Ford brake failure reports

Ford is recalling its popular Ford Territory to fix a potentially dangerous brake defect.

Details of the defect were uncovered by Carsguide after more than 15 customers reported brake failures to our Ask Smithy guru, Graham Smith.

Read the letters below...

Territorial dispute

Last year we bought a 2004 Ford Territory, which has suffered numerous problems. The rear-view mirror has been replaced twice, the bonnet needs two people to help open it, the boot door has trouble closing, the key lock worked intermittently and now doesn't work at all, and the rear driver's side window has stopped working. Last week a brake line ruptured and my foot went to the floor as I applied the brakes. I was close to home and used my handbrake to get home safely. Ford Australia will not cover the cost of the part replacement, as it is no longer under warranty and say it is due to ``wear and tear'', nota manufacturing fault. The car has done 64,000km. I believe this is a real safety issue and should be addressed. I understand this is not an isolated incident and has occurred on many occasions. Something should be done. Ford should not be able to get away with this.

All the problems you have had with the Territory should be fixed, and many of them seem like this could be done with proper adjustment. But the brake line failure is a major concern, a safety issue as you say, and should not fail in any situation unless damaged through abuse in some way, which seems unlikely. Keep pressing Ford until you get help.

Ford brakes again

How lucky some people are to have had only one broken hose in a Ford Territory. In April 2007 (54,000km), a hose burst on my right-hand side front and the pedal went straight to the ground when I was doing less than 30km/h, and the vehicle came to an ungraceful stop, up the road. In January 2008 (71,000km) the same thing happened to the left-hand side front. I was going slowly and was lucky to stop without hitting anything. Ford arranged towing and repairs, but this is serious. One day someone will be doing 100km/h and need to stop. We will read of a ``tragic accident'' that's taken a life.

It is time Ford recalled and replaced the brake hoses on all these cars to ensure the danger is eliminated. It's fortunate that no one has been killed or injured as a result of these failures. A veteran brake expert is astounded that it hasn't been the subject of a recall.

Ford brake issue

I know two people who have suffered broken brake hoses on their Ford Territories, the same as a Carsguide reader reported. One had a complete brake failure in the middle of a school zone. She had the presence of mind to pull on the handbrake to stop before hitting cars in front that were picking up children. The dealership and Ford Australia refused to fix the hoses free of charge, claiming the hoses burst due to normal wear and tear; both cars had done between 60,000-64,000km. In the end the dealership gave them a refund for the repairs. I'm concerned that someone could die as a result of this problem and Ford and people in the industry who know just keep sweeping it under the carpet.

Ford should do something about it, as you say. A failure on such a vital safety component should not happen, and it shouldn't cause a complete brake failure as you say happened to one of your friends. The failure of one brake hose will cause the loss of braking in one system, but you should still have the braking effect of the second system, even if it is diminished. One brake service centre told us they regularly see failed brake hoses, usually front but also back on occasions, on Falcons and Territories, but they're usually on high-mileage cars like taxis. A taxi operator told us they routinely replace the hoses on any BF Falcon they buy before it goes into service because of the high rate of failure on the hoses. It's claimed by people in the trade that Ford designed the hoses too short and they are under tension when installed. The aftermarket, and we believe now the Ford replacements, are a little longer and don't have the problem. It should have been a recall campaign and Ford should have fixed all cars.

