Complaint 1223131
1997 FORD TAURUS • SERVICE BRAKES • incident Sep 27, 2015
- Complaint ID
- 1223131
- Make
- FORD
- Model
- TAURUS
- Model Year
- 1997
- Component
- SERVICE BRAKES
- Incident Date
- Sep 27, 2015
- Date Received
- Sep 27, 2015
- Data As Of
- Jul 1, 2026
Complaint Summary
SERVICE BRAKES
Owner Narrative
WHEN DRIVING THE CAR AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED A FEW MILES FROM MY NEIGHBORHOOD, I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT INDICATOR CAME ON. I SLOWED DOWN TO LOOK AROUND THE CAR BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING. I DROVE THE CAR HOME AND JUST AS I WAS DRIVING INTO MY NEIGHBORHOOD, THE BRAKES STOPPED WORKING. VERY LUCKILY, I DID NOT GET INTO AN ACCIDENT. IT TURNS OUT THAT THE METAL REAR BRAKE LINES RUNNING UNDERNEATH THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT DOOR WERE COMPLETELY CORRODED AND ONE OF THE LINES HAD BURST (THE ONE AFFECTING THE DIAGONAL BRAKE CIRCUIT FOR THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE). THIS CAME WITHOUT WARNING, AND I COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN STRANDED (OR KILLED) ON A BUSY HIGHWAY OUT OF CONTROL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE JUSTIFYING A RECALL. AMAZINGLY, THE OTHER UNDERSIDE COMPONENTS OF THE VEHICLE ARE IN MUCH BETTER SHAPE THAN THE BRAKE LINES. WHY FORD WOULD FAIL TO PROPERLY COAT OR PROTECT A CRITICAL COMPONENT LIKE THE REAR BRAKE LINES SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT CORRODE IS AN INEXCUSABLE SAFETY HAZARD. I HAVE READ OF THIS REAR BRAKE LINE ISSUE ELSEWHERE BEING EXTREMELY COMMON FOR THIS VEHICLE, SO THIS IS NOT A "ONE OFF" EVENT. SOONER OR LATER, SOMEONE WILL GET INTO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR BE KILLED!
Owner-submitted narrative on file with NHTSA. Complaint narratives are self-reported and have not been verified.
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