NHTSA Complaint #10894252 — 2015 FORD EXPLORER

MY WIFE AND I PARK OUR 2015 FORD EXPLORER XLT IN THE PARKING AREA IN FRONT OF OUR HOUSE. IN ORDER TO GO ANYWHERE, WE NEED TO BACK IT OUT OF ITS PARKING SPOT, REVERSE-TURN TO THE RIGHT, APPLY THE BRAKES, PUT THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE, AND FINALLY DRIVE FORWARD ON THE DRIVEWAY UNTIL REACHING THE STREET. THIS MORNING, MY WIFE PLANNED TO GO TO THE STORE. SHE ENTERED THE VEHICLE, STARTED IT, PUT IT IN REVERSE, AND PROCEEDED TO BACK OUT OF THE PARKING SPOT. AS USUAL, SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES TO STOP THE CAR AND PUT IT IN DRIVE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, THIS MORNING THE BRAKES DID NOT RESPOND. SHE APPLIED THE BRAKES A FEW MORE TIMES TO NO AVAIL. AFTER THAT DID NOT WORK, SHE APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, WHICH DID NOT DO ANYTHING EITHER. FINALLY, SHE TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK, WHICH DIDN'T DO ANYTHING EITHER. SHE ENDED UP DOING A U-TURN IN REVERSE. MY OTHER TRUCK WAS PARKED TO THE RIGHT OF WHERE THE FORD EXPLORER WAS PARKED, SO ONCE THE FORD EXPLORER REACHED MY PARKED TRUCK AND COLLIDED WITH IT, THE FORD EXPLORER FINALLY STOPPED. IN ADDITION TO MY WIFE, OUR TWO SONS AGED 6 AND 8, WERE INSIDE THE VEHICLE WITH HER WHEN THIS HAPPENED. WE HAVE ATTACHED A PHOTO OF THE FORD EXPLORER COLLIDED ONTO MY PARKED TRUCK (A FORD F150), WHICH IT HAD TO DO IN ORDER TO STOP AND NOT COLLIDE INTO ANYTHING OR ANYONE ELSE. THE MAIN REASON WE GOT A FORD EXPLORER IS BECAUSE WE BELIEVED IT WOULD BE A STURDY SUV THAT WOULD KEEP MY WIFE AND KIDS SAFE, SO THIS INCIDENT IS EXTREMELY CONCERNING. THE CAR IS ALMOST NEW WITH APPROXIMATELY 12,000 MILES AND WE HAVE HAD ALREADY HAD TO TAKE IT INTO THE REPAIR SHOP APPROXIMATELY EIGHT TIMES. WE HAVE ASKED FORD TO REPLACE IT, BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN WILLING TO DO SO, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE ESCALATING THIS MATTER TO REGULATING AGENCIES FOR RESOLUTION AS WELL AS OUT OF CONCERN FOR OTHER FAMILIES WHO MAY HAVE HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE.