NHTSA Complaint #10521287 — 2006 FORD F-350 SD

WAS DRIVING MY 2006 F350 SD LARIAT DUALLY WITH ONLY 7,858 MILES, HAULING A GOOSENECK TRAILER WITH A HORSE INSIDE AND STEERING STARTED TO SHIMMY ONCE I GOT UP TO HIGHWAY SPEED (55 MPH) ON I-85N ENROUTE TO A HORSE SHOW. PLACED MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND GOT NO RESPONSE. I COULD NOT STOP THE 15,000# OF TRUCK, TRAILER AND HORSE BUT WAS ABLE TO GET OFF THE ROAD AND CRUISE INTO A LARGE EMPTY PARKING LOT AND SLOW DOWN ENOUGH WHERE I COULD SAFELY APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD OR INJURING MY HORSE. TIRES WERE FINE BUT THERE WAS A DISTINCTIVE SMELL OF BURNING PAD AGAINST RED HOT METAL AND TREMENDOUS SMOKE WAS BILLOWING OUT FROM BEHIND THE PASSENGER SIDE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WHERE THE ROTOR IS SEATED. BRAKE CALIPER SEIZED ONTO THE ROTOR, WARPING IT AND DESTROYING THE BRAKE PAD. POST POLICE ESCORT, HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND $2,400 LATER (WHICH INCLUDED NEW BATTERIES AND 2 NEW FRONT TIRES), ALL THE OFFENDING ITEMS WERE REPLACED. I SPECIFICALLY ASKED THAT THE REAR CALIPERS AND BRAKE MECHANISM BE CHECKED AND THEY ASSURED ME THEY DID AND NOTHING WAS WRONG. HOWEVER, COMING DIRECTLY HOME FROM THE DEALERSHIP, MY DRIVER SIDE REAR WHEEL BRAKE SEIZED WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. AGAIN, HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND ANOTHER $1,600 LATER (THIS AMOUNT INCLUDES 4 MORE TIRES), REPLACING EVERYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH THE REAR BRAKES. IN MY RESEARCH ON THIS MATTER, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED BUT A COMMON PROBLEM POSSIBLY DUE TO FAULTY HCU (HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT) EQUIPMENT. COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN A TRAGIC ACCIDENT ON A VERY BUSY INTERSTATE. THIS IS MOST DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE. A FIRE ALSO COULD HAVE EASILY STARTED AS THE BRAKE FLUID PUMPED BACK INTO THE MAIN ENGINE AREA OF THE TRUCK. THOUGH I HAVE REPLACED BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKES THERE IS NO ASSURANCE THAT THIS DANGER WILL NOT RECUR. *TR