The agency said the problem stems from “suspect” front brake hoses, which are rubber tubes that connect the metal brake line to the brake caliper. According to NHTSA, they can bend over time, creating the risk of brake fluid cracking and leaking. When this happens, drivers will notice a change in the braking system. The warning light should also come on.
Ford says the brakes won’t fail completely because they’re designed with two isolated circuits, which provide a backup in the event of a hose burst. But two consumers who experienced brake failure told Ford that the problem made them lose confidence in the braking system, but they continued to drive their cars and had no trouble stopping.
This isn’t the first Ford recall with front brake hose problems. The NHTSA document shows that Ford began tracking similar problems with another vehicle, the Ford Edge SUV, after reports of burst hoses in China and South America. Over the next two years, he researched cars that shared said parts, phasing the parts out of factory production.
Two other vehicles using the same brake materials, the Ford Edge and the Lincoln MKX, had a “low but increasing” rate of hose bursts over their lifetimes. In August 2020, the automaker recalled nearly half a million of them to fix the problem.
According to NHTSA, owners of affected vehicles should be notified by mail in mid-to-late April and instructed to find a Ford or Lincoln dealer for repairs.
