Time to break with ford

I HAVE been eagerly reading the reports of failed brake hoses on Fords and thought I would add my experience to the saga. We had a problem with a brake hose on our Territory, and as a result my wife hit another car from behind. The brake hose blew and half the braking system failed. Fortunately no one was injured but it obviously could've been worse, especially if it was a pedestrian she was avoiding. Our dealer was co-operative and advised, both verbally and in writing, that the crash was due to the faulty hose as it blew from the inside, which should never happen. Talking to Ford directly was a different experience. They started off sounding nice, but as soon as I described the problem they became cold and guarded in what they were saying. Their response was scripted and no way were they admitting any liability. The reason I called them was to advise them of the problem and also I don't think I should be financially out of pocket because it wasn't in any way mine or my wife's fault. I'm not just talking about the cost of fixing the brakes, but my excess and increased premium of car insurance. Every time I thought about it, I couldn't stomach the thought of us having to pay when someone else was at fault. After a couple of calls, Ford said they weren't obliged to pay because the car was out of warranty by a few months, but they would pay for replacing the hose. I asked why I should be paying for the excess and extra premium when the fault was theirs. I was advised that since the car was out of warranty it wasn't their responsibility. I have since sought legal advice and they are wrong. We've been meaning to formally write to Ford, but thought we wouldn't get anywhere. My lawyer said taking legal action wouldn't be worth it, but there's a principle at stake. At the end of the day, I'll always ask why I'm paying for something that wasn't my fault. I just hope I don't read about any death and/or injury due to a brake hose failure. I've been a Ford man all my life but -- all of a sudden -- Holdens and Toyotas are looking great.