2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FUSION HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME VERY HARD TO DEPRESS. THE DRIVER USED THE PARKING BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE. DURING THE FAILURE, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BILL KNIGHT FORD LOCATED AT 9607 SOUTH MEMORIAL DR, TULSA, OK 74133, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ABS MODULE FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FUSION HYBRID. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED AND THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ROUSH FORD (LOCATED AT 5575 KEIM CIRCLE, COLUMBUS, OH 43228, 614-888-333) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V904000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); HOWEVER, THE RECALL STOPPED AT MODELS MANUFACTURED IN 2010. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,710.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD FUSION HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ABS MODULE HAD A GLITCH THAT CAUSED THE BRAKES TO FAIL WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE ABS INDICATOR WOULD ILLUMINATE WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SYSTEM WOULD RESET WHEN THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF FOR FIVE MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO FORD CRESTVIEW (4060 S FERDON BLVD, CRESTVIEW, FL 32536, (850) 682-2721) WHERE IT WAS CURRENTLY BEING DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000.

THE VEHICLE SHOWS AN ERROR ON IGNITION STATING "CHECK ADVANCETRACK" AND THE ABS LIGHT COMES ON. WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION IT HAS MANUAL BRAKES, AND THEY MUST BE PRESSED TO THE FLOOR TO ENGAGE. TURNING OFF THE CAR AND RE-STARTING IT SOMETIMES CLEARS THE ERROR AND I AM ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR NORMALLY, WITH ABS AND HIGHLY RESPONSIVE BRAKES. FORD DEALERSHIP SAYS IT'S CAUSED BY THE FAILURE OF THE ABS MODULE AND THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT (HCU), WHICH THEY CLAIM ARE NORMAL WEAR ITEMS NOT CAUSED BY DRIVER AND THE COST OF REPAIR IS $1,800.00.

MY DASH WARNING LIGHTS FOR THE BRAKE SYSTEM, ADVANCED TRACTION CONTROL, BRAKE FAILURE, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON ALL OF A SUDDEN AND MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR WHEN I WAS COMING TO A STOP... ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. MY BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ARE ALL IN GOOD SHAPE. MY TIRES ARE IN GREAT SHAPE AS WELL. THERE WAS NO WARNING BEFORE THE PEDAL WENT STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR.

DRIVING IN CITY TRAFFIC, PROBABLY ABOUT 25 MPH AND WENT TO BRAKE AS SOMEONE MERGED INTO MY LANE BUT PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH NO RESISTANCE. WARNING LIGHTS WENT OFF ON THE DASH REGARDING BRAKE FAILURE AND ABS AND ADVANCE TRAC. I WAS ABLE TO PULL THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND MOVE INTO THE MIDDLE TURN LANE TO AVOID HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. FROM THAT POINT ON BRAKES CEASED TO FUNCTION RELIABLY--SOMETIMES JERKING TO AN ALMOST STOP AND THEN NOTHING, SOMETIMES JUST NOTHING, HAD TO CONTINUE TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO GET HOME AND TO THE DEALERSHIP IN THE AM AND IT IS BASICALLY A MIRACLE THAT I MADE IT SAFELY. THIS IS CLEARLY NOT A MECHANICAL PART WEARING OUT--LIKE BRAKE PADS ETC. BUT RATHER SOME KIND OF COMPUTER FAILURE THAT HAPPENS WITHOUT WARNING AND IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

WHILE MOVING ON A DRY, ASPHALT, CITY ROAD, APPROACHING A STOP SIGN, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE BRAKES DID NOT ENGAGE AT ALL. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED TO STOP VEHICLE. THEN SLOWLY MOVING FORWARD AND RETESTING BRAKES PRODUCED THE SAME RESULT. THEN TURNED OFF IGNITION AND RESTARTED IGNITION. THEN NORMAL BRAKING FUNCTION RETURNED. TOOK CAR TO A MECHANIC AND NO CORRECTIVE TAKEN (EVERYTHING TESTED OK). INCIDENTALLY, LEFT FRONT AND REAR TIRES WERE RECENTLY SWAPPED. SO TREAD WEAR WAS DIFFERENT BETWEEN LEFT AND RIGHT TIRES ON EACH AXLE.

MY 2011 FUSION ONLY HAS 61K MILES. ALL OF A SUDDEN, COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, THE BREAK WOULD GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND THE CAR WOULD BARELY STOP. I HAD TO USE THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP. LUCKILY, I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND TRYING TO PULL OUT OF A SLOT WHEN THIS HAPPENED. THE DASH HAD THE WRENCH SYMBOL AND ALSO BRAKE SYSTEM WARNING AND SERVICE ADVANCETRAC MESSAGE. I BARELY MANAGED TO STOP AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. AND ABOUT AN HOUR LATER, WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE THE WARNING MESSAGES WENT AWAY AND THE VEHICLE BEHAVED NORMALLY. WITHOUT TAKING CHANCES, I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED CLEARLY WHAT HAPPENED. THEY RAN SOME DIAGNOSTICS AND DETERMINED THAT THE ABS ECU AND THE ABS HCU UNIT NEED TO BE REPLACED (COST $3,125). WHAT REALLY APPALLS ME IS THAT A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 61K MILES WOULD COMPLETELY LOSE ITS BRAKING ABILITY AND PUT THE OCCUPANTS AND THE PEOPLE ON THE ROAD IN SERIOUS JEOPARDY. EITHER I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED/INJURED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF I WAS ON A HIGHWAY OR I COULD HAVE EASILY RUN OVER A PEDESTRIAN OR A CYCLIST ON A CITY STREET. MAKES ME SHIVER THINKING OF THESE SITUATIONS.

BRAKE FAILURE..FORD FUSION A.B.S... I WAS EXITING A PARKING LOT AT APPROXIMATELY 20MPH FOR A RIGHT HAND TURN AT A STOP SIGN. AS I APPROACHED THE STOP SIGN, I WENT TO SLOW DOWN AND STOP, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR- THE CAR DID NOT SLOW OR STOP. I GRABBED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND PULLED IT UP, AND THE CAR STILL DID NOT SLOW OR STOP. I WENT BEYOND THE STOP SIGN AND ROLLED INTO A CITY STREET. THERE WAS ONCOMING TRAFFIC SO I ACCELERATED TO BE AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING TRAFFIC. I VERY SLOWLY DROVE THE 1 MILE TO MY HOME. THE ABS LIGHT, BRAKE LIGHT, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WERE ALL ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A FORD DEALER. THE BRAKES CHECKED OUT OK, HOWEVER, THE A.B.S. SYSTEM FAILED. THE A.B.S. MODULE AND A.B.S. CONTROL WERE FAULTY. THE SAME MODEL PARTS REPLACED THE FAULTY PARTS!!! WHEN WILL THE BRAKES FAIL AGAIN?? ONLY 63,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. THE FORD SERVICE ADVISOR STATED, "THE BRAKE FAILURE WAS DUE TO NOTHING YOU DID". THIS WAS A VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE AND THANK HEAVENS I WAS NOT DRIVING FASTER OR ON A FREEWAY. I KNOW OF 2 OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCES (BRAKES TO THE FLOOR AND NOT STOPPING) WITH FORD FUSION BRAKE FAILURE. I HAVE ENCOURAGED BOTH TO REPORT TO THE NHTSA, HOWEVER BOTH ARE FLEET CARS AND THEY ARE NOT THE OWNERS.