NHTSA Complaint #8016696 — 2000 REXHALL AERBUS

CONSUMER APPLIED BRAKES WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL, PEDAL WENT ALMOST TO THE FLOOR, NO BRAKING ACTION. THE CONSUMER HAD TO DOWNSHIFT TO SLOW THE VEHICLE. DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE LINE HAD BEEN PINCHED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATES THAT SUDDENLY WITH NO PRIOR WARNING, THE BRAKE POWER HAD COME DOWN 6-8 PERCENT GRADE NARROW, ON CURVY MOUNTAIN ROADS. THE ENGINE COMPRESSION HELD THE VEHICLE BACK BY SHIFTING DOWN TO FIRST GEAR AND TAPPING WHAT LITTLE BRAKES WERE AVAILABLE. THE CONCERNS OF THE CONSUMER WERE FURTHER INCREASED WHEN THE RPM GAUGE REGISTERED 4-5K THROUGHOUT THE INCIDENT. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS THAT THE METAL BAR THAT GOES ACROSS THE UNIT TO THE GENERATOR IN THE REAR. A SQUARE TUBING WELDED BETWEEN THE FRAME RAILS ABOVE THE REAR END. THE BRAKE LINE GOES UP AND OVER THE REAR HOUSING. APPEARS THAT THE HOUSING CAME DOWN AND PINCHED THE EXPOSED BRAKE LINE. FORD MOTOR COMPANY COULD HAVE AUTHORIZED THE NOMINAL PAYMENT OF THE NECESSARY REPAIRS WITHOUT ASSUMING ANY LIABILITY FOR THE FAULTY STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING. *SCC