Pleasanton, CA – April 14, 2022 – Ford (NYSE:F) has remedied issues with 171,182 2014-2017 Ford F-150 pickup trucks that had brakes failures with the master cylinder causing a fluid leak into the booster. Additionally, 6,496 of these vehicles have been categorized as unreachable and 307 have been removed from the recall. One group of these 2014-2017 Ford F-150 pickup trucks models with leaking brake fluid issues were remedied in 2020 and four more groups were remedied in 2021.

Pleasanton, CA – July 6, 2020 – Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) has announced a recall of certain 2014-2017 Ford F-150 pickup trucks equipped with 3.5-liter Ecoboost engines.

Recall summary

In May 2016, Ford recalled 225,012 F-150s for leaking brake fluid resulting in front brake failure. On June 8 of this year,  after a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigation, the company expanded the recall to the 2014-2017 models because of the same issue.  In some cases – depending on the model – drivers would hear “an audible chime” or see the “brake warning indicator” come on.  In others, however, the brakes would fail without any warning. Losing the front braking power can increase the distance it takes to stop a moving vehicle, which increases the risk of a crash. 

A harrowing experience for drivers

There are 286 Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) reports from the NHTSA detailing drivers’ experiences with Ford brake failure. Ford says it knows of seven accidents and two injuries that have resulted from this defect. Dozens more near-misses populate the NHTSA list of complaints linked to F-150s with leaky brake master cylinders.

Many of the incidents began with a driver pressing down on the brake pedal, only to have it go all the way to the floor with no resistance as the car barreled ahead, slowing very little or not at all. “I was convinced someone had tampered with my brakes and they were trying to kill me!” one Ford driver reported.

Another driver’s report states their warning light came on shortly before the brakes failed. The driver told their family to hold on. “As they were screaming in fear I stepped on the emergency [brake] and down-shifted to first,” the driver wrote in their complaint. “We are lucky I knew what to do. Another family may not be so lucky.”

What to do if your brakes fail 

According to Ford, in a situation where a leak disables the front wheel brakes,  the rear brakes would still function. But losing half a car’s braking power can still feel like the vehicle is out of control.

If a vehicle’s brakes partially fail, drivers should:

• Maintain composure and turn on hazard lights.
• Attempt to slow down by either shifting to a lower gear (for a manual transmission) or taking the foot off the gas (for an automatic car).
• Pump the brakes.
• If pumping the brakes does not work, slowly engage the parking (emergency) brake. 
• Look for a safe place to pull off. This may be an open area to steer into, or an uphill road to turn onto.
• As a last resort, if the vehicle will not stop, turn the ignition “OFF”. Do not turn it to “LOCK,” which will lock up the steering wheel. 

The repair

Ford owners can take their recalled F-150s to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to replace the brake master cylinder and the brake booster, if needed. According to the NHTSA, repairs due to a recall will come free of charge, if no more than 10 years passed from the vehicle purchase date.

Owners who paid to repair this defect before the recall may be reimbursed, but the deadline for reimbursement is July 17. 

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Nearly 300,000 cars are included in this Ford F-150 recall. Check your car’s recall status using MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.