Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2008 record →
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL NEEDED TO BE DEPRESSED EXCESSIVELY IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO STOP SAFELY. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED BRAKE FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,026.
2008 FORD FUSION. MY ISSUE IS WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM IN MY WIFE'S CAR. IT WILL GO SOFT AND FEEL LIKE THERE ARE NOT BRAKES. WHILE DRIVING CAR ON CITY, COUNTY ROADS, AND SOME HIGHWAY. WHILE SITTING IN IDOL OR PARK BREAKS STILL FEEL LOOSE AND GO TO THE FLOOR. THERE WAS AN ARTICLE THAT NHTSA INVESTIGATING 2007-2009 FORD FUSIONS AND MERCURY MILANS WITH THE SAME ISSUE I WANT TO INVOLVE MY WIFE'S CAR IN THIS ALSO. HAD CAR AT FORD DEALER AND THEY FOUND NO LEAKS THOUGHT IT COULD BE SOMETHING IN A CALIPER FIXED IT BUT IT DIDN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *TR
DECEMBER OF 2016: WHILE LIGHTLY PUSHING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AS I APPROACHED A STOP SIGN IN SNOWY WEATHER, I LOST MY BRAKES. THE RURAL INTERSECTION HAD A SLIGHT INCLINE WITH NO TURNS, AND I FIRST APPLIED THE BRAKES AT AROUND 15 M.P.H. THERE WAS NO SENSATION (BY FEEL OR AUDIBLE) THAT MY ABS HAD ACTIVATED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT SOFT. PUSHING HARDER ON THE PEDAL HAD NO EFFECT, AND I ENDED UP GLIDING RIGHT THROUGH THE STOP SIGN. I DIDN'T THINK ANYTHING OF IT UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN A FEW DAYS LATER. I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY BRAKE ISSUES ON THIS VEHICLE BESIDES NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I HAD A REAR CALIPER REPLACED IN 2014, FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS WERE REPLACED IN 2015. I RECENTLY SAW ON THE NEWS THAT 2007-09 FORD FUSIONS WERE BEING INVESTIGATED FOR BRAKE FAILURE ISSUES.
I HAVE NOT HAD A ACCIDENT (THANK GOD). BUT AFTER A ABS EVENT ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS I LOST 95% OF MY BRAKING POWER/PEDAL. THE PEDAL/BRAKING DOES COME BACK EVENTUALLY BUT WHO WANTS TO GUESS WHEN IT WILL GO OUT AGAIN. I LIVE IN MICHIGAN SO ABS EVENTS CAN HAPPEN OFTEN IN THE WINTER. I WAS TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT WHEN I HIT A LOW SEWER COVER THAT WAS WET WHICH CAUSED MY WHEEL TO SLIDE JUST A BRIEF MOMENT . THEN WHEN I WENT TO USE THE BRAKES NEXT TO PULL INTO A PARKING SPOT THERE WAS NOTHING. THAT WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT. I REALLY CANNOT SAY FOR SURE WHAT CAUSED THE NEXT ONE DUE TO BEING A SNOW STORM OUTSIDE. DEALER SAYS THE HCU IS THE CULPRIT AND THE PART ALONE IS $1200.00. FULL INSTALL IS ALMOST $2000.00. I AM HAVING IT FIXED FOR SAFETY SAKE BECAUSE I FEEL THIS IS NOT SOMETHING TO BE PUT OFF. *TR
RECEIVED RECALL ON AIRBAGS 6 MONTHS AGO AND AS OF 1/3/2017 HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN CARE OF. FORD DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY HAVE NOT RECEIVED THE PARTS YET. ALSO THE BRAKES GO SOFT WHEN BRAKING AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY RECALL ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. 2 VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEMS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF.
IT WAS SLIPPERY OUT. I WAS GOING ABOUT 15 MPH AND HEADED TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN. THE ABS ENGAGED. AFTER THIS HAPPENED, THERE WAS NO PRESSURE LEFT IN THE PEDAL - IT WENT NEARLY TO THE FLOOR EACH TIME I HAD TO STOP. I WAS SO SCARED THAT I MIGHT NOT STOP ALL THE WAY, FOR MY WHOLE TRIP HOME - 20 MILES - WITH THE SNOW GETTING WORSE AND MY SON IN THE CAR. WE WERE BOTH TERRIFIED. SEEMS FINE NOW, BUT I ENDED UP TAKING THE CAR TO A MECHANIC, WHO LOOKED THROUGH THE WHOLE SYSTEM AND COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING. THIS WAS A $100 COST FOR INSPECTION....
