Service Brakes Problems of Ford F-150 - part 1

While driving my brakes went from normal, to squishy, to total loss of brakes. Brake indicator light came on while in the squishy phase. After avoid collision by nothing other than sure luck I was able to slow the vehicle and use the emergency brake to stop. Once stopped I popped the hood and found the master cylinder to be all but empty. I obtained brake fluid, filled the cylinder and the brakes appeared to be normal. After a very short drive I lost brake function again and the mc was empty. No leaks could be found from lines or around the wheels truck was towed to an independent shop where the diagnostic determined the master cylinder seal had failed and leaked brake fluid into the brake booster. I believe the hitachi master cylinder failure is a known Ford defect. It has been recalled on the 3. 5l model f150's but not the 2. 7l and 5. 0l models. My loss of brakes could have led to serious or fatal traffic incidence. The master cylinder is defective on all models of the years involving the recall of the 3. 5l models. The recall should be extended before someone loses their life. Please look to extend the recall to include the other models of f150s.

See all problems of the 2018 Ford F-150 🔎.

Abs control module and brake booster assembly failed. Vehicle would not crank or start. Disconnected battery negative pole for one minute to reset pcm. Vehicle started. Drove immediately to independent service center without difficulty. Service center confirmed vehicle no start the next morning. Found several dtc codes including u3001 (control module improper shutdown) u300a (ignition switch) u0121 (lost communication with abs) u0554 (invalid data recieved from accessory protocol interface) and u0415 (invalid data received from abs) flowchart determined abs module is bad. Anti lock brake system control module failed which rendered the system inoperative. Warning on dash that anti lock brake system failed was prominent among other warnings. (traction control, service needed, door ajar (was closed), hood ajar (was closed) assembly was replaced and abs module reprogrammed by independent service center. They retained the bad assembly.

See all problems of the 2021 Ford F-150 🔎.

The brake master cylinder on my 2019 f150 had a seal leak which caused all brake fluid loss while towing with my family. Luckily we were able to stop safely, not only for us but others nearby. I know this is a recall that affects vehicles in other years but mine was not included and I feel like it should be because we had total brake failure. This is already documented by Ford recall number 25s37 (which aligns with the national highway traffic safety administration's number 25v-236). I feel like Ford needs to expand the recall to other years as it seems the defective part is more widespread to the ones they recalled. I had a Ford dealer replace the master cylinder and brake booster which is Ford's recommendation based on the rear seal leak of the master cylinder. A low brake fluid warning was all that appeared and by the time I was going to safely stop to check fluid level, there was no braking pressure.

See all problems of the 2019 Ford F-150 🔎.

The contact owns a 2014 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard but failed to respond as intended. The contact enabled the parking brake to stop the vehicle. The vehicle had experienced catastrophic brake failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a leak in the brake master cylinder. The contact was informed that the brake master cylinder, brake booster, and brake vacuum sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted by phone, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.

See all problems of the 2014 Ford F-150 🔎.

The contact's mother owns a 2014 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while his wife was driving 65 mph, the brake fluid warning light illuminated. The brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The vehicle failed to stop. The contact's wife engaged the parking brake, and the vehicle was able to slow down, and the vehicle was pulled over and parked in a parking lot. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 16v345000 (service brakes, hydraulic), and that the warranty had expired. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 15 mph, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the brakes became inoperable. The brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard, and the vehicle was driven in limp mode back to the residence. The dealer was contacted by phone and associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 25v236000 (service brakes, hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the dealer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 146,118.

See all problems of the 2017 Ford F-150 🔎.

I am filing this complaint because a Ford-authorized dealership, west hills Ford in bremerton, washington, returned my vehicle to me in an unsafe condition after performing a repair under federal safety recall 25s37 (NHTSA campaign 25v-236, brake master cylinder), and because an independent inspection has since documented physical evidence of a real defect connected to that repair. Please see attached documents outlining this entire incident as well as supporting documentation.

