Even though this item was eventually covered under a recall - the vehicle pump still makes a noise when started.

Another item that is cropping up quite regularly is the fact that the transmission cannot be shifted into gear easily, at the same time I hear this the vacuum pump is very loud and I feel the two items are related. The brake pressure may not be high enough to activate the switching mechanism which gives the shift handle its signal.

This whole vacuum pump situation has me ticked as the original noise was confused by my dealer. I had a problem several times when passing another vehicle under acceleration where the no power was available suddenly this went on past warranty and was never fixed even though the various CAC covers and replacement of the Cat converters was done. Their was a noise which the dealer said was the vacuum pump and it was a warped exhaust manifold which I could hear on acceleration -and of course this repair was on my $.

I have been a Ford person all my life but this is NOW OVER.

I have copied and pasted my last letter to NTHSA: My principle issue is the fact that at the time there no information about the faulty design feature, the electric vacuum pump (EVP). As you say it is a recall sugar coated by a Customer Satisfaction Program- a program that only helps, those for whom the failure has not occurred. Down plays the dangers of the brake failure. See NHTSA Action Numbers: EA1500, PE15026.

NTHSA ignores: The complaints I complained in April 2013- they never contacted me. At the time I had never heard of the EVP let alone specifically identified the EVP as potentially the problem.

The difficulty of recognizing the problem as the electric vacuum pump is situated right behind the left front headlight and in any significant collision it would probably be trashed and discarded with the tangled wreckage.

There is no way to tally the wrecks in the trail of blood that were caused by the (EVP) Failure.

The following is my letter to NTHSA earlier this year.

NHTSA Headquarters April 14, 2016 NHTSA Administrator Honorable Mark Rosenkind 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE West Building Washington, DC 20590

Re. NHTSA action number: PE1506, EA15006 brake failures due to a defective electric vacuum pump on the 2011 F150 pickups

Dear Administrator Rosenkind,

I am glad NHTSA has reopened the investigation of the brake failures. I believe that since this is a safety issue Ford needs to do a safety recall. I purchased the pickup new. From time to time I had minor problems with the brakes; hard pedal and slow to stop, but nothing real serious. I mentioned the brake problem to Ford dealership. They checked out the brakes and assured me that they were working properly (no mention of the problem with defective electric pressure pump).

In March 2013, I was towing a trailer, and while trying to stop for slowing traffic the brakes failed; no matter how hard I tried to depress the brake pedal the truck would not stop, resulting in a multi-car accident. Three people were injured.

By happenstance the other day, I heard about the Ford Customer Satisfaction program to address the pump failure from a fellow EcoBoost owner. Since I did not have a notice letter, I was interested in the details. I called Ford Motor Company, Customer Service and asked for a copy. They refused. Telling me that it was not a recall and Ford would only replace the pump if it failed or was about to fail.

That might be a good solution if they were talking about soccer balls or flashlights. However, is unconscionable for a problem that potentially effects 250,000 F150 pickup trucks on U.S. highways.

Ford has known about the problem for a since 2014 but has suppressed the information until NHTSA’s first investigation in 2015. As one independent Ford Certified Technician put it, the vacuum pump was "Designed to fail." Also, the location of the pump is right behind the front headlight where, if the truck is involved in a front end collision the pump is likely destroyed leaving no evidence of failure. The accident will be chalked up as operator error.

I believe that my accident was due to this system defect. How many more people have to suffer the consequence of Ford's unwillingness to recall all EcoBoost pickups? How can NHTSA ignore the potential risk of to the general public? More injuries or fatal accidents that are impossible to predict or diagnose?

I see on your website that Ford produced test results and data "proving" the pump was not a major problem and at most a nuisance. But still it recognized that the failed pump would make it difficult to stop the vehicle. I know tests and data, under controlled conditions will support the theoretical efficacy and safety, that is how the tests under controlled circumstances are designed. If laboratory testing and data could predict failure in the real world, then NASA's Challenger would not have exploded in a catastrophic ball of fire.

I understand that Ford’s notification letter was quite conciliatory giving the impression that pump failure is little more than a nuisance. The information available from Ford downplays the most dangerous consequences of the pumps failure which is; complete brake failure in traffic, a very real possibility with very dire consequences.

In my opinion, Ford should do more than sugar coat the issue with a Consumer Satisfaction Program. They should contact ALL 2011 EcoBoost owners, and admit that sometimes the pressure pump can fail and cause an accident with serious injury or fatalities. The failure is safety issue and a Safety Recall should be implemented.

I support NHTSA efforts to do a thorough investigation. However, there is ample evidence that Ford knew about this serious system failure for years; and withheld the information from the general public; and has done little to rectify the problem. It is time to require Ford to recall all vehicles to resolve the issue for the safety of the general public; once and for all. There is a fix - a relatively inexpensive fix - that can correct the problem and prevent any more serious injuries or loss of life.

Awaiting your reply.

Sincerely, Martin Muschinske

cc

Brakes fail driving on Interstate 70 west of Columbia Mo, at 1.30a.m no warning. Stopped at Firestone brake store. they couldn't help. Drove to nearest Dealer, it was a Mazda ( Joe Machens ) they were very helpful, They called Ford Dealership for parts, here's where the complaint starts Ford dealer said nothing of vacuum problem, but were willing to sell the vacuum pump at $ 588.00 parts and labor $ 988.00. Called back to Long McArthur in Salina Ks. they said it was a covered Part ( Recalled ) warranted 150,000 5 years. Question why it covered a one dealership and not at the other. Who's honest ? maybe the parts guy in Columbia doesn't know about ( Recalls ) ?