THE PTU ON MY CAR WENT OUT LAST MONTH. WHEN I CALLED THE DEALER TO ORDER IT I WAS INFORMED BY THE PARTS DEPARTMENT TO LOOK INTO RECALLS BECAUSE THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE. I STARTED LOOKING AND THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PARTICULAR PTU ON THE EDGE, FLEX AND SOME FUSIONS...BUT NOT FOR MINE...I HAVE CALLED FORD AND ASKED WHY AND I WAS GIVEN NO EXPLANATION. THIS UNIT WAS MANUFACTURED BY FORD TO BE A NON-SERVICEABLE LIFETIME UNIT...OBVIOUSLY IT IS NOT. THEY HAVE ADMITTED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM AND EVEN REPLACED SOME OF THEM...WHY IS MINE NOT COVERED WHEN IT IS THE SAME EXACT PARTS AS THE OTHERS? I HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT IS BEING FILED OVER THIS ISSUE.
AFTER AN ABS EVENT, I NOTICED MY BRAKE PEDAL WENT SOFT AND ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. I AM ABLE TO "PUMP" THE BRAKES AND WILL GET SOME PEDAL BACK BUT AFTER A FEW SECONDS OF DRIVING, THE PEDAL IS SOFT AGAIN. THE BRAKES AND BRAKING SYSTEM HAS BEEN CHECKED BY THE DEALERSHIP. MAIN COMPLAIN: BRAKE PEDAL GOING SOFT, TAKES LONGER DISTANCE TO STOP ON ALL ROAD SURFACES. *TR
WHEN BRAKING ON ICY,WET, OR SNOWY ROADS THE BRAKES WORK THE FIRST TIME BUT THEN WHEN YOU ATTEMPT TO BRAKE AGAIN THE BRAKE PEDAL HITS THE FLOOR AND YOU LOOSE BRAKE PRESSURE. IN ORDER TO REGAIN BRAKE PRESSURE YOU HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKES HARD OR SLAM ON THEM A FEW TIMES FOR THE BRAKES TO BEGIN WORKING AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED AT LEAST 5X LAST WINTER. WE CALLED SEVERAL FORD DEALERS TO REPORT THIS PROBLEM AND WERE TOLD THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF IT. AFTER FEARING FOR OUR SAFETY WE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND MANY OTHER FUSION OWNERS REPORTING THE SAME PROBLEM AND HAD SUCCESS FIXING THIS PROBLEM BY REPLACING THE ABS. WE TOOK OUR CAR TO A DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO CONFIRM THE PROBLEM. WE WENT WITH OUR GUT AND HAD THE ABS REPLACED. WE PAID OUT OF POCKET ABOUT 2,000 FOR THIS REPAIR.
ON THREE OCCASIONS IN THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS THE BRAKES NEARLY FAILED (WENT SOFT) WHILE BRAKING IN RAIN OR A ROUGH SURFACE. I REPORTED THIS TO MY SERVICE TECHNICIAN ON MY LAST VISIT OF 11/15/16. THE BRAKES WERE CHECKED AND NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. THE TECHNICIAN HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM.
AFTER PURCHASING OUR FUSION, THE BRAKE PEDAL SEEMED VERY SOFT. WE PUT NEW BRAKES ON IT BUT THIS DID NOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM. WHEN DRIVING THE PEDAL GOES ALMOST TO THE FLOOR AND SUDDEN STOPS ARE NOT AN OPTION! WE WERE TOLD BY A SERVICEMAN IT WAS MOST LIKELY THE "SENSOR OR BRAIN" OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM AND THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE OF CARS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V384000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 03/29/17LJ UPDATED 03/30/2017*JS UPDATED 05/04/2017*JS
ONCE ABS KICKS IN, I HAVE NO BRAKING ABILITY. CAUSED AN ACCIDENT BACK IN 2013, CHECKED BY FORD AS NO PROBLEM. EVERY TIME MY ABS KICKS IN I HAVE THIS PROBLEM.