Received vehicle back from dealer saying prior brake problems had been repaired and confirmed with Ford engineers. Drove approximately 3 miles before brakes failed again and I was not able to stop at the intersection. Avoided an accident, but had vehicle towed again to be repaired. This is the third complete brake failure in less than 300 miles on the vehicle.

Emergency parking brake came on and would not turn off even when I tried to do a reset. We had to have the truck towed.

See all problems of the 2022 Ford F-150 🔎.

I purchased a brand-new 2026 Ford F-150 raptor from ken grody Ford on August 25, 2026. On August 26, 2026—one day after the purchase—I was traveling in traffic at approximately 45 mph when the truck suddenly lost power-assisted braking and most of its braking effectiveness. The brake pedal required extraordinary pressure, and even with that pressure the truck was slowing only marginally. I activated my hazard lights and had to cross multiple lanes of traffic while attempting to bring the vehicle to a safe stop. This created an immediate and serious risk of a collision with surrounding motorists. Multiple warning lights and messages appeared, including a red “check brake system” warning. After I had safely pulled over, I recorded a video showing the warnings displayed by the vehicle. The truck had only 255 miles on it at the time. No collision or injury occurred because I maintained control of the truck, activated the hazard lights, applied extraordinary pressure to the brake pedal and took immediate evasive action to reach a safe location. I immediately reported the incident to ken grody Ford. Because this serious braking failure occurred one day after I purchased a brand-new vehicle, the dealership subsequently agreed to unwind the transaction. As of August 28, 2026, I have not received a definitive engineering explanation identifying the cause of the failure. I am reporting this incident because the sudden loss of power-assisted braking and severe reduction in braking effectiveness in a virtually new 2026 Ford F-150 raptor created a substantial risk of injury or death. I request that NHTSA document and investigate this incident and determine whether similar braking-system failures have occurred in other Ford vehicles.

My 2018 Ford F-150 is experiencing a dangerous loss of braking power, a soft/spongy brake pedal, and brake fluid leaking from the master cylinder into the brake booster. These are the exact symptoms and component failures described in Ford recall campaign 25s37 (NHTSA campaign 25v236). However, when checking my VIN, I am told my truck is excluded from the recall population. Because my vehicle is exhibiting the identical safety defect, the current recall window is too narrow and needs to be expanded to cover my vehicle before a serious collision occurs.

I was driving and went to press the brakes and the pedal went to the floor. The truck would not stop right away and then the rear tires locked up. Light came on the dash abs, service traction control and brake system failure, this was a similar issue with the 2021 and 2025 model having issues with the ebb/ecu that was on recall.

As I was stopping at an intersection for a redlight, the brakes locked up and the collision assist warning and another message came up on the screen. There were no cars in front of me at the intersection. This is the first time that this has ever happened and the truck has 32,665 miles. No servicing has been performed on this truck beyond oil changes and tire rotations.

See all problems of the 2023 Ford F-150 🔎.

My truck was parked on a slight slope in my driveway. I got in to move the truck to my normal parking space. When I started the truck I noticed the emergency brake was on. I put the truck into drive- the truck accelerated with my foot on the brake. The truck struck the corner of my deck and didn't stop until I hit the corner at my house. I had the brake pushed to the firewall and the truck would kept accelerating. Thankfully the airbags did not deploy. Significant damage was done to my house and my truck.

I was in my driveway getting ready to service the truck. After depressing the break pedal about half way, I lost break pressure. Upon inspection, the front passenger side breaks had a major leak/failure. The entire inside of the front passenger wheel as sprayed with break fluid. This indicates that the line failed under pressure and had and explosive release of fluid. Upon further inspection the line failed at the hard metal fitting leading to the hard metal break lines. In one of the pictures provided I am pointing at the exact point of failure. This is similar to other reported failures: [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2015 Ford F-150 🔎.

