NHTSA Complaint #10853376 — 2003 FORD EXPEDITION

THE BRAKE LINE THAT IS ROUTED TO THE REAR BRAKES RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH, CAUSING ME TO LOSE ALL BRAKING FUNCTION HENCE, CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. I HAD TO RUN OFF INTO A DITCH TO MISS A SLOWING VEHICLE. AFTER I HAD COME TO REST IN THE DITCH THERE WAS AN ENGINE FIRE CAUSED BY BRAKE FLUID SPRAYING ONTO THE HOT ENGINE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. FORTUNATELY, I HAD A FIRE EXTINGUISHER ON BOARD, SO I WAS ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT BEFORE THERE WAS ANY DAMAGE. THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THIS INCIDENT IS THAT THERE IS ANOTHER LINE THAT RUNS PARALLEL WITH THE DEFECTIVE LINE THAT SHOWS ZERO EVIDENCE OF CORROSION.