DASH IS BUBBLING AROUND THE DRIVER'S SIDE VENT ON DASH AND AROUND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. VENT IS PROTRUDING FROM THE DASH. AIRBAG LIGHT ON DASH ALSO COMES ON INTERMITTENTLY BUT IS NOT CONSTANT. ALSO INVOLVED IN THE TAKATA RECALL
I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT, THE CAR WENT OVER CURB AND INTO A TREE THAT STOPPED ME. THE BRAKES SEEMED TO WORK AFTER THAT BUT WAS I AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO A MECHANIC HE CANT FIND THE PART BECAUSE FORD DOESN'T MAKE THAT PART ANYMORE. I'M STILL WITHOUT A VEHICLE. I SAW ON THE NEWS YOU WERE INVESTIGATING 2007-2009 FORD FUSIONS FOR BRAKE PRESSURE FAILURE I BELIEVE THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME.
I WAS BRAKING WHEN I CAUGHT A POT HOLE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. SINCE THEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS SOFT AND WILL RANDOMLY GO TO THE FLOOR. I TOOK IT TO A FORD DEALER AND THEY TRIED REPLACING THE REAR ROTORS AND PADS AND FLUSHING THE FLUID BUT IT DID NOT WORK. I TOOK IT BACK AND THEY ENDED UP REPLACING THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT WITH A USED ONE. IT STILL DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT BUT IT'S BETTER THAN IT WAS.
DRIVING ON A CITY STREET, 40 MPH, LIGHT TURNED YELLOW, AND I HIT THE BRAKES. THE ABS FIRED AND CAR STOPPED. AFTER DRIVING A BLOCK OR TWO I NEEDED TO BRAKE AGAIN. WHEN I HIT THE BRAKES THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT DOWN ALMOST TO THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE THEY "GRABBED" AND THE CAR BEGAN TO SLOW. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION BEFORE I CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. SUBSEQUENTLY, OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, THE BRAKES FELT VERY SOFT AND SLUGGISH. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT I DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH BRAKE FLUID, SO I CHECKED AND THE FLUID WAS FLUSH WITH THE FILL LINE. AFTER A FEW DRIVING TRIPS THE BRAKES STARTED TO FEEL NORMAL AGAIN. UNTIL I HAD TO BRAKE SUDDENLY AGAIN. AGAIN, THE ABS FIRED AND THE CAR STOPPED AS EXPECTED. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT LOOSE AND THE BRAKES FELT SOFT. I TOOK THE FUSION TO A FORD DEALERSHIP AND ASKED THEM TO LOOK AT THE BRAKES, MENTIONING THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. I AM NOW HESITANT TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. *TR
WHEN COMING TO A STOP OR SLOWING DOWN WHEN I GO TO BRAKE THE PADDLE CAN GO ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR LOSING BRAKE PRESSURE. ONCE THIS HAPPENS THE BRAKE DO NOT RECOVER FOR SOMETIME I HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKES IN ORDER TO STOP. IT SOMETIMES TAKES A DAY BEFORE THEY RECOVER. THIS USUALLY OCCURS WHILE BRAKING ON UNEVEN ROADS , MANHOLE COVERS, RAILROAD TRACKS IT CAN HAPPEN ON SLIGHT IMPERFECTIONS IN THE ROAD ALSO VERY SCARY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FUSION. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PUMP THE BRAKE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE BRAKES TO ENGAGE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE CONTACT HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000. UPDATED 06/08/17*LJ *TR
BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR BEFORE BRAKES START TO ENGAGE. LOCAL SHOP ISOLATED ANY ISSUES WITH THE WHEEL BRAKE ASSEMBLIES AND STATED THAT IS WAS EITHER THE MASTER CYLINDER OR THE ABS MODULE. BRAKES WILL ENGAGE SOONER IN THE PEDAL TRAVEL IF THEY ARE PUMPED ONCE. BASED ON RESEARCH IT APPEARS THAT IT IS MOST LIKELY A STUCK VALVE IN THE ABS HYDRAULIC UNIT.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN MY STREET GETTING READY TO PULL INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND WHEN I WENT TO SLOW DOWN I HIT A POT HOLE OR SOMETHING AND WHEN I HIT MY BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND I ALMOST HIT A CAR PARKED ON THE STREET. I NOTICED THAT JUST RECENTLY YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN GETTING OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT SIMILAR ISSUES SO I THOUGHT I MIGHT AS WELL MAKE IT ANOTHER ONE. THANKS. *TR
2008 FORD FUSION SE - LOSES BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE UNDER EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES. AFTER HITTING BUMPS, POT HOLES, SLICK ROADS OR OTHER ABS EVENTS, THE PEDAL WOULD GO SOFT. IT COULD BE PUMPED BACK UP, BUT WOULD GO SOFT AGAIN OVER TIME OR AFTER ANOTHER ABS EVENT. I TOOK IT TO MY FORD DEALER FOR OIL CHANGES AND THEY SAID IT WAS MY BRAKES. I REPLACED THE PADS, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. I THEN TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER HAD FAILED INTO THE BRAKE BOOSTER. THE BOOSTER AND MASTER CYLINDER WERE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. AFTER REPLACEMENT THE BRAKES HAVE WORKED FINE. THE FIRST INCIDENT WAS WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE CARS IN FRONT OF MY SUDDENLY SLAMMED ON THEIR BRAKES. THE ABS KICKED IN AND IT SEEMED TO TAKE A LONG TIME TO STOP. I STARTED GIVING EVEN LONGER DISTANCES AND HAD PROBLEMS DRIVING OUR OTHER CARS BECAUSE I'D OVER BRAKE WHEN STOPPING IN THEM. *TR
UPON EXITING A HIGHWAY AND APPROACHING A RIGHT TURN EXIT RAMP AND DRIVING OVER A ROUGH PATCH OF ROAD UNDER CONSTRUCTION. WHILE TURNING AND SIMULTANEOUSLY APPLYING THE BRAKES THE ABS SYSTEM ENGAGED AND THEN THE BRAKE SYSTEM SUDDENLY FAILED WITH THE PEDAL GOING TO THE FLOOR MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO STOP THE CAR. I ARRIVED AT MY LOCATION LESS THAN A MILE AWAY AND SAFELY PARKED THE CAR. AFTER MY WORK CONFERENCE (7 HOURS LATER) I RETURNED TO MY CAR AND THE BRAKES PRESSURE RETURNED, BUT REMAINED VERY SOFT. CURRENTLY, WHEN THE CAR IS NOW OPERATED THE BRAKE PEDAL NEEDS TO BE APPLIED ALMOST TO THE FLOOR WHEN DESCENDING A HILL OR COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP ON LEVEL GROUND. THE CAR RESPONDS INITIALLY WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS APPLIED, BUT THEN GOES SOFT AS THE CAR NEEDS TO COME TO A STOP AT LESS THAN 10MPH. TO FIND CONSISTENT PRESSURE FOR BRAKING THE CAR RESPONDS BEST WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED PARTIALLY, THEN RELEASED AND APPLIED AGAIN. THIS METHOD WAS ADOPTED AFTER THE BRAKE FAILURE OCCURRED. BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS ARE IN GOOD CONDITION. *TR
THE ROADS WERE SNOW COVERED SENT TO STOP AT FOR A STOP SIGN THE ABS BRAKES WORKED BUT AFTER THAT EVERY TIME I WENT TO USE MY BRAKES I HAD TO PUT THE PEDDLE ALMOST TO THE FLOOR TO STOP AND ALMOST WENT THOUGH A RED LIGHT. WENT OUT THE NEXT DAY TO SEE IF IT WOULD DO IT AGAIN AND IT DIDN'T DO IT ALL UNTILL I TRIPED THE ABS THAN IT STARTED TO DO THE SAME THING AS IT WAS YESTERDAY.
DEC 25 2013 THE ABS ACTIVATED ON ICE IN OUR DRIVEWAY, THE NEXT DAY THE BRAKES WERE SOFT AND DELAYED IN ACTIVATING. CONSIDERING AGE AND MILES I DECIDED TO FLUSH AND BLEED THE BRAKES, THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM UNTIL I ACTIVATED THE ABS BY PERFORMING A HARD STOP ON DRY PAVEMENT. DEC 16 2016 THE ABS ACTIVATED ON ICE, ONCE AGAIN THE BRAKES BECAME SOFT, AND ONCE AGAIN I WAS ABLE TO CLEAR THE PROBLEM ONLY AFTER ACTIVATING THE ABS BY BRAKING HARD ON DRY PAVEMENT. NOW I HEAR IN THE NEWS MY BRAKE SYMPTOMS ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION.