I have contacted family Ford in netcong NJ on two separate occasions to address recall manufacturer recall number20s31 NHTSA recall number20v332 recall statusrecall incomplete initially in 2020 I was on a waitlist; I followed up a few times and never heard back. Recently I contacted them again to address a second recall and schedule the work for sept 6th. I received a call from their scheduler stating the above parts were on backorder for several months and said I would be put on a waiting list. I asked what specific part number was on order but she had no information but stated it could be 6 to 9 months and she was unable to follow up with me when it was available. After our call I did a search on their parts inventory and the brake booster, o-rings and gasket were all in stock and available for pickup that day Saturday August 22nd 2026. It is clear that they are intentionally delaying the installation of the of this critical stopping component.

Driver side brake hose failure at upper crimp on the hose caused loss of brake fluid and spongy peddle.

See all problems of the 2013 Ford F-150 🔎.

There was no incident. Ford announced the recall in may with no remedy until August. I had to rent a truck to pull a trailer to [xxx] from [xxx]. They said there was no compensation as there was no "stop driving" notice on the recall but it stated the the vehicle could abruptly slow down /downshift increasing the risk of a crash. Wanted to go on record that compensation should be covered by Ford as this was a considerable safety issue. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

See all problems of the 2016 Ford F-150 🔎.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the message "brake fluid level low" was displayed. The brake pedal was depressed and went to the floorboard. The contact stated that the brakes failed to work properly. The contact drove to walmart and purchased brake fluid to add to the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The contact added more brake fluid, but the failure recurred, and the engine made a knocking sound with smoke coming from the exhaust pipe. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 22v150000 (service brakes, hydraulic); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 114,089.

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while reversing, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard and the brake system malfunction message displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle drove onto a hilly grass embankment before coming to a complete stop. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while loading the vehicle with motorcycles for an event. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, but a diagnostic test was not performed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,500.

Brake master cylinder failed at only 98000 miles.

Right front brake continuously freezes up making impossible to drive safely. Abs does not show any default or warnings. Truck shakes all over. Had rotors, calibers, and brake pads replied, but right side brake continues to freeze up. Brake lines checked and show no signs of collapse.

While driving, brakes pushed to floor, and vehicle alarm beeped showing low brake fluid sensor had tripped. Brakes not working properly, pedal goes to floor, brake fluid added to refill and fluid emptied out of master cylinder reservior two more times, vehicle inoperable to drive with no brake pressure. Open safety recalls for Ford f150 models 2013-2014 #16s24, and for f150 models 2014-2017 #20s31, both specifically for the 3. 5lv6 ecoboost engine, which I have, but Ford is saying that mine is not covered for the same brake master cylinder / brake booster issue.

I went to start my truck and the brake went all the way to the floor. I had no braking power and it had to be towed back home over an hour away. There is a recall on 2016 Ford f150 with the 3. 5 eco boost engine which I have. This recall involves a seal in the master cylinder failing and losing braking power and affecting the brake booster. Referencing recall 20s31. I went to Ford and they told me the recall did not apply to this specific truck due to a different batch of parts. This truck is now having the exact problem as the specific ones which have already been recalled. I believe the recall should be expanded. This occurred shortly after driving an hour in the rain with my kid in the back. It could have easily killed us on the highway with no brakes. We had no idea this recall was in effect. It’s the last time I’m buying a Ford. I want to feel safe with my kids in the back and Ford does not seem to care.