Q: I have been eagerly reading the stories of failed brake hoses on Fords and thought I would add my experience to the saga. We had a problem with a brake hose on our Territory, and as a result my wife hit another car from behind. The brake hose blew and half the braking system simply failed. Fortunately no one was injured but it obviously could've been a lot worse, especially if it was a pedestrian she was avoiding. Our dealer was very cooperative and advised, both verbally and in writing that the crash was due to the faulty hose as it blew from the inside, which should never happen. Talking to Ford directly was a totally different experience. They started off sounding nice, but as soon as I described the problem they became very cold and guarded in what they were saying. Their response was very scripted and no way were they admitting any liability. The reason I called them was to advise them of the problem and also that I don't think I should be financially out of pocket because it wasn't in any way mine or my wife's fault. I'm not just talking about the cost of fixing the brakes but my excess and increased premium of car insurance. Every time I thought about it, I couldn't stomach the thought of us having to pay when someone else was at fault. After a couple of calls, Ford said they weren't obliged to pay because the car was out of warranty by a few months, but they would pay for replacing the hose. I asked why I should be paying for the excess and extra premium when the fault was theirs. I was advised that since the car was out of warranty it wasn't their responsibility! I have since sought legal advice and they are wrong. We've been meaning to formally write to Ford, but thought we wouldn't get anywhere. My lawyer said taking legal action wouldn't be worth it, but there's a principle at stake here. At the end of the day, I will always ask why am I paying for something that wasn't my fault.

I just hope I don't read about any death and/or injury due to a Ford brake hose failure it's already happened? I've been a Ford man all my life but now all of a sudden, Holden and Toyotas are looking great!!!

A: I couldnt agree more. You didnt fit the faulty part to your car, Ford did and they should be responsible for the whole cost, not just the cost of a new brake hose. That you have a letter from the dealer placing the blame on the hose puts you in a strong position legally, and Im sure you would win if you went to court. But as your lawyer said it will cost plenty to go to court, and there is always the chance Ford will come along with better lawyers and argue their way out of it, leaving you with the bill. Ford is banking on you doing nothing, as most of us do in a similar situation, and they will get away with it. We have been highlighting this problem in the hope that Ford will see the light and do something about it.

Q: After reading your stories in the Telegraph about Falcon brake hose failures I thought I would give my local dealer a ring. After a quick check they told me my car could be affected and they booked it in to have the hoses replaced. They replaced all four hoses. It was done without question and with a smile. There was no charge and I couldnt be happier.

A: It's great that you are happy, but you had to ask. If you hadn't read about the problem in the Tele you wouldn't have known there was one. Wouldn't it have been better if Ford had contacted you and told you of the problem and asked you to take your car in to have the brake hoses changed. If I was in your shoes I would have been angry with Ford for letting me and my family drive around with a potentially dangerous flaw in it. I also note with interest that the dealer replaced all brake hoses, as some are just changing the rear hoses. Its just another example of the inconsistent approach by Ford and its dealers.

Q: I have a BA Falcon and have been reading about brake line failure. What are the chances of this happening to mine? Are the front and rear brakes separate, if one goes will I still have the other or if the hoses burst will I be left with nothing? Also, should I be proactive and get something done now to prevent this happening???

A: The chances are high enough that you should do something about it. Ford president Marin Burela has advised all Falcon owners who are concerned about the problem to go to their local Ford dealer and have their car checked. I would expect that your car will be one of those affected and the Ford dealer will replace the rear brake hoses at the very minimum, although I dont believe that will fully address the problem. If a brake hose fails you shouldnt lose all braking as the front and rear brake circuits are independent and the failure of one or the other wont cause you to lose all braking.

Q: The saga over the Ford brake hose failures reminds me of the time a noted European car importer undertook to replace noisy final drives on their vehicles during routine servicing. An engineer from the manufacturer test drove the vehicle and authorized the repair if it was felt to be outside the acceptable noise range. In some instances this was done without the owners knowledge. Consumer Affairs stepped in after an irate owner that had paid big dollars to have his differential repaired found out he was disadvantaged because he chose not to have his car serviced by an authorized dealer. The importer was forced to notify all owners of that particular model that this road test and repair was available regardless of servicing arrangements. Perhaps a disgruntled Ford owner should fire off a letter to the Consumer Affairs office with a copy to the Minister and his local Member.

A: Good idea. I would urge disgruntled Falcon owners to contact Consumer Affairs as I think Falcon owners who choose not to have their cars serviced by Ford dealers are being discriminated against, and Im sure that is against the law.

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