Emergency brake stick. Can't gonna where stuck.

- Crescent City, CA, USA

Note - Ford Motor Company suggested that I file a complaint with the NHTSA. The vehicle involved is a 2005 Ford Lincoln Ls - V6 - with approximately 79,000 miles. On February 2, 2009 my wife was driving the Ls when the emergency (parking) brake became engaged and slowed the car very rapidly in the middle of the highway. The brake would not disengage and she could not move the car. She tried several times to reset the emergency (parking) brake and it did not disengage. She than turned the car off and restarted at which time the emergency (parking) brake was disengaged. I drove the car the next day and had the same problem with the emergency (parking) brake becoming engaged when I was driving on a busy highway causing the car to come to a complete stop very rapidly. My wife was with me and she told me what she had done the previous day to disengage the brake. We took the car to the olathe Ford company service department in olathe, Kansas. They told us they had a similar situation with another Ls the week before and knew how to fix the problem. We had to replace the dual coolant control value to stop the emergency (parking) brake problem. According to the service manager, the defect in the coolant control value caused the emergency (parking) brake to engage because it generated a "higher" frequency to the computer overriding the brake. I filed a concern with the Ford Motor Company. They were concerned and suggested that I file a complaint with NHTSA. My concern is with the emergency (parking) brake engaging for no reason while your driving the vehicle. This causes me concerns for the safety of my family and others.

- Overland Park, KS, USA

The contact owns a 2005 Lincoln Ls. While driving 70 mph, the computer within the vehicle activated the emergency brake. The vehicle is equipped with a brake by wire system. The contact stated that all of the instrument panel lights illuminated and the security alarm sounded. He pulled off the road, shut off, and then restarted the vehicle. He took it to the dealer and they replaced a relay in the vehicle, however, the failure recurred two weeks later. He returned to the dealer, but they did not repair the vehicle a second time. The failure mileage was 8,000 and current mileage was 9,000. Updated 12-12-07. The consumer stated the parking brake activated on its own. It could only be released by stopping the vehicle and then turning it off. Updated

- Chelmsford, MA, USA