On July 30, 2026, while operating my 2014 F-150 under normal driving conditions, the dash cluster information screen displayed a "brake fluid level low" warning. Moments later, the brake system experienced a sudden/catastrophic loss of front braking performance. The brake pedal became severely spongy and traveled completely to the floorboard, requiring drastically increased distance to bring the vehicle to a stop. Due to ineffective braking, I missed the driveway of the parking lot I chose to inspect/determine what the issue was and subsequently could not stop the truck within the confines of the parking space. This brake failure put me, my family as well as oncoming traffic and pedestrians in jeopardy of injury or death due to collision. A mechanical inspection of the vehicle revealed the rear cup seal inside the brake master cylinder had failed. This internal seal failure allowed hydraulic brake fluid to bypass the cylinder and leak directly into the vacuum brake booster, completely contaminating the booster assembly. Without effective braking, the truck was deemed too dangerous to drive so it was parked and unused until replacement parts could be installed. This specific component failure, internal seal degradation, and resultant fluid contamination of the booster is identical to the safety defect detailed in NHTSA campaign #16v345000 (Ford recall #16s24). However, this specific vehicle was excluded from that safety campaign solely because it is equipped with the 6. 2l v8 engine, rather than the recalled 3. 5l engine, this despite using the identical hitachi master cylinder. The Ford corporate consumer relations was unwilling to assist with the purchase of replacement of the master cylinder, booster but did offer to record my complaint and issue a case number for engineering review. The defective master cylinder and contaminated booster assembly have been retained for inspection if required or requested.

1. Vehicle sat in a storage unit for 2 weeks. Battery registered adequate voltage when picking up vehicle 2. Started vehicle, engaged 4 auto due to rain 3. Drove 16 miles in light to moderate rain at speeds of 30-60mph 4. Made multiple stops at stoplight in town. When waiting at a red light, my foot was on the brake pedal for about 20 seconds, the pedal then jolted up a small amount. The dash immediately displayed several warning lights and messages: antilock brake fault, antilock brake system fault, powertrain malfunction/reduced power fault, electronic parking brake fault, hill start assist fault, precollision assist fault, service advance trac warning, advanced front lighting features fault. 5. The light turned green and I proceed to the next light to turn off the main road and park in a neighborhood to call a tow truck. 6. In the process of slowing down for the turn, I applied pressure to the brake pedal, and it went to the floor with no resistance. Brakes were 95% gone. 7. Luckily there were no cars or pedestrians in front of me and I was moving under 30 mph. This could have been catastrophic! I was able to use the transmission to downshift to slow the truck down. I was also able to apply extreme pressure to the brake pedal to barely slow the truck. When pressing hard on the brake pedal, I could here one or both of the rear tires sporadically screech, as if they locked up a small amount. 8. Finally was able to pull into a neighborhood and call a tow truck to bring truck to dealership. 9. When turning vehicle on to load onto tow truck. The vehicle started as no normal, with no warning lights and normal brake operation. Awaiting further diagnosis from dealer. 10. I have lost all trust in this vehicle if the brake sporadically give out without warning. Luckily this did not happen while going 80mph on the highway and needing to make an emergency stop. Or while offroading on a shelf road with a 100 foot cliff on the side. Easily could be dead due to this failure.

While engaging my brakes at a traffic light, suddenly the brake pedal went to the floor. Once I was able to safely park the vehicle (because there was no brake function), I inspected around the tires, brake fluid, and brake calipers. I noticed a puddling of brake fluid around the front passenger tire. Upon removing the tire, and inspecting this brake hose, I noticed the brake hose was visibly ruptured. I went to a local Ford dealership to purchase the replacement part, and fix this issue.

On July 24. 2026 I lost all brakes in my 2016 Ford F-150 while towing a fishing boat. I had just decended a steep grade on a busy downtown street when I received an alert that I was low on brake fluid. The next pump of the brake went to the floor. I received an audible alarm. Had this occured on the steep grade, this could have been a very serious accident. I understand the loss of brakes was due to failure of the master cylinder just and as described by the open recall on my vehicle. I added a quart of brake fluid to an empty resevoir, tried to pump the brakes up and the fluid vanished. I could not find any evidence of a leak. Clearly the fluid is in the brake booster, which is also replaced under this recall. I had the vehicle delivered to the closest dealership, pierre Ford of lynnwood on Monday the 27th. The service advisor tod me he would need ot for two days. Four days later, the advisor text me to report that parts are not available, and that he would let me know when they were. I asked him to make sure that a vor report had been submitted so that my repair repair parts could be expidited by Ford corporate. He assured me the vor had been placed. Today, on July 31, I called customer care who verified my recall eligability, and also informed me that no vor had been requested against my VIN. I have found genuine Ford parts for the repair of my vehicle in many Ford facilities in the nation. I dont feel that Ford is working very hard to get my only vehicle back on the road.

