2017 Master Cylinder / Brake booster failure

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

7GenTex

Active Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2017
Posts
91
Reaction score
32
Location
Texas
My VIN shows no current recalls - 3/2017 build date..............(brake recalls (2) were 2014-2017 models though earlier build date than mine) Dealer instructions / parts pending (Q4 2020) for the 2nd recall.

Less than 5,000 miles on it (Yeah, I know - I have/had a company vehicle)

I estimate a 90% loss of braking effect - and the pedal had a mind of it's own.

Would feel / stop "normal", then to the floor / no stop, then normal, then to the floor.................was not fun - YIKES!

Brake fluid level was fine, no visible leaks, no warning lights / no chimes, nada..............YIKES!

Supposedly the booster is sucking brake fluid in from the master cylinder (though I thought that would cause a hard pedal.....?)

Booster On Emergency Backorder - no ETA - may be weeks.....................this sucks.


And, no hand release handle for the E-brake really SUCKS!
 
Last edited:

smurfslayer

Be vewwy, vewwy quiet. We’re hunting sasquatch77
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Posts
16,290
Reaction score
24,024
I’m glad you’re ok to type this. I’ve had a 100% brake outage on a Brand B motorcycle on Susten Pass coming into Andermatt. All I could do was downshift and lean harder. Only by the time I hit 2nd gear the fault cleared, restored braking and since lever and pedal were fully depressed we had a full lock up. I release the brakes, downshift to first, make the hair pin coast through the next 2 until I find a pull off. It’s better to be lucky than good.

I know this doesn’t immediately help, but I can’t recall any of us having this kind of issue before, so when it’s fixed, I’m betting you’ll never have a problem like this again.
 
OP
OP
7GenTex

7GenTex

Active Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2017
Posts
91
Reaction score
32
Location
Texas
......
I know this doesn’t immediately help, but I can’t recall any of us having this kind of issue before, so when it’s fixed, I’m betting you’ll never have a problem like this again.

Thanks - it was a bit hairy!

FYI - There are around 300,000 2014-2017 EcoBoost 3.5 F-150s currently subject to a recall for this. Latest build date for the recalls is Aug 2016...................currently.

Believe that could include some early Gen2 Raps......?
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
7GenTex

7GenTex

Active Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2017
Posts
91
Reaction score
32
Location
Texas
Weird.................

From the NHTSA:

https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/202...0V332-1472.PDF

"Investigation of field return parts found the causes of the brake fluid leak to be
brake fluid contamination that could interfere with rear cup seal function or, to
a lesser extent, rolling of the rearmost cup seal in the master cylinder."


Also saw some issues on the interwebs regarding Canadian EcoBoost 3.5 F-150s having an issue with condensation contamination of the brake vacuum pump - related - who knows?
 

Nibbl3s

Full Access Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2017
Posts
240
Reaction score
143
Brake booster can’t cause a low pedal. What is happening is the rear seal on the master cylinder failed and allowed fluid to leak into the booster. You will need both a new master cylinder and brake booster to repair it.
Had this happen on a Toyota. They replaced the master cylinder and a bunch of valves and told me it was fixed. I drove off and almost go into a wreck.

long story short Toyota covered most of everything and it was the ABS module that went bad and caused the pedal to go to the floor
 

txgunsntrucks

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2020
Posts
507
Reaction score
291
Location
texas
My VIN shows no current recalls - 3/2017 build date..............(brake recalls (2) were 2014-2017 models though earlier build date than mine) Dealer instructions / parts pending (Q4 2020) for the 2nd recall.

Less than 5,000 miles on it (Yeah, I know - I have/had a company vehicle)

I estimate a 90% loss of braking effect - and the pedal had a mind of it's own.

Would feel / stop "normal", then to the floor / no stop, then normal, then to the floor.................was not fun - YIKES!

Brake fluid level was fine, no visible leaks, no warning lights / no chimes, nada..............YIKES!

Supposedly the booster is sucking brake fluid in from the master cylinder (though I thought that would cause a hard pedal.....?)

Booster On Emergency Backorder - no ETA - may be weeks.....................this sucks.


And, no hand release handle for the E-brake really SUCKS!


rare issue. braking issues like a total loss like that are extremely rare.

historically braking systems are extremely reliable
 

NASSTY

FRF Addict
Joined
Aug 19, 2016
Posts
2,578
Reaction score
3,061
Location
ME
Thanks - it was a bit hairy!

FYI - There are around 300,000 2014-2017 EcoBoost 3.5 F-150s currently subject to a recall for this. Latest build date for the recalls is Aug 2016...................currently.

Believe that could include some early Gen2 Raps......?
I don't think they started making Gen2 Raps until October.

I had that recall done on my old 2014 Tremor. I never had any issues with the brakes before or after the recall.
 

hamster

FRF Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 14, 2016
Posts
944
Reaction score
588
Location
Northern VA
Brake booster can’t cause a low pedal. What is happening is the rear seal on the master cylinder failed and allowed fluid to leak into the booster. You will need both a new master cylinder and brake booster to repair it.

Same issue last December on '17. 3 wks for parts. Used it as an excuse to buy a '20 for a spare. Going to sell '17 one day.....been such a good truck that I hate to part with it.
 
Top