NHTSA Complaint #11291971 — 2011 FORD FIESTA

I HIT/RAN OVER A POTHOLE EARLIER THIS MONTH AND EXPERIENCED SEVERAL OCCURANCES OF EXCESSIVE BRAKE TRAVEL OR SOFT BRAKES IMMEDIATELY AFTER WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE CAR, ON A CITY STREET. IN AUGUST 2019, I RAN OVER THE EDGE OF A MANHOLE COVER IN A CITY STREET, THAT WAS PAVED IN ALL AROUND , EXCEPT FOR THIS EDGE CORNER THAT WAS LOWER THAN THE REST OF THE PAVING. THAT INSTANCE BEGAN THE 'SOFT BRAKE' EXPERIENCES. I TOOK TO THE FORD DEALER SERVICE DEPT. THE SAME WEEK, WAS TOLD THAT THE ACTUAL BRAKES NEEDED REPLACEMENT. I OBSERVED THE SAME THING HAPPENING AGAIN, THE NEXT WK. BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE SERVICE DEPT.. THIS TIME, IT WAS THOUGHT BY THE SERVICE ADVISOR, THAT THE TIRES NEEDED REPLACEMENT. 3 NEW TIRES WERE PURCHASED , I HAD PURCHASED A. WEEK BEFORE, SO I KEPT THAT ONE, HAVING THE MECHANIC PLACE THIS NEW ONE ON THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL. I THOUGHT THAT AFTER BRINGING MY CAR IN 2X FOR THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE SOFT BRAKE CONDITION WAS RESOLVED. ALL WAS GOOD, FROM AUG 2019 UNTIL I RAN OVER THE POTHOLE EARLY DEC 2019, WITH THE REPEAT SOFT BRAKE INCIDENT. EXPENSES FOR THE BRAKE SERVICE WAS $400.00 (ALTHOUGH THE PADS NEEDED REPLACEMENT. I JUST HAD BRAKE SERVICE LESS THAN 2 YRS. BEFORE, ONLY HAVING DRIVEN 3000 OR A BIT OVER MILES DURING THIS TIME. THE TIRES, THOUGH REPLACED, WERE BENEFICIAL, BUT DID NOT STOP THE CONCERNING ISSUE. TODAY I AM AT THE DEALER SVCE DEPT AGAIN. I WAS HERE LAST MONDAY, 12-23-19, FOR DIAGNOSIS FOR THE 3RD TIME OF THE SOFT BRAKE SITUATION EARLY THIS MONTH, THEN I WAS TOLD THAT THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. SPECIFICALLY, THE SELENOID VALVE BLOCK HCU CONNECTED WITH ABS. TOTAL COST THIS VISIT $1345.00 I AM ATTACHING COPIES OF REPAIR INVOICES, PICTURES TAKEN ON MY CELLPHONE OF THE LOCATIONS OF THE MANHOLE COVER AND POTHOLE IN THE STREETS THAT I RAN OVER/ STRUCK. PART NO OF THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT :BE 8Z2C405B2. *LN