Brake complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
2003 Ford aerostar lx van ABS light and brake light on dashboard will come on and stay on one day, and maybe not the next day. Going on for months. Can't predict when this will occur. The Ford dealer offer to take care of the problem for less than a $1000 dollars!?!?!? Very generous of them!
2003 Ford Econoline defective part repairs.** answer required***. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for the eighth time to repair the alarm. The alarm still wasn't fixed. The tires and/or rims are defective. The brakes, shocks and A/C failed. The vehicle also lost power.
While proceeding slowly, approx. 3 MPH, moving up at a traffic light, steering wheel jerked to the left, felt slack with some slight vibration & popping at , and when I pressed the brakes it almost seemed as those the brakes locked up. Pedal would only depress approx 1/4 , with some vibration in pedal, with a grumbling noise. The van then felt as though brakes locked up with the rear end sliding. No collision but was extremely close. There were no high speeds involved & in addition the roads were not wet. The van was then towed to a local dealership where the problem would not duplicate; therefore no action was taken for repair.
When brakes are applied at various speeds there is vibration ,and vehicle pulls to the left and/or right. Dealership has not examined vehicle or made any adjustments. Please provide any additional information / attachments.
Shortly after purchase brakes failed pedal went to floor on several occasions but were told by dealer there was nothing wrong was common for ABS brake pedal to go to floor when sitting at traffic light however they did play with pedal until it came up several trips to dealer never resolved problem yet when the vehicle was at dealer and complained about brakes , transmission,steering,outside right mirror and seat belt in mid right seat dealer found nothing wrong with anything but mirror which they replaced however two hours later another dealer said seat belt was defective and would order one a second dealer shortly thereafter replaced loose linkage in steering, and rebuilt transmission which had burnt overdrive and defective parts in lower range still no-one could find brake prblem until crash when deputy sheriff tested brake pedal 8 times putting pedal to floor Ford motor co says the …
Tl contact owns a 1999 Ford Econoline. While driving at an unknown speed, the power steering failed and the contact pulled off the road. He purchased a new vacuum pump and repaired the vehicle. Mileage was 34,000 and failure mileage was 30,000. Updated 04/22/08.
Have been driving for over 40 years. Have never had brake pads wear out this fast. Belive there must be a problem with the ABS braking system, but unable to get Ford to help with this problem. The Ford dealer told me that Ford sent out a letter to its dealers about premature pad failure at 12000 miles but would not give me a copy of this notice. When I called Ford all they would tell me is that the pads were not covered under the warranty . I don't seem to be able to get any more info from fords are the dealer. Keep gitting the run around. Thanks for any help you can give me.
Rear brakes malfunction, causing extended stopping distance which could result in a crash. ABS braking system malfunctions, causing front wheels to lock up. Also, airbag light comes on, indicating there is a problem with airbag system which May not deploy in event of a crash. Please provide further information.
Related recalls (2)
Parking brake › Conventional
The parking brake systems May not hold the vehicles on a 20% grade with foot pedal efforts of 125 pounds or less. This does not meet the requirements of FMVSS no. 105, "hydraulic brake systems."
Remedy: Dealers will adjust the parking brake system on the affected vehicles.
Parking brake › Conventional › Mechanical › Linkage and cable
The parking brake front cables were built longer than appropriate that reduces the performance of the parking brake in certain circumstances, and fails to fully comply with all the requirements of FMVSS no. 105, "hydraulic brake systems."
Remedy: Dealers will repair the parking brake system on the affected vehicles.
Frequently asked questions
Which Ford Econoline years have brake problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1995 (28), 1996 (20), 1997 (20), 1999 (17) and 1998 (7) model years. Brake complaints make up 38% of all complaints for the 1995.
Is there a recall for Ford Econoline brake problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 96V-214 (conventional, Oct 28, 1996); 95V-058 (linkage and cable, Mar 22, 1995). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Ford Econoline brake problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 69,000 miles; 43% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (59 mentions), followed by the foundation components (10).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.