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 55 mph on the highway, the vehicle lost motive power, and the brakes became inoperable. The drivetrain and wrench symbol were displayed. The abs warning light was illuminated and dtc: u100 (failure of communication for engine and transmission) was displayed. The codes were cleared after restarting the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a communication error with the engine and transmission computer. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The transmission upshifted from first gear to seventh. After a while, the vehicle resumed normal operations, but then the vehicle drove abnormally. The rpm increased to high, and the temperature gauge was at hot. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer and was diagnosed with complete transmission failure. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 62,513.

I have been trying to get this recall resolved. This truck was at the metro Ford dealership in tupelo, mississippi for over one week in July 2026. Replacement parts sent to dealership were also recalled. Dealership ended up placing original part back on the truck. How can this issue be resolved?.

Sudden and catastrophic master cylinder failure. Complete loss of brakes at speed.

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front passenger's tire was flat. The vehicle was driven to a nearby church parking lot. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that while driving at an abnormal speed, there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while making a right turn. The vehicle was driven to the residence and inspected. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side tire had been rubbing against the brake line bracket. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 49,270.

Brakes seem to be staying engaged when driving this has been for about 1 yr. Now all of a sudden, my truck wouldn't stop. Thankfully, I was pulling in to my own driveway, but now I'm not sure what to do about the situation. I jave seen a lot of complaints on 2013 f150 with ecoboost 3. 5l and I don't think it's right that only certain vins are recalled when obviously a lot of others should be included.

Purchased new vehicle may 2024 primarily for towing my recreational vehicle (2024 Ford f150 pickup). June 2024 took vehicle to dealership indicating that I was intermittently getting a "trailer disconnect" warning while driving (loss of trailer brakes, lights etc. ). Dealer indicated no issue found. Subsequently returned to dealership on 6 other occasions over 2 years after continuing to experience the failure. Replaced 7 pin connector on trailer and dealer has replaced the 7 pin on vehicle and trailer control module (tcm) but problem persists. Early 2026 dealership performed a recall on tcm software - did not resolve the issue (vehicle intermittently indicates the trailer is disconnected while driving or manually activating the trailer brakes). Issue seems to occur typical on startup after several hours of driving with a trailer (heat related), and every time activate the trailer brakes manually. I get a "trailer disconnect" warning by activating the manual trailer brake even without a trailer attached. Working with Ford customer service team and the dealership for 7 days, no solution was discovered. The dealership indicated (in writing) that it is normal operation to disconnect the trailer when the tcm is activated manually (while driving or stopped).

See all problems of the 2024 Ford F-150 🔎.

I had two very serious incidents. July 8th: horn just started blaring unprompted. Locking/unlocking doors, turning motor on, disconnecting battery did nothing to stop it. I was trying everything and as I was trying to find the correct fuse to disable (it wasn't labeled), the horn burned out and started smoldering. If the car was not in my driveway and I wasn't home, I believe a fire would have started if I didn't pull the fuse and douse it with water. It was parked next to my garage, so that would have been at risk as well. July 11th: when driving, my brake line burst resulting in a complete failure of my brakes. I narrowly escaped two accidents before I realized something was amiss. But the only warning was abs was inactive, and active cruise control wasn't working. I had no warning that complete brake failure was imminent. I was extremely lucky. Mechanics had never seen a brake failure fail in a relatively new car in very good condition.