NHTSA Complaint #11220333 — 2014 FORD FUSION HYBRID

LEAVING HOME IN THE MORNING, CAR STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY, 1 BLOCK LATER, PRESSED BRAKE PEDAL AND IT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. HAD TO REALLY STAND ON IT TO STOP THE CAR. BRAKE SYSTEM, ABS, TRACTION CONTROL, PARKING BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES ALL ACTIVATED. PARKING BRAKE LOCKED UP AND THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. REPLACED PARKING BRAKE SWITCH, REAR BRAKE PADS, AND RODENT-CHEWED WIRING. WORKED FINE FOR A COUPLE MONTHS. THEN, DRIVING CLOSE TO HOME ABOUT 35 MPH, BRAKES FAILED AGAIN. STANDING ON BRAKE PEDAL STOPPED CAR IN (ESTIMATED) DOUBLE NORMAL DISTANCE. ALL BRAKE-RELATED WARNING LIGHTS AND MESSAGES ACTIVATED, PLUS SERVICE REAR PARK ASSIST MESSAGE. PARKING BRAKE LOCKED UP. TOWED TO DEALER. SERVICE WRITER SAW LIGHTS AND MESSAGES, BUT TECHS LATER COULDN'T FIND MALFUNCTION, NO CODES SET. DEALERSHIP MADE NO REPAIRS, SENT ME HOME WITH A CAR I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE. WHEN ASKED IF THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, THEY PRETENDED NOT TO KNOW, AND DIDN'T PLAN TO CONTACT FORD ABOUT IT. IN MY OPINION, A SOFTWARE OR ELECTRICAL PROBLEM THAT CAUSES THE CAR TO LOSE BRAKING IS A PRETTY SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW. ACCORDING TO NTHSA DATABASE AND INTERNET FORUMS, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. AT THE VERY LEAST, GOOD-FAITH BUYERS SHOULD NOT BE LEFT HOLDING THE BAG.