ABSOLUTELY MALFUNCTION ON GRAVEL AND SNOW, BRAKES GO TO FLOOR AND VEHICLE SKIDS AND NEED TO PUMP BRAKES TO RETURN TO NORMAL BRAKE BRAKES SYSTEM OK MECHANIC STATES ABS VALVE BODY BAD. NO ABS MALFUNCTION LIGHT EVER CAME ON. CLOSE TO ACCIDENT WITH 3 CHILDREN IN CAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FUSION. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD DROP TO THE FLOOR AND LOCK. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PRESS DOWN ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AGAIN IN ORDER FOR IT TO RELEASE AND LIFT BACK UP. THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14E028000 (EQUIPMENT). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED A CASE REGARDING THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
AS I WAS DRIVING MY BRAKE PEDAL SUDDENLY BECAME MUSHY. THE PEDAL FELT LIKE IT WOULD HIT THE FLOOR. I WAS ABLE TO STOP BUT ALMOST RAN INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE I FOUND THAT MULTIPLE PEOPLE WERE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND THAT IT WAS THE ABS SENSOR THAT WAS GOING BAD. RATHER THAN SPEND $1,000 I SIMPLY REMOVED THE FUSE TO THE ABS MODULE. WHEN I DID THIS MY PEDAL PRESSURE RETURNED TO NORMAL. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE FORD DEALERSHIP, AND THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT BECAUSE REMOVING THE FUSE CLEARED THE CODES. THE MECHANIC RETURNED THE FUSE TO THE PROPER POSITION AND THE PRESSURE IS NORMAL RIGHT NOW. HOWEVER I AM AFRAID THAT THE SITUATION WILL RETURN. *TR
BRAKE FAILURE ON UNEVEN SURFACE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FUSION. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE, THE ABS ACTIVATED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FUNCTIONED ABNORMALLY. THE BRAKING DISTANCE INCREASED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT SOFT DURING AND AFTER THE INCIDENT. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
BRAKE FAILURE OVER BUMPS OR SLIPPERY SURFACES. ABS TRIGGERS AND LOSE BRAKE FUNCTIONALITY. PEDAL GOES SOFT AND GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR.
BRAKES HAVE BECOME SPONGEY AND A LOT OF PRESSURE IS NEEDED TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES. THE MASTER CYLINDER AND THE ROTORS AND BRAKE PADS HAVE BEEN SERVICED AND INSPECTED. THE FUSION HAS DONE THIS MULTIPLE TIMES AND NOW HAS STAYED CONSISTENTLY SPONGEY. ALL SERVICES HAVE BEEN DONE THROUGH THE FORD DEALERSHIP.
THE FIRST TIME MY BRAKES WENT MUSHY WAS WHEN I WAS DRIVING AND HAD TO STOP SUDDENLY THE ABS ACTIVATED THEN AFTER THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME MUSHY AND THE CAR WAS HARD TO STOP WITHOUT PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT REMAINED THAT WAY FOR A SHORT TIME. THE NEXT TIME IT OCCURRED WAS DRIVING ON A ROUGH PATCH OF ROAD, WHEN I TOUCHED THE BRAKES TO GO OVER A POTHOLE AT A SLOW SPEED THE ABS KICKED IN AND THE BRAKES TURNED TO MUSH AGAIN MAKING IT HARD TO STOP AFTER THAT. BOTH TIMES I WAS ON MAIN STREETS IN THE CITY AND IT IS VERY SCARY WHEN YOUR VEHICLE DECIDES IT DOESN'T WANT TO STOP VERY EASILY. I BELIEVE THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT OR WORSE. *TR
AFTER HAVING TO USE THE ABS TO STOP MY CAR, THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME SOFT WHEN I TRIED TO STOP AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS. *TR
BRAKES LOSE PRESSURE AFTER ABS EVENT. HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. FORD DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO FIX.
