1997 FORD ECONOLINE Service Brakes, Hydraulic Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 FORD ECONOLINE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE BRAKES SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE THEY WOULD ENGAGE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER, WHEN CALLED, STATED THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER MAY HAVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 89,400. UPDATED 01/04/11*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, THAT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE BLOCK WAS BAD. UPDATED 01/11/11.*JB

Mileage: 89,400

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN APPLYING THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES AT 40 MPH THE BRAKES WILL LOCK UP CAUSING THE CONSUMER TO HAVE A VEHICLE ROLLOVER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE STOPPED SHORT SUDDENLY. APPLIED BRAKES (ABS) & BRAKES FAILED. REARENDED OTHER VEHICLES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER & MECHANIC CHANGED MASTER CYLINDER, BUT IT DID NOT SOLVE PROBLEM.*AK BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR WHEN ABS ARE PUMPING. *SLC

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES PAD & ROTORS. BRAKES WERE MAKING A GRINDING NOISE AND THERE WAS NO WARNING WHEN FADING. DEALER SAID IT JUST HAPPENED SOMETIMES FROM ALOT OF WEIGHT. CONSUMER REPLACED THEM AGAIN ON 11-AUG-2000. *AK

THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD MULTIPLE BRAKE FAILURES. BEFORE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT AT 36K, THE DEALER REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES TWO TIMES. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD THE PADS REPLACED AND/OR ROTORS TURNED AT LEAST THREE TIMES MORE. NOW, ONLY 2K MILES AFTER THE LAST ROTOR REPLACEMENT, THE BRAKES ARE FAILING AGAIN - I.E., THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATES WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, PARTICULARLY FROM SPEEDS GREATER THAN 45 MPH. *AK

WHILE MAKING A TURN AT LOW SPEEDS AND APPLYING THE BRAKES IN ICY CONDITIONS , REAR BRAKES BECAME INOPERABLE, RESULTING IN A MINOR COLLISION. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK

SINCE WE'VE HAD THE VAN. THE BRAKES HAVE GIVEN US PROBLEMS, AND THE DEALER WORKED ON THE VEHICLE MULTIPLE TIMES. IT IS EVIDENT THAT THEY HAD NO CLUE HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM! THE FIRST MAJOR REPAIR WAS DONE ON 1/28/98 AND 12362 MILES.. THE DEALER HAS NOW BEEN BOUGHT OUT BY CLASSIC, AND THEY HAVE BEEN NO HELP AT ALL!!! I'VE TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE WITH E-150S WHO REPORT SIMILAR PROBLEMS! I'VE REPLACED THE ROTORS/CALIPERS, SHOES ,AND CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS GETTING THE VEHICLE ANTILOCK SYSTEM TO WORK PROPERLY! *AK

SINCE WE'VE HAD THE VAN. THE BRAKES HAVE GIVEN US PROBLEMS, AND THE DEALER WORKED ON THE VEHICLE MULTIPLE TIMES. IT IS EVIDENT THAT THEY HAD NO CLUE HOW TO FIX THE PROBLEM! THE FIRST MAJOR REPAIR WAS DONE ON 1/28/98 AND 12362 MILES.. THE DEALER HAS NOW BEEN BOUGHT OUT BY CLASSIC, AND THEY HAVE BEEN NO HELP AT ALL!!! I'VE TALKED TO OTHER PEOPLE WITH E-150S WHO REPORT SIMILAR PROBLEMS! I'VE REPLACED THE ROTORS/CALIPERS, SHOES ,AND CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS GETTING THE VEHICLE ANTILOCK SYSTEM TO WORK PROPERLY! *AK

BRAKE PEDAL NEEDS TO BE PRESSED HARD TO BRING VEHICLE TO A STOP. THIS RESULTS IN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER NOTIFIED ON THREE OCCASIONS, AND INFORMED CONSUMER THAT WAS NORMAL CONDITION OF THAT TYPE OF VEHICLE. SEEKING ANSWERS IN THIS MATTER FROM NHTSA. *AK

THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. I NOTED THE FIST OCCURRENCE ONLY, THERE HAVE BEEN 4 ADDIONAL OCCURRENCES OF THE SAME PROBLEM. THE ANTI-LOCK SYSTEM ENGAGES, CLAMPS HARD ONE TIME AND THEN RELEASES. THIS LEAVES YOU FREE ROLLING UNTIL IT DECIDES TO CONTINUE OR YOU TAKE YOUR FOOT UP AND REAPPLY THE BRAKES. WHEN IT DOES CONTINUE ON ITS OWN THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES VIOLENTLY. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 4-5 MPH, MADE A U-TURN AND PRESSED HAND BRAKE AND VAN ACCELERATED TO HIGH SPEED, CONSUMER REARENDED VEHICLE IN FRONT. ALSO, HAD TO REPLACE MASTER CYLINDER/ HEATER CORE/PREMATURE WORN OUT TIRES, AND STARTER. *AK

ANTI LOCK BRAKES EXPERIENCED CONTINUED FAILURES, ONE INCIDENT RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION.

ANTI LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. YH

LEFT SIDE BRAKE SHOE WORE THROUGH THE ROTOR, AND THE RIGHT SIDE WAS NOT DAMAGED. NO BRAKE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED. A LOUD SCRAPPING NOISE WAS HEARD.DEALER WAS CONTACTED. *AK

CONTINUALLY FAILURE OF THE REAR BRAKES.

WAS COMING TO A STOP BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. NO BRAKES. WAS TOWED TO SERVICE STATION. MECHANIC SAID ABS BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. BRAKE PADS REPLACED & ROTORS TURNED. PROBLEM RETURNED. BACK AT DEALERSHP & ROTORS REPLACED. PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. BACK AGAIN TO DEALER & CALIPERS REPLACED. WAS TOLD THINGS WERE FINE. TOOK VEHICLE AROUND CORNER & NO BRAKES AT ALL. *AK

WAS COMING TO A STOP BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR. NO BRAKES. WAS TOWED TO SERVICE STATION. MECHANIC SAID ABS BRAKES WERE NOT WORKING. TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. BRAKE PADS REPLACED & ROTORS TURNED. PROBLEM RETURNED. BACK AT DEALERSHP & ROTORS REPLACED. PROBLEM STILL EXISTED. BACK AGAIN TO DEALER & CALIPERS REPLACED. WAS TOLD THINGS WERE FINE. TOOK VEHICLE AROUND CORNER & NO BRAKES AT ALL. *AK

BRAKES LOCKED UP ON TWO OCCASIONS.

GOING ABOUT 45-50MPH WHEN BRAKES LOCKED UP GOING DOWN HILL AFTER BEING APPLIED. TOOK TO DEALER & APPLIED BRAKES WHICH STARTED SMOKING. MECHANIC NOTICED. SECOND TIME BRAKES HAVE BEEN CHECKED & REPLACED. *AK

WHENEVER ABS BRAKES ARE APPLIED, EITHER ON DRY/DAMP PAVEMENT, VEHICLE WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN. IT WOULD SUDDENLY PICK UP SPEED. HAPPENS AT LOW SPEED (30MPH OR LESS). HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER & TOLD COULD NOT LOCATE PROBLEM. *AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THE VEHICLE SHAKES. THE DISC HBRAKES AVE BEEN CHANGED 2 TIMES. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AND APPLYING BRAKES TO STOP, THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES AND CAR WANDERS. VEHICLE HAS BEEN FOR REPAIR FIVE TIMES AND THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK