Component
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:CONTROLS:FOOT CONTROL/VALVE
20 NHTSA complaints about service brakes, air:controls:foot control/valve issues across 12 makes and 19 models.
The service brakes, air:controls:foot control/valve is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 20 filings from 12 manufacturers and 19 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.
Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 8 crashes, 0 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the VOLVO HEAVY TRUCK with 2 filings, followed by VOLVO VOLVO TRUCK and TOYOTA SIENNA. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.
Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues — the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material — before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.
Most Affected Vehicles
| # | Vehicle | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | VOLVO HEAVY TRUCK | 2 |
| 2 | VOLVO VOLVO TRUCK | 1 |
| 3 | TOYOTA SIENNA | 1 |
| 4 | TOYOTA PRIUS | 1 |
| 5 | TOYOTA HIGHLANDER | 1 |
| 6 | SUBARU FORESTER | 1 |
| 7 | MAZDA MPV | 1 |
| 8 | MAZDA MAZDA6 | 1 |
| 9 | JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE | 1 |
| 10 | ISUZU RODEO | 1 |
| 11 | HYUNDAI ELANTRA | 1 |
| 12 | GMC SAFARI | 1 |
| 13 | GMC JIMMY | 1 |
| 14 | FREIGHTLINER FL-106 | 1 |
| 15 | FORD TAURUS | 1 |
| 16 | DODGE INTREPID | 1 |
| 17 | DODGE CARAVAN | 1 |
| 18 | CHEVROLET TRACKER | 1 |
| 19 | CHEVROLET SILVERADO | 1 |
Recent Complaints
I WAS DRIVING SLOWLY DOWN THE STREET, MADE A LEFT TURN INTO A PARKING LOT. PERHAPS I TURNED A LITTLE TOO SHARPLY. THERE WAS A SUDDEN SURGE AND ACCELERATION AND THE BRAKES WERE UNRESPONSIVE. THE CA
BRAKES FAILED. UNABLE TO STOP. HAD TO INITIATE EMERGENCY MEASURES--EMERGENCY BRAKE, PUT CAR INTO PARK.
I WAS BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE IN A PARKING LOT. I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE, PLACE MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE, LIFTED MY FOOT OFF OF THE BRAKE AND THE CAR IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO A
MY DAUGHTER LEASED A 2005 4 CYLINDER, FWD TOYOTA HIGHLANDER IN FEBRUARY 2005, AND HAS PUT ON ABOUT 5,000 MILES. THE CAR WAS LEASED IN LOUISVILLE, KY. A FEW DAYS AGO SHE WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT A
MY WIFE AND I BOUGHT A NEW PRIUS IN EARLY MARCH OF 2005. MY WIFE WAS COASTING TO STOP (AROUND 5 MPH) FOR A STOP SIGN AND WHEN SHE PUT HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE. SHE CAME TO A
2000 CHEVROLET TRACKER, HAVE EXPERIENCED SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN QUICKLY DEPRESSING THE BRAKES CAUSED THE FRONT WHEELS TO LOCK PUTTING THE VEHICLE INTO A 10 TO 12' SKID. THE FIRST TWO TIMES I WAS LE
WHEN ORIGINALLY PURCHASED, THE CAR WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION R/T BRAKES AND EMISSIONS. THE DEALERSHIP GOT THE VEHICLE TO PASS INSPECTION, BUT I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN ON 2-3 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS FOR PROBL
NO BRAKES (3) TIMES, PEDAL GOES TO FLOOR, HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE 2 TIMES. WHEN TAKEN TO DEALER, THEY FIND NOTHING WRONG. SOMETIMES JUMPS WHEN FIRST STARTED UP LIKE IT IS GOING TO JUMP FORWARD OUT OF GE
STILL HEARING THE BRAKES GRINDING NOISE WHEN STOPPING. WENT BACK TO THE DEALER, IT WAS HEARD BY THE MASTER TECH THERE AT THE DEALER. HE STATED THAT MAZDA WAS LOOKING INTO A SOLUTIONS.
TO START WITH, I HAVE HAD CONTINOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES, WHICH SQUEAL LOUDLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THEY MOAN & CREEK ON THE INSIDE THEN FORCEFULLY PUSHES MY FOOT OFF THE PEDAL-- THE HEADLIGHTS
1998, VOLVO, COMMERCIAL TRACTOR SERVICE, BRAKE PEDAL RIGHT ON THE FLOOR AND HARD TO REACH. *AK
OUR 1995 FREIGHTLINER ROLL-OFF TRUCK WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED 6/9/03 IN ACCIDENT DUE TO BRAKE FAILURE. WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM FREIGHTLINER FOR DEFECTIVE BRAKES ON 7/7/03, ONE MONTH AFTER THE A
WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE PEDAL VIBRATES AND GOES TO THE FLOOR. THE DRIVER HAS TO WAIT FOR BRAKE PEDAL TO LIFT BACK UP THEN PRESS AGAIN TO STOP. DEALER IS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE. PL
WHEN EXCELERATING ON THE INITIAL DEPRESSION OF THE PEDAL, CAR WILL NOT EXCELERATE, SEEMS 'STUCK'. FOR THE CAR TO MOVE YOU MUST DEPRESS THE PEDAL FURTHER WHICH RESULTS IN A SUDDEN HIGH SPEED EXCELERAT
GAS PEDAL DEPRESSED DURING BRAKING WHEN WEARING BOOTS OR LARGER SIZE SHOES RESULTING IN ACCELERATION INSTEAD OF BRAKING. SEVERAL TIMES I HAVE PRESSED ON THE BRAKE ONLY TO HAVE MY RIGHT PORTION OF THE
I ENTERED MY DODGE INTREPID AT APPROXIMATELY 5:50 AM AND AFTER STARTING THE IGNITION I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED ITSELF DOWN THE FLOOR. AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES THE PEDAL DID NOT COME UP
MY CAR STALLS OR JUST STOPS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC, IT WILL GO FROM 60MPH TO 0MPH. THIS HAS HAPPENED OVER 20 TIMES. I TOOK IT TO PEFFLEY FORD FOR REPAIRS, THEY CHARGED ME $669.36 AND 6 DAYS LATER
I NOTIFIED THE FIRST INCIDENT TO THE DEALER ABOUT ITS SPEED SENSOR, OVER THE PHONE, WHICH BLEW AWAY JUST AFTER THE TWO WEEKS OF BUYING THIS CAR FROM HIS SHOWROOM. LAST MONTH, THE BREAK WENT BAD AND
FOOD LION DRIVER STATES THAT BRAKES FREEZE UP IN COLD, AND THE THEY THINK THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE FOOT VALVE BEING TOO SMALL TO HANDLE THE AIR OF THE OTHER VALVES. *MJ
1995 WIA64TES MODEL. EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS WITH GETTING TRUCK TO STOP. BRAKE PEDAL WAS RISING EASILY. BRAKE VALVE WAS REPLACED, NOW TRACTOR IS TOO LOW, HOWEVER BRAKES WORKING. SPOKE WITH WARRANTY DE
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Data Sources
Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.
Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.
Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.