Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2001 Ford F-350 owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Was driving down the rd came to stop light and I had nothing for breaks. I quickly pumped brake and got it to slowdown and made the turn. Went to pull into hospital and had no breaks even tried pumping it again and still had no breaks.
The vehicle rolled backward from an incline with the emergency parking brake engaged. The vehicle hit several trees before stopping. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who informed the consumer that the parking brake cable broke.
When the consumer attempted to apply the brakes, they did not perform as designed, as a result the brakes seized up and the vehicle came to a halt and the brake piston shattered causing brake fluid to leak. Brake pads were the root cause the pads from the bracking plate and the calipers resulting in the caliper pistons to grind into the rotor.
While applying the brake, the pedal went to the floor and the vehicle pulled to the right. The consumer was unable to maintain control of the vehicle and hit a motorcycle. No injuries. The driver wa able to drive the vehicle to the dealer for inspection. The mechanic could not duplicated the problem. Please fill in additional information.
When applying the brakes vehicle pulled to the left and vibrated. Consumer contacted the dealer, and vehicle had work done on the brakes on 9 occasions, but problem recurred. Dealership was saying that they will do nothing else. Vehicle was still under warranty.
Emergency parking brake failure: parked truck on 2% incline, put in neutral(5 speed manual), and set parking brake. 5 minutes later truck began to roll forward and hit a telephone pole causing extensive damage.
Front brake caliper rattle. Disc brake assemblies rattle under liight gravel road condition and over light bumps. Is assembly coming apart? Ford says they are aware of the situation but recomends no fix at this time. Is there a problem with the brakes on f350 super duty vehivcles? Ford says they know there is a prolem from 2000 to 2001 f250/350 and excursion. Special service bulletin #14277 from Ford motor company.
Went to dealer in am about clutch problems, dealer looked at truck, said there was no problem. Left dealer was coming up to intersection, went to down shift, clutch went out and brakes. Had no brakes or clutch! Was towed to dealer. Have had several probems since with emerg. Brake not working. Was towed again 4/19/2002 was pulling forward clutch would not disengage almost hit 3 mail boxes and stone wall.
Brake cable on left/rear side of vehicle is rubbing against frame and is chafing the cable. Dealership examined vehicle, and placed a piece of hose over the cable to prevent this problem from occurring. Hose is showing signs of chafing from contact with frame of vehicle. Please provide any additional information / documentation.
Intermittently when applying brakes, left off and reapplied them again, causing ABS to lock on and off, resulting in severe shaking of vehicle. Vehicle been in / out of dealer shop on three occasions, and unable to locate cause. Please feel free to provide any further details on this matter.
Brake complaints in other F-350 years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2001 Ford F-350?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the brakes of the 2001 Ford F-350, 16% of the model year's 160 complaints. The component named most often is antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (13 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2001 Ford F-350 brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2001 Ford F-350, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2001 Ford F-350 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 30,000 miles, and 29% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 0 fires and 0 injuries to brakes problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
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.