— A Ford F-150 master cylinder recall includes nearly 344,000 trucks to replace the brake master cylinders and possibly the brake boosters.
The recall follows a federal investigation opened four years ago into Ford F-150 master cylinder problems.
At least two injuries and seven crashes have been reported after the brake master cylinder front wheel circuits leaked brake fluid into the brake boosters.
The 2014-2017 F-150 trucks are equipped with 3.5-liter EcoBoost engines, with about 292,300 of the recalled trucks in the U.S., 43,536 in Canada and more than 8,000 in Mexico.
Ford says an F-150 driver may hear an audible chime, see a message alert and red brake warning light in the instrument cluster, and notice changes in the brake pedal.
The feel and distance of brake pedal travel will correspond to longer stopping distances due to a decrease in front braking. This will cause the F-150 to rely on the rear brakes which are not affected. However, any sudden decrease in braking ability is dangerous.
Ford says the seven reported crashes occurred at low speeds and were low-impact, but the only way to prevent additional crashes and injuries is to replace the master cylinders.
Some of the recalled Ford F-150s were built in Michigan between October 1, 2014, and August 1, 2016, while the remaining trucks were built in Kansas City between September 1, 2014, and August 1, 2016.
The master cylinder recall is expected to begin June 29, 2020, but truck owners with questions should call 866-436-7332.
Ford's F-150 master cylinder recall reference number is 20S31.
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Ford F-150 — 2014 / 2015 / 2016 / 2017 / All model years