NHTSA Complaint #10876646 — 2005 FORD EXPEDITION

WAS DRIVING AND EXPERIENCED COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE, NO WARNING, WENT TO STOP AND HAD NO BRAKES WHAT SO EVER! THE BRAKE LINE GOING TO THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT CALIPER HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY UNDER THE MIDDLE OF THE VEHICLE BETWEEN THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE AND THE ABS DISTRIBUTION BOX. I WAS ALWAYS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEMS WERE DESIGNED WITH A TANDEM MASTER CYLINDER SO THAT IF AN EVENT LIKE THIS HAPPENED YOU WOULD STILL HAVE 2 WHEELS THAT HAD BRAKES. THIS OBVIOUSLY IS NOT THE CASE AS THERE WAS A COMPLETE LOSS OF ALL 4 BRAKES. LUCKILY I WAS ONLY DOING 25 MPH AND THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC WHERE I WAS WHEN THIS HAPPENED, IT TOOK A WAYS TO GET THE VEHICLE STOPPED BY APPLYING THE PARKING BRAKE. I DON'T WANT TO EVEN THINK WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF I WAS ON THE FREEWAY DOING 70 MPH AND HAD TO STOP IN AN EMERGENCY AND THIS HAPPENED, I WOULD PROBABLY BE DEAD AND POSSIBLY SOMEONE ELSE ALSO. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED ASAP. PEOPLES LIVES ARE AT SERIOUS RISK HERE. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THESE BRAKE LINES WOULD NOT BE MADE OUT OF 318 STAINLESS STEEL, THEY WOULD NEVER CORRODE AND THIS WOULD POSSIBLY SAVE LIVES. I AM TOTALLY CONVINCED THAT PEOPLE HAVE DIED FROM THIS HAPPENING. THIS IS NOTHING NEW WITH FORDS! MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT HE SEES FORD VEHICLES ALL THE TIME WITH RUSTED OUT BRAKE LINES AND PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO THIS.