Why the Canadian government is investigating some Ford F-150s

Canadian media sites are reporting that Transport Canada has received more than 100 complaints about the brakes on 2011 and 2012 Ford F-150s. They are trying to decide if Ford of Canada should be forced to recall the vehicles to fix the brakes.

Similar problems were reported in the United States. Canada Transport says the problems are tied to an electric vacuum pump in the power brake system of certain Ford models. The pump can fail which may result in an unexpected, longer stopping distance. Canada Transport has determined that 2011 and 2012 F-150 trucks equipped with a 3.5L EcoBoost engine have a defect in the pump.

When the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigated the complaints in America, it declined to recall the vehicles. NHTSA said that even though the pump may fail, drivers only needed to push harder on the brake pedal to stop the truck.

A check of the website carcomplaints.com that tracks reported problems on all vehicles, finds that for the years 2011 and 2012, there were a total of 188 complaints about the Ford F-150’s brakes. A portion of those involved the electric vacuum pumps. Ford apparently increased the warranty on the brake vacuum pump to ten years or 150,000 miles and agreed to replace the failed vacuum pumps for free.

It is unclear if the same extended warranty applied to the vehicles in Canada.

It will be up to the Transport Minister to decide if Ford of Canada will have to issue a recall for the 2011 and 2012 Ford F-150s.

Apparently, the truck owners in America received letters telling them about the possible problems with the electric vacuum pumps and the extended warranties. At least, this latest issue will remind truck owners about the possible problem and the potential dangers it may cause.