NHTSA Complaint #11291180 — 2011 FORD FUSION

VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, DRIVING TO WORK IN RAIN AND WET ROAD CONDITIONS. DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO SLOW THE VEHICLE AS IT WAS TRAVELING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION WITH A PUDDLE ON THE ROADWAY. I FELT THE ABS ENGAGE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL PULSATE. THE BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE FELT FIRM PRIOR TO THE ABS ENGAGING. VEHICLE CONTINUED TO REMAIN IN MOTION WHEN I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AGAIN TO SLOW THE VEHICLE. THIS TIME THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT SOFT AND TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR BOARD BEFORE THE BRAKES BEGAN TO SLOW THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLES STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO WORK AND HOME, BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL CONTINUED TO REMAIN SOFT AND DID NOT ENGAGE BRAKES UNTIL REACHING THE FLOOR. I CHECKED FOR OBVIOUS LEAKS AROUND THE BRAKE CALIBERS, WITH NONE NOTED, AND THE BRAKE FLUID LEVEL WAS AT THE FULL LEVEL IN THE FLUID RESERVOIR. THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS OF EXTERNAL LEAKING AROUND THE MASTER CYLINDER. I HAVE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THERE ARE NO WARNING LIGHTS, ABS OR OTHERS, ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD BEFORE, DURING OR AFTER THE BRAKES BECAME SOFT AND LESS RESPONSIVE. ORIGINALLY SUSPECTED A MASTER CYLINDER FAILURE, BUT NOW SUSPECT A ABS HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT OR MODULE AFTER READING ABOUT SIMILAR FAULT CONDITIONS ON THE INTERNET. THE VEHICLES BRAKE FLUID WAS SERVICED BY FIRESTONE ABOUT 45 DAYS PRIOR TO THIS FAULT OCCURRING. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS FAULT BECAUSE THERE WAS NO WARNING OF IMPENDING FAILURE AND THE LACK OF A WARNING LIGHT INDICATION WITH THE FAULT STILL PRESENT IS ALSO TROUBLING. I WAS ABLE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AT THE TIME IT HAD OCCURRED AND WAS ABLE TO REDUCE MY SPEED AND INCREASE MY FOLLOWING DISTANCE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE.