECTION WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES. UPON PLACEMENT OF MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, VIRTUALLY ALL BRAKING POWER WAS LOST FORCING ME TO QUICKLY APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO AVOID CROSSING AN INTERSECTION. I THEN TURNED THE VEHICLE AROUND AND DROVE BACK TO MY HOUSE AND PARKED IT UNTIL IT COULD BE TOWED. ON JULY 6, 2010, THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP. LATER THAT SAME DAY THE FORD MECHANIC CONTACTED ME AND SAID THAT THE MAIN SUPPLY LINE FOR THE REAR BRAKES HAD RUSTED CAUSING A LOSS OF BRAKE FLUID. ONCE THE FAILURE ORIGINALLY OCCURRED, IT DID NOT CORRECT ITSELF UNTIL FORD REPLACED THE BRAKE SYSTEM SUPPLY LINE. THE BRAKE FAILURE WAS CATASTROPHIC IN THAT IT CAUSED A NEAR LOSS OF ALL BRAKING CAPACITY. HAD A VEHICLE BEEN IN THE INTERSECTION OR HAD I FAILED TO RAPIDLY ENGAGE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, THE INCIDENT WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH PROPERTY DAMAGE AND OR THE LOSS OF LIFE COULD HAVE OCCURRED. SPECIFICALLY, I WAS VERY FORTUNATE NOT TO HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE FORD DEALERSHIP DID SHOW ME THE REMOVED SECTION OF BRAKE SUPPLY LINE. IT WAS HEAVILY RUSTED IN TWO SECTIONS, ALTHOUGH I AM UNCERTAIN WHICH SECTION WAS ACTUALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BRAKE FAILURE. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE FORD DEALER STILL HAS POSSESSION OF THE FAILED BRAKE FLUID SUPPLY LINE. *TR