NHTSA Complaint #10384193 — 2004 FORD F-150

I DRIVE A 2004 FORD F-150 HERITAGE WITH ONLY 73,000 MILES THAT HAS NEVER BEEN TAKEN OFF ROAD OR TOWED ANY HEAVY WEIGHT AND HAS HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE. TWO DAYS AGO WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET, MY PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL LOCKED UP, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER AND AFTER STOPPING THE TRUCK WOULD THEN NOT MOVE AS THE WHEEL REMAINED LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE LICENSED MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT MY EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM HAD ESSENTIALLY FELL APART (EXPLODED) AND THAT ALL THE LOOSE PARTS FLOATING AROUND IN THE WHEEL HAD JAMMED THE WHEEL. HE CLAIMS THAT FORD USED CHEAP PARTS IN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEMS AS PEOPLE WHO HAVE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS RARELY USE THEM. MY VEHICLE IS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION SO THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IS A NECESSITY. I ASKED HIM IF THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WERE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH AND HE RESPONDED "ABSOLUTELY". WHICH MEANS I COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AND POSSIBLY FLIPPED. HE AND MY HUSBAND INFORMED ME THAT EVEN WITH ANY POSSIBLE WEAR, THESE PARTS SHOULD NOT BREAK. THE MECHANIC HAD ALSO INFORMED ME THAT I WAS NOT THE FIRST CUSTOMER HE HAD SEEN WITH THIS ISSUE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO LOOK ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE. FORD REFUSED TO REPLACE THE E-BRAKE AND I HAD TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND OTHER DAMAGED PARTS INSIDE THE WHEEL. BUT MY REAL CONCERN IS ONE OF SAFETY AS I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS TRUCK SINCE I KNOW IT HAS BEEN BUILT WITH LESS THAN QUALITY PARTS. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT IS GOING TO COST SOMEONE SERIOUS INJURY IF THIS SHOULD HAPPEN AT HIGHER SPEEDS. I SHOULD ALSO STATE THAT I HAD A MULTIPOINT INSPECTION PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE 1 WEEK PREVIOUS BY A FORD DEALER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS GOOD. I ALSO FOUND A 2008 TSB FOR THE PARKING BRAKE ON FORD F-150S OF THIS YEAR THAT DEALT WITH THE NOISE THEY MAKE THAT I THINK IS AWARNING THAT THIS IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. BUT MY TRUCK NEVER GAVE ME A WARNING. *TR