NHTSA Complaint #10748350 — 2004 FORD F-350

WHILE APPLYING BRAKES IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL UNEXPECTEDLY WENT DIRECTLY TO THE FLOOR, THUS DISALLOWING THE TRUCK TO STOP. THE PEDAL WAS ABLE TO BE PUMPED,UP ENOUGH IN ORDER TO STOP THE TRUCK, BUT ONLY ONE TIME. ATTEMPTS TO PUMP THE PEDAL AND INCREASE THE PRESSURE ENOUGH FOR FUTURE ATTEMPTS AT STOPPING THE TRUCK WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE BY CERTIFIED MECHANICS REVEALED RUST BUILDUP ON/NEAR A WEAK SPOT ON ONE OF THE BRAIDED, FLEXIBLE FRONT BRAKE LINES WHICH HAD BURSTED, VIRTUALLY MAKING THE BRAKES USELESS BY DISALLOWING PRESSURE TO BE BUILT UP IN THE SYSTEM. A FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE SYSTEM REVEALED A SECOND BRAIDED, FLEXIBLE BRAKE LINE THAT WAS SHOWING SIGNS OF RUST BUILDUP AND EMINENT FAILURE. THE POINT OF FAILURE ON BOTH LINES WAS THE FLEXIBLE, BRAIDED SECTION ITSELF, JUST ADJACENT TO WHERE IT CONNECTED WITH THE PRE-MOLDED PORTION OF EACH LINE.