NHTSA Complaint #10944226 — 2011 FORD E-150

WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THE FIRST BRAKING ACTION DOESN'T SEEM TO BE AS EFFECTIVE AS SAY THE SECOND APPLICATION AS FAR AS BRINGING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP, WHEN IN MOTION. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER WHETHER IT'S ON THE STREET OR HIGHWAY OR TURNING. MARCH OF 2016 I HAD TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP AND DIDN'T THINK I WOULD AVOID THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. HOWEVER A SEMI TRACTOR WITH TRAILER REAR ENDED ME CAUSING ABOUT $5,000.00 DAMAGE TO THE LEFT REAR OF THE E-150. BEFORE TAKING THE VEHICLE ON VACATION I REPORTED THE BRAKING ISSUE WITH THE ANDY MOHR FORD IN PLAINFIELD IN., THEY SAID THE BRAKES NEEDED BLED WITH A MACHINE AND THAT IF THAT DIDN'T FIX THE ISSUE THEY WOULD BLEED THEM MANUALLY. I DIDN'T TAKE IT BACK BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE A CLUE AS TO WHAT THE PROBLEM MIGHT BE. I PAID FOR THE MACHINE BLEED, JUST AROUND $100.00. I KNEW FROM MY PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE AS A MECHANIC, THAT BLEEDING THE SYSTEM WOULDN'T CORRECT THE PROBLEM, AS THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS SOLID AND NOT SOFT OR MUSHY. ANYWAY, I ASKED AND RECEIVED A REFUND AND STILL THE PROBLEM PERSISTS. THEY DID REPLACE THE LEFT REAR AXLE SEAL THAT I DISCOVERED WHILE PERFORMING MAINTENANCE BEFORE TAKING A TRIP TO FLORIDA. THE LEAKING AXLE SEAL HAD NO AFFECT WITH THE VEHICLE STOPPING AS THERE WAS NO LUBRICANT DRIPPING OR SLINGING ONTO THE ROTOR OR BRAKE CALIPER. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERNS. THEY WOULD BLEED THE BRAKES MANUALLY. *TR