NHTSA Complaint #10388611 — 1998 LINCOLN MARK VIII

THE BRAKES CAN QUIT WORKING AFTER THE AUTOMATIC PARKING BRAKE RELEASE SOLENOID FAILS TO RELEASE THE REAR BRAKES WHEN THE TRANSMISSION LEVER IS MOVED OUT OF PARK. THE REAR BRAKES WILL THEN OVERHEAT AFTER SEVERAL MILES, WHICH CAUSES THE BRAKE FLUID TO EVENTUALLY BOIL AND BE EXPELLED FROM THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE FIRST SYMPTOM IS THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES ALMOST ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND BRAKING BECOMES ERRATIC. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE BRAKING SYSTEM TOTALLY FAILED TO STOP THE CAR DUE TO LACK OF BRAKE FLUID IN THE MASTER CYLINDER. PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL RAPIDLY AND SHEER LUCK ARE THE ONLY THINGS THAT HAVE PREVENTED A MAJOR CRASH (SO FAR...)! THE REAR BRAKE PADS AND FLUID HAVE BEEN REPLACED, BUT THERE SEEMS TO BE NO FIX AVAILABLE THAT WOULD PREVENT THE PROBLEM FROM RE-OCCURRING. THIS SAFETY DEFECT APPEARS TO BE CAUSED BY THE PARKING BRAKE POSITION SENSOR SWITCH FAILING TO NOTIFY THE COMPUTER SOFTWARE THAT THE PARKING BRAKE IS SET,, SO THE CONTROLLING SOFTWARE DOESN'T BOTHER TO RELEASE THE BRAKE AT DRIVE-OFF. THE WARNING LIGHT ALSO FAILS TO INDICATE A PROBLEM TO THE DRIVER, WHICH MAKES THIS A VERY DANGEROUS COMBINATION OF HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE FAILURE AFTER THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED TO MY WIFE TWICE, I BEGAN TO DRIVE THE CAR TO SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING. SURE ENOUGH, AFTER A COUPLE OF DAYS, THE PROBLEM OCCURRED EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED ABOVE. THE ONLY WORKAROUND IS TO USE THE EMERGENCY MECHANICAL RELEASE BEFORE DRIVING OFF. IF ONE FORGETS TO DO THIS, THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT THE REAR BRAKES ARE DRAGGING AND IMPENDING BRAKE FAILURE IS A CERTAINTY..