NHTSA Complaint #11119977 — 2005 FORD EXPLORER

1) ABS, BRAKE, AND WRENCH FAILURE LIGHTS FLASHED ON FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS AND TURNED OFF WHEN DECELERATING WITH CRUISE CONTROL FROM 55 MPH TO 45 MPH ZONES AT COURLAND, VA. VEHICLE MANUAL PROVIDES NO GUIDANCE ON THIS FAILURE MODE; ONLY 'WARNING LIGHTS TURN ON AND CONTINUE FLASHING, REDUCE SPEED AND TAKE VEHICLE TO NEAREST SERVICE PROVIDER' AND 'WARNING LIGHTS TURN ON AND STAY ON, STOP DRIVING IMMEDIATELY AND HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO NEAREST SERVICE PROVIDER.' 2) APPROXIMATELY TEN MINUTES LATER, DRIVER BEGAN APPLYING BRAKES TO DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL AND SLOW FROM 60 MPH TO 35 MPH SCHOOL ZONE SPEED ABOUT 50 TO 60 M BEFORE SCHOOL ZONE WARNING SIGN AT CAPRON ELEMENTARY, VA, ON STATE HIGHWAY 58. 3) DRIVER CHECKED SPEED UPON ENTERING SCHOOL ZONE AND FOUND CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT STILL ON AND VEHICLE STILL TRAVELING AT 60 MPH. DEPRESSED BRAKE APPROXIMATELY 1/3 TOTAL BRAKING RANGE (4 CM), WHICH SHOULD HAVE LOCKED THE BRAKES AND BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A FULL STOP. NO EFFECT. CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT REMAINED ON AND VEHICLE CONTINUED AT 60 MPH. 4) AT THIS POINT, DRIVER REALIZED THAT HE HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, PANICKED, AND DECIDED HE HAD TO STOP OR CRASH THE VEHICLE. DRIVER JAMMED THE BRAKE PETAL AS HARD AS HE COULD AND HELD. IT TOOK PROBABLY 3 SECONDS FOR THE REAR BRAKES TO FINALLY GO UP A LOGISTIC GROWTH RESISTANCE CURVE, GRAB, AND STOP THE VEHICLE. NO BRAKING BY FRONT WHEELS. ABS DID NOT WORK. CONTRIBUTING PHYSICAL DEFECTS: WORN-OUT FRONT BRAKES, EVEN THOUGH VEHICLE WAS KEPT UNDER RIGOROUS MAINTENANCE AND HAD VALID VIRGINIA STATE INSPECTION STICKER. WARPED FRONT BRAKE ROTORS MOST LIKELY INDUCED INTERMITTENT FALSE SIGNALS TO COMPUTER CONTROL CENTER CAUSING CRUISE CONTROL TO FAIL TO DISENGAGE.