May 12, 2025
Houston driver Ryan Kattchee never imagined the problems he'd have after purchasing a new 2024 Ford F-150 Lariat in December. Unfortunately, the truck seems to have a mind of its own. It brakes when it shouldn't, including on the freeway, putting occupants at risk.
Kattchee explained that the braking, which started just days after he’d purchased the truck, seems to happen without reason, although a warning shows up on the car's display as the vehicle brakes itself.
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“Suddenly, this whole thing turns red," Kattchee told NBC’s KPRC 2.
"The whole display right here flashes red. It hits the brakes. And, it’s not soft. It’s enough to pull you out of your seat.”
Unfortunately, he says the problem occurs often — and despite the vehicle being at the dealer for months, no one can seem to come up with a reason for the issue or a solution to the problem. Kattchee is waiting for the manufacturer to agree to buy the truck back, but in the meantime, he's in limbo, stuck with a car he cannot drive and hoping things will eventually be made right.
Here’s the reason Kattchee is left in limbo without his Ford.
Cruise control causes the truck to unexpectedly brake
Kattchee invited KPRC 2 reporters to take a ride with him to show them the problem he’s been having. Once they were in the car, he activated the adaptive cruise control, which seemed to trigger the issue.
"I’m actually gonna turn this on now since no one’s behind us and see if we can make this happen,” he said as he set the cruise control. Within a minute, the truck began to slow down a bit as they drove along U.S. Highway 290 through Jersey Village.
The truck slowed down a second time, and then out of nowhere, it hit the brakes, and a large red warning sign began flashing on the vehicle's dashboard. KPRC 2 reporter Gage Goulding described it as the type of warning that you would normally see if your car was about to hit a stopped vehicle or other obstacle, but there were no obstacles in its path.
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This didn't just happen one time. During a few-mile ride, KPRC 2 reported that the same incident occurred at least seven times, with the truck braking for no reason. Although there didn't seem to be a clear reason for it, Goulding speculated that overpass and highway signs dangling above travel lanes seemed to be possible triggers.
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Driver waits for the dealer to make good
In light of the problem, Kattchee dropped off the truck at the dealer where he had purchased it, Joe Myers Ford.
He says technicians tried everything to fix the problem over a three-month period, but despite replacing parts and making many attempts, they never were able to find out why the truck was exhibiting this weird behavior.
Ultimately, the dealer concluded they had no choice but to buy back the truck from Kattchee. They needed the corporate office in Michigan to sign off though, and they were still waiting for that to happen.
Also following the story, The Drive reported on May 9 that a Ford spokesperson had told the outlet, “We are aware of the situation and are working with the customer to buy back the vehicle so that engineering can fully evaluate this specific unit. We have not received any other reports related to this matter.”
Meanwhile, Kattchee has gone months without his car.
“They just need to make it right by me,” he said, “that’s all I really ever wanted.”
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Christy Bieber has 15 years of experience as a personal finance and legal writer. She has written for many publications including Forbes, Kilplinger, CNN, WSJ, Credit Karma, Insurify and more.
