Ford Pickup Trucks with 3.5 Liter EcoBoost Engine May Leak Break Fluid, Posing Accident Risk
Ford Motor Company has issued a recall that impacts nearly 300,000 F-150 pickup trucks that may experience problems with brake fluid leaks, which could make the vehicles harder to stop and increase the risk of an auto accident.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the Ford F-150 recall on June 10, after the manufacturer determined the brake master cylinder may leak brake fluid into the brake booster, which would mean drivers would have to apply increasing pressure to the brakes over time to get the vehicles to stop.
To date, Ford has become aware of seven low speed and low impact collisions suspected to be related to the recall. Of the incidents, two injuries have been reported.
According to the recall notice, Ford received several field reports indicating the brake pedal of certain model F-150 vehicles required additional effort and force to stop the vehicle. After collecting field parts and data related to the incidents, Ford opened an investigation with its parts supplier Hitachi Automotive Systems and determined the cause to be from a brake fluid leak that could interfere with the rear cup seal function.
Investigators determined that drivers may experience a significant loss of brake fluid which may cause brake function in the front wheels requiring extend stopping distances, increasing the risk of a crash. Ford is alerting owners that in the event of brake fluid loss, drivers will receive an audible chime, an alert in the message center, and a red brake warning indicator will illuminate on the dashboard cluster.
The recalled vehicles include model year 2014 through 2017 F-150 trucks manufactured by Ford Motor Company of Dearborn, Michigan and were distributed for sale across the U.S. to licensed dealers.
Ford will begin notifying customers of the recall via mailed notice, with instructions on how to schedule a free repair at their local dealer, who will be instructed to replace the brake master cylinder and inspect the brake booster, replacing it as necessary.
Customers with additional questions or concerns regarding the recall may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 and reference the recall campaign number 20S31.