Component

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:HYDRAULIC:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS

139 NHTSA complaints about service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:hydraulic:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings issues across 26 makes and 87 models.

The service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:hydraulic:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 139 filings from 26 manufacturers and 87 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 10 crashes, 4 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD WINDSTAR with 6 filings, followed by FORD F-150 and FORD FUSION. 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.

139
Complaints
87
Models Affected
10
Crashes
4
Fires
0
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 FORD WINDSTAR 6
2 FORD F-150 6
3 FORD FUSION 5
4 GMC SIERRA 4
5 FORD F-250 SD 4
6 DODGE CARAVAN 4
7 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS 3
8 FORD EXPEDITION 3
9 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 3
10 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 3
11 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3
12 BUICK CENTURY 3
13 TOYOTA COROLLA 2
14 SAAB 9-3 2
15 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER 2
16 MERCEDES-BENZ ML430 2
17 LINCOLN TOWN CAR 2
18 KIA SOUL 2
19 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 2
20 FORD TAURUS 2
21 FORD EXPLORER 2
22 FORD CROWN VICTORIA 2
23 DODGE RAM 2500 2
24 DODGE INTREPID 2
25 DAEWOO NUBIRA 2
26 DAEWOO LANOS 2
27 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 2
28 CHEVROLET BLAZER 2
29 CADILLAC SEVILLE 2
30 VOLVO V40 1

Recent Complaints

2015 KIA SOUL

2015 KIA SOUL- Email and complaint forwarded from the division of consumer protection of the state of New York on behalf of consumer. Consumer states: "The brake lines rotted away and failed . Kia ha

2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

The contact owns a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the hubcaps were extremely hot while driving. While driving, the vehicle was shaking and pulling. The vehicle was taken to the loca

2017 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY SPORT

The contact owns a 2017 Land Rover Discovery Sport. The contact stated that while she was in a drive-thru line and depressing the brake pedal, the pedal went to the floorboard. The contact stated that

2016 FORD FUSION

I had a brake hose blow out to the right front caliper causing failure of the brake system. Luckily I was driving in a parking lot at low speed so no injuries or damages occurred but this can cause se

2014 KIA SOUL

Brakes completely failed. It turned out that the brake line for the rear wheels rusted through where it bends near the rear wheels and all of the brake fluid was lost. I had just completed a 400 mile

2013 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER SPORT

The contact owns a 2013 Land Rover Range Rover Sport. The contact stated that the brake fluid warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that while having routine maintenance performed at the l

2015 FORD FUSION

I was in line at a drive thru and my brakes suddenly went to the floor. I was close to home so I drove carefully having to press the brakes all the way to the floor to stop,barely. I did a visual insp

2015 FORD FUSION

Front left brake line hoses ruptured while driving. Replaced with OEM part. Ford had +/- 500k Edge vehicles recalled for same issue, but not Fusions of the same era using the same type hose material,

2015 FORD FUSION

Front right brake line hose ruptured during use on highway to slow vehicle and disengage cruise control. While doing so a loss of resistance was noticed and vehicle was safely driven to a stop with E

2015 FORD EDGE

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Edge. The contact stated while attempting to stop vehicle, the brake pedal extended to the floor with the brake system malfunction message displayed on the instrument pane

2015 FORD FUSION

Front brake lines on ford fusion 2015 titanium broke. Only have the image of the break lines but the front drivers side break line was bubbled up and the passenger side brake line split while I was dr

2013 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

WHEN BRAKING THE BRAKE PEDAL SEEMED "SOFT" AND AFTER ABOUT 40 MILES OF DRIVING IT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. I HAD REACHED HOME BY THEN. THERE WERE DROPS OF FLUID ON THE PAVEMENT AFTER I BACKED I

2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET IMPALA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKE FLUID WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO INFORMED THE

2006 BUICK LUCERNE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 BUICK LUCERNE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS REPLACED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO SUBURBAN BUICK GMC OF FERNDALE (21800 WOODWARD

2018 FORD EXPLORER Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2018 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, SHE WAS INFORMED BY A PASSING MOTORIST THAT HER VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHI

2006 TOYOTA TUNDRA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA TUNDRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, A TRACTOR TRAILER ENTERED THE CONTACT'S LANE. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND IT BECAME STUCK TO

2001 MERCEDES-BENZ ML430

2001 MERCEDES BENZ ML 430. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE BRAKE PEDAL ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE PEDAL LOST PRESSURE DUE TO THE FUEL TUBE COMING IN CONTACT WITH THE BRAKE LIN

2003 HYUNDAI SONATA

METAL BRAKE LINES TO REAR BRAKES RUSTED OUT CAUSING BRAKES TO FAIL. *TT

2007 FORD F-150

WHEN I STARTED MY ENGINE IT BACKFIRED. FROM THAT POINT ON I HAD TO PRESS EXTREMELY HARD ON THE BRAKE PEDAL JUST TO SLOW DOWN AND EVENTUALLY TO STOP. IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION IT WOULD WITHOUT A DOUB

2013 BMW 320I Crash

RE: TCN-KDN21-40701 ON 9/17/13 I WAS INVOLVED IN A CAR ACCIDENT. I WAS UNABLE TO STOP MY CAR AS IT ROLLED DOWN A HILL - ALTHOUGH I APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AS I WAS LEAVING A DR

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:hydraulic:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings issues?
The NHTSA has received 139 complaints about service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:hydraulic:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings problems across 87 vehicle models from 26 manufacturers.
How dangerous are service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:hydraulic:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings defects?
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:POWER ASSIST:HYDRAULIC:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS issues have been linked to 10 crashes, 4 fires, 3 injuries, and 0 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:hydraulic:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:hydraulic:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings issues is the FORD WINDSTAR with 6 complaints.
Where does PlainCars get its safety data?
All vehicle safety data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database, which collects reports from vehicle owners about safety-related defects.

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.

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