NHTSA Complaint #11352860 — 2015 FORD FUSION

TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH WITH SUDDEN IMMEDIATE INABILITY TO MAINTAIN SPEED (LOSS OF POWER/ACCELERATION). VEHICLE NOT RESPONSIVE TO ACCELERATION REQUEST UNTIL BELOW 45 MPH AND BEHAVES ERRATICALLY (JUST STOPS RESPONDING AND CAR SLOWS). NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND CAR OTHERWISE RUNS NORMALLY. ACCOMPANYING BEHAVIORS: BRAKE LIGHTS ARE CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED (STUCK ON), EVEN WHEN NOT BRAKING AND ALSO WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF AND KEY REMOVED. INTERMITTENTLY WHEN CAR IS STOPPED, MESSAGE "HILL START ASSIST NOT AVAILABLE" IS SHOWN. TOOK CAR INTO FORD DEALERSHIP WHO DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AND "FOUND BRAKE SWITCH ENGAGEMENT BUSHING MISSING FROM BRAKE PEDAL" AND OFFERED TO REPLACE THE "BRAKE PEDAL ASSEMBLY" AT A COST OF $1,062.35. FOUND SEVERAL FORUMS COMPLAINING OF THE SAME EXACT BEHAVIORS AND NOTING THAT THE OEM "BRAKE PEDAL STOP PAD" HAD BROKEN INTO PIECES. I ALSO REMEMBERED VACUUMING UP SOME PLASTIC PIECES FROM THE DRIVER FRONT FLOOR AREA NOT REALIZING WHERE THEY HAD COME FROM. THE "BRAKE PEDAL STOP PAD" ITSELF WHICH WOULD COST LESS THAN $5.00 IS NOT OFFERED BY FORD, SO PEOPLE ARE FINDING ALTERNATIVES WHICH MAY BE UNSAFE AND INCLUDE: "BRAKE PEDAL STOP PAD" NOT DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS VEHICLE, ZIP TIES, AND EVEN MAGNETS! OTHER FORD MODELS ARE AFFECTED AS WELL. SOME EXAMPLE FORUM LINKS BELOW. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/FORD/MUSTANG/2015/BRAKES/SERVICE_BRAKES.SHTML HTTPS://WWW.MUSTANG6G.COM/FORUMS/THREADS/BRAKE-LIGHT-SWITCH-NEAR-PEDAL-FAILURE.122100/