2008 FORD FUSION SOFT BRAKE PEDAL PROBLEM BRAKE PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR AFTER THE ABS UNIT ENGAGED ON SLIPPERY ROAD. THIS IS THE 6TH TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. THE FIRST TIME OCCURRED AT 50,000 MILES. THE CAR NOW HAS 100,000 MILES. IT RECENTLY SNOWED AND THE ABS UNIT ENGAGED AND NOW THE BRAKE PEDAL HAS BEEN GOING TO THE FLOOR FOR THE PAST 3 WEEKS. THE PAST "SOFT BRAKE PEDAL" EVENTS HAVE CORRECTED THEMSELVES AFTER A FEW DAYS OR A FEW WEEKS. CURRENTLY THE SOFT BRAKE PEDAL HAS NOT CORRECTED ITSELF. APPARENTLY A VALVE GETS STUCK IN THE ABS UNIT AND CAN CAUSE THIS EXACT PROBLEM. THE BRAKE SYSTEM HAS BEEN CHECKED OVER AND EVERYTHING IS FINE WHICH IS INDICATING THE ABS UNIT. THE "SOFT PEDAL" ONLY OCCURS AFTER THE ABS UNIT ENGAGES AND WHEN THE ABS UNIT SELF CORRECTS, THEN THE BRAKE PEDAL GOES BACK TO NORMAL. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND THE BRAKING CAPABILITY OF THE CAR IS SEVERELY COMPROMISED. STOPPING DISTANCES ARE GREATLY INCREASED WHICH COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. ONE EVENT OCCURRED ON A DRY ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF SUMMER WHEN AN ANIMAL RAN IN FRONT OF THE CAR. THE ABS UNIT ENGAGED AND THEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. IT TOOK SEVERAL DAYS FOR THE ABS UNIT "SELF CORRECTED" AND THE BRAKE PEDAL RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE OTHER EVENTS OCCURRED ON SLICK PAVEMENT. IT APPEARS THAT A VALVE MAY GET STUCK IN THE HYDRAULIC UNIT OF THE ABS AND THIS CAUSES THE SOFT BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN THE VALVE BREAKS FREE AND RETURNS TO ITS NORMAL POSITION, THEN THE CAR BRAKES RETURN TO NORM
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO STOP. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY COASTED TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS CONTROLLER FAILED AND NEEDED TO THE REPLACED ALONG WITH THE MASTER CYLINDER. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. .UPDATED 01/23/17 *BF UPDATED 03/13/17.*JB
LOSS OF BREAK PRESSURE. ALMOST COMPLETE LOSS OF BREAK PRESSURE AFTER AN ABS EVENT. HAD MY BREAKS FULLY REPLACED, BUT THE ISSUE CONTINUES. I LIVE IN WISCONSIN, WHERE ICY ROADS MAKE ARE COMMON, SO THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. BRAKES WILL REMAIN SOFT, BUT USUALLY I CAN PUMP THE BREAK PEDAL TO REBUILD BREAK PRESSURE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, IT WENT TO THE FLOOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE BRAKES HAD TO BE PUMPED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SLOWING TO A STOP FROM APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE REQUIRED AN ADDITIONAL EFFORT TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN ATTEMPTING TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000.
I WAS DRIVING ON A SNOW COVERED ROAD AND WENT TO BRAKE AND THE ABS KICKED IN LIKE IT SHOULD, SO EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. THEN AFTERWARDS THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT SOFT AND WOULD JUST ABOUT GO TO THE FLOOR WHEN IT WOULD BE DEPRESSED. I DID NOT LOSE MY BRAKING POWER ALL TOGETHER BUT I WOULD HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKES OR BEGIN TO STOP FAR IN ADVANCE TO BE ABLE TO STOP LIKE NORMAL. IT WAS LIKE THAT FOR ABOUT TWO WEEKS AND THEN ONE DAY THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT BACK TO NORMAL, BUT THIS IS THE SECOND TIME IN TWO YEARS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED AND IT WORRIES ME THAT THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. I HAVE LOOKED INTO THE SITUATION AND FROM WHAT I'VE READ IT SEEMS THAT IT'S A PROBLEM WITH THE ABS CONTROL MODULE AND IS PRETTY COMMON. MOST PEOPLE AND EVEN DEALERSHIPS DIAGNOSE THIS AS A FAULTY MASTER CYLINDER, WORN ROTORS AND A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS AND THEY END UP REPLACING WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS THE ISSUE ONLY TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM OCCUR AGAIN! I HAVE NOT REPLACED ANYTHING IN RELATION TO THIS PROBLEM DUE TO THE FACT OF MY BRAKES GOING BACK TO "NORMAL" AND THE ABS CONTROL MODULE BEING SO EXPENSIVE TO FIX. SO I AM TAKING MY CHANCES THAT THIS WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN UNTIL THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. I BELIEVE IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE ALTHOUGH I DID NOT LOSE MY BRAKES ALL-TOGETHER, I DID LOSE MOST OF MY BRAKING POWER AND IT COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AT A TIME WHERE I NEED TO STOP QUICKLY AND DON'T HAVE TIME TO PUMP THE BRAKES. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FUSION. A YEAR AGO, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOOR WHEN IT WAS DEPRESSED. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INDICATED THAT PRESSURE WAS BEING HELD WITHIN THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND THAT THE BRAKE BOOSTER MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
THE BREAK PEDAL GOES TO THE FLOOR BOARD VERY SOFT AND SQUISHY NO BRAKE CONTROL THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE AND THE DEALER CAN NOT FIX IT...SELLS US BRAKE JOBS BUT THAT DOESN'T FIX THE PEDAL ACTION THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED WAS AFTER TRAVELING OVER A BUMPY ROAD AND A PANIC STOP WAS REQUIRED
I BOUGHT MY 2008 FORD FUSION SEL (V-6) FROM THE LOCAL FORD DEALER IN 2009 - THE CAR SPENT THE FIRST YEAR OF ITS LIFE AS A RENTAL CAR. I JUST WATCHED A FEATURE ON CNN ABOUT FORD FUSIONS BRAKES FAILING ON OCCASION. SEVERAL TIMES SINCE I'VE OWNED MY FUSION, THE BRAKES HAVE FAILED WHEN PULLING HEAD-ON INTO A PARKING SPOT - NEVER HAS THIS HAPPENED DURING A ROUTINE STRAIGHT-ON STOP. WHEN THIS HAPPENS, THE ENGINE ALSO REVS UP, MAKING STOPPING EVEN MORE DIFFICULT. THE CAR LURCHES 2 TO 3 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. I HAVE ATTRIBUTED (GUESSED) THE PROBLEM TO BE THE BRAKE PEDAL GOING DOWN TOO FAR CAUSING MY OVERLAPPING SHOE TO CONTACT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL (THE TWO PEDALS ARE VERY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER). I'M 75 YEARS OLD AND HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR 64 YEARS AND I HAVE NEVER ENCOUNTERED A PROBLEM LIKE THIS WITH ANY VEHICLE; I'VE BECOME VERY APPREHENSIVE WHEN DRIVING MY FUSION BECAUSE OF THIS RANDOM PROBLEM. MY FUSION IS ALSO UNDER A TAKATA AIR BAG RECALL - I RECEIVED A LETTER SEVERAL MONTHS AGO FROM FORD, BUT HAVE HEARD NOTHING SINCE. *TR
AFTER A SUDDEN BRAKING CAUSED THE ABS TO ACTIVATE IN DECEMBER 2016, THE BRAKES NOW FEEL "SPONGY" AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELS ALMOST TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE BRAKES TAKE EFFECT. THIS DID NOT OCCUR UNTIL AFTER THE ABS ACTIVATED. THE BRAKES WILL STOP THE CAR, BUT THE SPONGY FEELING HAS NOT GONE AWAY, AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TAKES LONGER TO BEGIN BRAKING THE CAR. THIS WAS NOT A PROBLEM UNTIL THE RECENT ABS ACTIVATION.
BRAKES WILL GO SOFT. SEEMS TO COINCIDE WITH ABS EVENTS OR ROUGH SURFACES. VEHICLE WILL STILL STOP, BUT REQUIRES LONGER TO STOP. BRAKE PRESSURE SEEMS A LOT LESS DURING THIS. ISSUE EVENTUALLY CORRECTS ITSELF. CAN'T SAY WHETHER OR NOT IT IS RELATED TO COLD WEATHER AS IT HAPPENS IN ABOVE AND BELOW FREEZING TEMPS. RESEARCH HAS LED US TO SUSPECT THE ABS/HCU MODULE MAY HAVE A STUCK VALVE AND IS CAUSING THE BRAKE FLUID TO BYPASS AND RECIRCULATE THROUGH THE SYSTEM INSTEAD OF BEING APPLIED FULLY TO THE BRAKES. ISSUE OCCURRED AFTER A HARD STOP IN ICY CONDITIONS WHICH TRIGGERED THE ABS. ISSUE OCCURRED AFTER MAKE A TURN ON A DRY BUT ROUGH CORNER. MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE WAS AROUND DEC 19TH, 2016. IT WAS SOMETIME IN NOVEMBER 2016 THAT IT HAPPENED BEFORE THAT.
