US investigates 420K Ford F-150s for brake failure

Associated Press

DETROIT

The U.S. government is investigating complaints that the brakes can fail on Ford’s F-150 pickup truck, one of the most-popular vehicles in the nation.

Ford’s F-Series pickup is the top-selling vehicle in the U.S., and the F-150 accounts for two-thirds of those sales.

The probe covers about 420,000 pickups with 3.5- liter, six-cylinder engines from the 2013 and 2014 model years, according to documents posted Friday on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website.

The agency says it has 33 complaints about the problem, including some drivers reporting that the pedals can suddenly go to the floor with a complete loss of braking. Four drivers reported that the problem caused crashes, although there were no injuries. The agency reported that 31 of the complaints from F-150 drivers came in the past year, with 20 in the past seven months.

The company said any owner who has a concern about the brakes should contact their dealer.