1989 Ford E350

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

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

THE ORIGIONAL FUEL SPILL OCCURRED WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE DOWN LAS VEGAS BLVD S. I NOTICED THAT MY FUEL GAUGE WAS SHOWING ONLY HALF FULL ON THE REAR TANK WHEN I HAD JUST FILLED THE VAN. I THEN NOTICED I WAS TRAILING FUEL DOWN THE STREET. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED IT WAS POURING FUEL FROM THE FILL CAP FOR THE FRONT TANK. I SWITCHED TO THE FRONT TANK AND THE FUEL SPILL STOPPED. I CALLED THE LOCAL FORD DEALER AND THE SAID IT WOULD COST OVER ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE PART TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND WOULD TAKE A WEEK TO GET THE PART. I WENT BACK TO SAN DIEGO AND WENT TO PEARSON FORD AND WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO SPEND UPWARDS OF $1000.00 AND THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER PARTS. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL ON MY VEHICLE. I HAVE SINCE AAQUIRED THE "91S39 SAFETY RECALL" AND CALLED FORD FACTORY. THEY SAID MY VAN WASN'T RECALLED. I THEN AQUIRED YOUR NHTSA CAMPAICN ID NUMBER: 91V146000 AND CALLED THE FORD NUMBER --IT IS NO LONGER IN SERVICE. I CALLED FORD WITH THE INFORMATION AGAIN AND AGAIN WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL ON BY VAN. I HAVE HAD SIX INSTANCES OF FUEL SPILLING FROM THE VAN AND FEEL FORD SHOULD REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL TANK SELECTOR . PLEAQS HELP. *AK