HIT A POTHOLE WITH RIGHT WHEEL DURING TURN AT INTERSECTION ON A CITY STREET. FELT LIKE ABS SYSTEM ENGAGED BUT DID NOT RESET; HEARD LOUD CRACK. BRAKES FAILED IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS. PEDDLE WENT TO FLOOR INITIALLY; CONTINUED TO PUMP BRAKES UNTIL SOME BRAKING ABILITY RETURNED. DROVE SLOWLY AND EXPERIENCED SAME AT TWO MORE STOPS BEFORE HAVING CAR TOWED TO MECHANIC. DID NOT TRY TO DRIVE AFTER TURNING ENGINE OFF, HOWEVER MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE ANY BRAKING PROBLEMS. A THOROUGH INSPECTION SHOWED NO APPARENT PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES OR SYSTEM. MECHANIC DID FIND NOTE IN COMPUTER LOG THAT ABS HAD LOST COMMUNICATION AT ONE POINT. THIS HAPPENED NOV. 4, 2016. BRAKE LOSS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE AND HAS NOT HAPPENED SINCE, AND I HAVEN'T HIT ANY POTHOLES SINCE. NOTED NEWS STORY DEC. 27, 2016 OF OTHER FORD FUSIONS HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. *TR
TAKATA RECALL. ON 12/5/16 I WAS TRAVELING ON A BUSY ROAD TO A BUSY INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME WAS GOING TO GO THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF A YELLOW LIGHT, THEN CHANGED THEIR MIND AND STOPPED AT THE LIGHT. I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM AND I COULDN'T STOP, I HAD TO VEER TO THE LEFT LANE WHICH WAS CLEAR AND IT STILL WAS HARD TO GET THE CAR TO STOP BEFORE ENDING UP IN THE BUSY INTERSECTION. I HIT THE DRIVER REAR CORNER OF THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME THAT I WAS TRYING TO AVOID HITTING. IT CAUSED DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE'S FRONT PASSENGER FENDER. THIS WASN'T A SLIPPERY OR WET CONDITION, IT WAS DRY ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY. I HAVEN'T HAD THE DAMAGE FIXED YET BUT I CAN SEND A PICTURE IF IT'S NEEDED.
AFTER SLIDING ON LOOSE GRAVEL AND HAVING AN ABS EPISODE MY BRAKE PEDAL NEVER RETURNED BACK TO NORMAL. MY PEDAL NOW GOES TO THE FLOOR CAUSING ME TO HAVE TO PUMP THE BRAKES TO COME TO A STOP . THIS ALSO HAPPENED LAST YEAR BUT AFTER A FEW DAYS MY PEDAL RETURNED BACK TO NORMAL . I CANNOT USE MY CAR AND THIS IS A VERY COSTLY REPAIR . *TR
IN JULY OF THIS YEAR WE WERE ON OUR WAY HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL WITH MY SON WHO HAD JUST HAD SURGERY AND WE HAD BEEN DRIVING ON A VERY UNEVEN AND BUMPY HIGHWAY AND WHEN MY HUSBAND WENT TO PUSH ON THE BRAKES SO THAT WE COULD GET ON THE INTERSTATE, IT WAS AS IF WE HAD NO BRAKES. THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS NOTHING. AFTER A CONSTANT PUMPING MOTION THE BRAKES CAME BACK BUT VERY SQUISHY AND SOFT. WE MADE A COUPLE ATTEMPTS UP AND DOWN THE ROAD BEFORE GETTING ON THE INTERSTATE BECAUSE THAT WAS THE ONLY WAY TO GET BACK HOME AND AS LONG AS YOU PUMPED THE BRAKES A FEW TIMES THEY WOULD WORK. YOU JUST COULD NOT PUSH ON THEM AND EXPECT TO STOP. MY BRAKES HAVE NOT BEEN THE SAME SINCE. STILL ON OCCASION SOFT AND SQUISHY BUT WORKABLE AS LONG AS YOU PUMP THEM. THIS IS EXTREMELY UNSAFE AND AFTER READING THIS ARTICLE: HTTP://WWW.REUTERS.COM/ARTICLE/US-FORD-MOTOR-RECALL-IDUSKBN14G1AR I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO INFORM YOU OF THIS INCIDENT. ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT IS THAT IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE QUICK THINKING OF MY HUSBAND WE WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT THAT DAY. YOU CAN NOT JUST HAVE SOMETHING LIKE YOUR BRAKES NOT WORK BECAUSE YOU HIT A BUMP. IT'S UNACCEPTABLE AND INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS. *TR
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2008 Ford Fusion → · Every Fusion year → · How the figures are calculated →