What 234 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Ford Taurus

Foot pedal parking brake stopped holding it's position. Pedal will move up and down, and parking brake light remains illuminated, but the system is not actually holding pressure on the parking brakes. Failure is caused by a small plastic piece that is used against metal components in the parking brake assembly and eventually breaks. This can cause the vehicle to roll unintentionally and increase the risk of an accident. This issue has already been reported for the same vehicle as mine under NHTSA Campaign Number: 11113016 and I suspect it has been reported under additional models and years as well since it is a commonly reported issue on internet forums, yet no investigation or recall has been performed. The only remedy is to purchase a new parking brake assembly from Ford for more than $300, plus labor. Ford will continue to profit from the issue which is why the NHTSA needs to assist before (more) deaths and property damage occur.

NHTSA ODI 11727311

When placing the car in park, the brakes do not engage fully or right away. The vehicle rolls before coming to an abrupt and rough stop. When shifting the car out of park, the brakes make a loud noise. This causes a potential collision, or unintentionally hitting a pedestrian.vehicle has not been inspected due to cost related issues to the vehicle owner.

NHTSA ODI 11646836

Driving down CR 230 in Wyoming, the situation started if I have to estimate, 7 miles west of Woods Landing, I heard a metal on metal grinding noise from the engine bay, and a loss of power on the throttle. I look at my RPM gauge and notice it is a zero. No check engine light, all electronics working as normal along with the brakes, and I slow the vehicle down to 30 MPH. Shortly after noticing, I get a "Check Brake System" flash on my instrument panel cluster, also the light which illuminates for my parking brake turns on, and I lose power brakes, the brake pedal turned extremely stiff. I immediately look for a pull off zone, but because I had lost brakes I did not want to risk keeping the vehicle moving. I get the vehicle stopped on the side of the road, and instantly put it in park along with the parking brake and shut the vehicle off. The vehicle would not start or crank, just a flash across all of the electronics, the lights go dark, then illuminate again as if normal. This is an extremely dangerous situation, the vehicle had not notified me that the motor had stopped turning; not a check engine light or ring at all, and shortly after that the power brakes stop working. This is very dangerous for motorists because of the lack of notification from the vehicle, and the incredibly weak breaking ability. If the vehicle had been moving at highway speeds, any sort of traffic, I could've ended up injured or dead, and even worse, killed another driver. The vehicle was towed to the nearest town where it would be inspected by a dealership; they reported to have found coolant in the oil and that the vehicle needed a new motor. No other details have been confirmed, and the problem has not been reproduced by the dealership. It is unknown if the dealership inspected the braking system.

NHTSA ODI 11636388

PARKING BRAKE FAILURE. IT RELEASED BUT STOPPED WORKING. DASH LIGHT CONTINUED TO DING AND SAY IT WAS ENGAGED. NEED TO REPLACE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM AT 27,500 MILES BUT 1 YEAR OVER COVERAGE. THIS WAS RECALLED IN 2015 MODELS

NHTSA ODI 11113016

REAR BRAKE ON DRIVERS SIDE SQUEAKING, BRAKE IS DRAGGING, CAUSING THE ROTOR AND BRAKE TO OVERHEAT. THIS CAUSES SMOKE AND ODOR. UPON INVESTIGATION IT WAS DIFFICULT TO REMOVE THE WHEEL AND THE BRAKE CALIPERS TO CHECK THE BRAKE PADS. VEHICLE HAS 27000 MILES, ONE BRAKE PAD WORN COMPLETELY DOWN IT WAS OPPOSITE OF THE CALIPER BRAKE PISTON. THE OTHER PAD APPEARED TO HAVE NORMAL WEAR. AT EACH SIDE OF THE BRAKE PAD THERE WAS BUILD UP OF BRAKE DUST AND RUST ON CALIPER. BRAKE PADS WERE REMOVED AND ONE WAS HIGHLY GLAZED AND BREAKING APART AT EDGES. THE SQUEAKING WAS BROUGHT TO FORD ATTENTION THEY STATED THE CONDITION COULD NOT DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE SQUEAKED INTERMITTENTLY SINCE 11,000 MILES. IT HAS BEEN SQUEAKING FOR TWO YEARS.

NHTSA ODI 10852081

WHEN I STOPPED AT A REST AREA I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL AREA. THE BRAKE LOCKED UP. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT A FIRE HAZARD, OR FAILURE OF THE BRAKES TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. UPDATED 10/01/15*LJ UPDATED 12/05/2017*CN

NHTSA ODI 10735821

LETTER FROM CONGRESSWOMAN SLAUGHTER ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE SAFETY CONCERNS WITH 2014 FORD TAURUS (ATTN: JOHN PELLITO). *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED A REAR BRAKE DRAG WHICH RESULTED IN AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF HEAT BUILD-UP IN THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BRAKE ASSEMBLY. UPON RETURNING FROM A SHORT 125 MILE DAY TRIP, AN UNUSUAL HOT BURNING SMELL WAS NOTICED AND AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF HEAT WAS COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. AT ONE POINT, TWO VERY LOUD/HARD METAL BANGS WERE HEARD AND THE LEFT REAR TIRE SPUN IN THE STREET FROM A DEAD STOP. IN MAY MID 2015, THE SAME PROBLEM STARTED TO OCCUR WITHIN SHORT ERRANDS AND MORE FREQUENTLY. IT APPEARED THE BRAKE ONLY ON THAT WHEEL WAS DRAGGING OR LOCKING IN POSITION ON THE ROTOR CAUSING EXCESSIVE HEAT. AN INSPECTION REVEALED THE BRAKE PADS WERE HEAT FUSED TO THE CALIPER KNUCKLE ON THE LEFT REAR WHEEL AND THE ROTOR WAS HEAT WARPED AND EXCESSIVELY WORN. THE DEALER REPLACED THE REAR BRAKE PADS, BRAKE ROTORS, CLEANED THE HEAT DAMAGED AND APPLIED A LUBRICANT IN THE SLOT OF THE ANCHOR TO PREVENT THE CALIPERS AND BRAKES FROM BINDING. *JB

NHTSA ODI 10726049

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD TAURUS. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL SQUEAKING AND A LOUD BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE AND RIM WERE HOT TO THE TOUCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE WHEEL BEARING WAS LOOSE AND GRINDING, THE ROTORS FAILED, AND THE REAR BRAKE PADS FAILED, THE HUB BEARING SEIZED AND THE ABS SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,500.

NHTSA ODI 10704733

WHEN WE COME TO A STOP (NOT MOVING AT ALL) AND EASE UP ON THE BRAKE THE CAR MOVES FORWARD. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES CAUSING ACCIDENTS. ONE TIME THE CAR MOVED INTO THE HOUSE CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE CAR, GARAGE DOOR AND KNOCKING BRICKS OFF THE FRONT ON THE HOUSE. TWO OTHER TIMES, AT STOP SIGNS, THE CAR MOVED FORWARD AND BUMPED INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF US. I AM AFRAID THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN CAUSING MORE DAMAGE. HAVE YOU HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING WITH OTHER CARS? THIS HAPPENS TO BOTH MY HUSBAND AND MYSELF. WE ARE NOT DRIVING THIS CAR ANY DIFFERENT THEN WE HAVE ANY OTHER CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10660578

WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT 60MPH AND MY VEHICLE SHUT OFF. COULDN'T HARDLY PUSH THE BRAKE IN OR MOVE MY STEERING WHEEL. HAD TO QUICKLY PUT IN PARK TO START VEHICLE BACK UP. POPPED UP ON DASH. "VEHICLE NOT IN PARK". *TR

NHTSA ODI 10653253