1989 FORD E350 Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE LOSES BRAKE POWER WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND FAILS TO STOP THE TRUCK. THE EMERGENCY BRAKES HAD TO BE ENGAGED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITH IN 400 MILES. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER AGAIN, AND BLEED THE BRAKES. HOWEVER, FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN 1500 MILES. THEN, DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS FAILURE OCCURRED BECAUSE THE BRAKE LINE WAS ROUTED BEHIND THE ENGINE , WHICH GET HOT AND BOILED THE FLUID.*AK

Mileage: 25,000

INTERMITTENTLY VEHICLE LOSES BRAKE POWER WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED, BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AND FAILS TO STOP THE TRUCK. THE EMERGENCY BRAKES HAD TO BE ENGAGED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER WAS REPLACED, BUT THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITH IN 400 MILES. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER AGAIN, AND BLEED THE BRAKES. HOWEVER, FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN 1500 MILES. THEN, DEALERSHIP INDICATED THAT THIS FAILURE OCCURRED BECAUSE THE BRAKE LINE WAS ROUTED BEHIND THE ENGINE , WHICH GET HOT AND BOILED THE FLUID.*AK

Mileage: 25,000

BRAKE CALIPER FAILED TO RELEASE, BOILING THE BRAKE FLUID (UNBEKNOWNST TO ME UNTIL IT CAME TIME TO APPLY THE BRAKES). THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I LET IT UP COMPLETELY AND WHEN DEPRESSED, IT WENT TO THE FLOOR ONCE AGAIN. I USED THE TRANSMISSION (GEARING DOWN) AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO BRING VEHICLE TO A STOP. THE MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT NEVER ILLUMINATED. WHEN REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED, THE PRIMARY FAULT WAS IDENTIFIED AS EXTREMELY RUSTY FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS. ONE DID NOT RELEASE COMPLETELY AFTER A BRAKE APPLICATION, CAUSING SUFFICIENT HEAT BUILDUP TO BOIL THE BRAKE FLUID. MECHANIC SAID THE REAR BRAKES WERE BADLY OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, GIVING THE OPINION THAT WAS THE REASON THE MASTER CYLINDER INDICATOR LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. UNTIL THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED, I DID NOT KNOW THAT IT WAS INCUMBENT ON THE VEHICLE OPERATOR TO OCCASIONALLY MAKE REVERSE MOVES WITH AGGRESSIVE BRAKE APPLICATIONS (DONE SEVERAL TIMES) TO CINCH UP THE REAR BRAKE ADJUSTMENT. THUS, OVER TIME, THE FRONT BRAKES WERE BASICALLY DOING ALMOST ALL THE BRAKING EFFORT. IF I HAD HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL REPEATEDLY, I PERHAPS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE REAR BRAKES TO ENGAGE, AND BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP WITHOUT DOWNGEARING AND USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE.*AK

BRAKE CALIPER FAILED TO RELEASE, BOILING THE BRAKE FLUID (UNBEKNOWNST TO ME UNTIL IT CAME TIME TO APPLY THE BRAKES). THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I LET IT UP COMPLETELY AND WHEN DEPRESSED, IT WENT TO THE FLOOR ONCE AGAIN. I USED THE TRANSMISSION (GEARING DOWN) AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO BRING VEHICLE TO A STOP. THE MASTER CYLINDER BRAKE INDICATOR LIGHT NEVER ILLUMINATED. WHEN REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED, THE PRIMARY FAULT WAS IDENTIFIED AS EXTREMELY RUSTY FRONT BRAKE CALIPERS. ONE DID NOT RELEASE COMPLETELY AFTER A BRAKE APPLICATION, CAUSING SUFFICIENT HEAT BUILDUP TO BOIL THE BRAKE FLUID. MECHANIC SAID THE REAR BRAKES WERE BADLY OUT OF ADJUSTMENT, GIVING THE OPINION THAT WAS THE REASON THE MASTER CYLINDER INDICATOR LIGHT DID NOT ILLUMINATE. UNTIL THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED, I DID NOT KNOW THAT IT WAS INCUMBENT ON THE VEHICLE OPERATOR TO OCCASIONALLY MAKE REVERSE MOVES WITH AGGRESSIVE BRAKE APPLICATIONS (DONE SEVERAL TIMES) TO CINCH UP THE REAR BRAKE ADJUSTMENT. THUS, OVER TIME, THE FRONT BRAKES WERE BASICALLY DOING ALMOST ALL THE BRAKING EFFORT. IF I HAD HAD THE PRESENCE OF MIND TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL REPEATEDLY, I PERHAPS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE REAR BRAKES TO ENGAGE, AND BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP WITHOUT DOWNGEARING AND USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE.*AK

WROTE AN EXPLANATION OF WHOLE PROBLEM BUT WON'T FIT HERE. PLANNING TRIP TO MOUNTAINS, BUT SCARED TO GO WITHOUT RESOLUTION TO PROBLEM. NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED WITHIN SUMMARY. *AK

LOST BRAKING POWER WHILE DRIVING DOWN STEEP GRADE, NO PRESSURE IN PEDAL. WAS TOLD BY A DEALER THAT CALIPERS/PADS OVERHEATED. *AK

LOST BRAKING POWER WHILE DRIVING DOWN STEEP GRADE, NO PRESSURE IN PEDAL. WAS TOLD BY A DEALER THAT CALIPERS/PADS OVERHEATED. *AK

BRAKES FAILED.

BRAKES EXPERIENCING OVERHEATING, REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE REAR BRAKE CYLINDERS DID NOT RECTIFY OVERHEATING.

BRAKES EXPERIENCING OVERHEATING, REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE REAR BRAKE CYLINDERS DID NOT RECTIFY OVERHEATING.

COMING TO A STOP WHILE GOING DOWN HILL THE BRAKES FAILED/REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS, ROTORS AND BRAKE HOSES. *AK

COMING TO A STOP WHILE GOING DOWN HILL THE BRAKES FAILED/REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS, ROTORS AND BRAKE HOSES. *AK

COMING TO A STOP WHILE GOING DOWN HILL THE BRAKES FAILED/REPLACED FRONT BRAKE PADS, ROTORS AND BRAKE HOSES. *AK

BRAKE FAILURE.

BRAKE FLUID OVERHEATED, CAUSING BRAKE FAILURE. *DH

THE FRONT BRAKE FAILURE(CALIPER OVER HEAT) THE BRAKE FLUID CAUGHT ON FIRE. TT

AFTER SUSTAINED AND FREQUENT USE OF BRAKES THEY APPARENTLY OVERHEAT AND PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR. *AK