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Calling Ford Techs... Step in

smug

Please go back to eating crayons
TCG Premium
Aug 4, 2007
8,087
3,751
Cedar Lake, IN
Real Name
Dan Erickson
The car I am having a issue with is with my moms 2009 Ford Fusion V6 SE with Sport Appearance Package. The car has 170,000 miles now. I am not sure if the car has Advance Trac, but it does have ABS. I am having a intermittent braking problem that has happened twice now in the past month. Both times happened on the highway and she said that when she hit the brake pedal that it damn near went straight to the floor and the car did not stop very well. After that she pumped the brake pedal and the brakes returned to normal. I looked at the car and the brake fluid level it full and clean. I cant find any external leaks. I just put new pads on the car not to long ago. My first thought with the brake issue was the master cylinder leaking internally but after reading some stuff on the internet it seems that may not be the problem but rather the ABS control unit. Also, there is no known codes or idiot lights at all. I don't really want to just start throwing parts at the car and wasting time and money.

Any ideas?
 

Turbocharged400sbc

3800 & 4T80E > ALL
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Jun 16, 2007
32,540
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hangover park IL
dont buy newer cars cause in 6 years all the weird shit starts happening?

was she using cruise control? did it kick off? pedal position sensors are prevalent and are certainly gonna be wear parts....
possible the brake booster vac hose was collapsed? water puddles prior to highway jaunts?

trade cars and start driving it with a scanner next to ya.

my old coworker drove a customers car for 2 weeks before the right amount of humidity/rain and driving caused the BCM issues to raise their head (intermittent locking/arming)

rainwater was getting down to the combination latches/actuators and sensors.

180$ each for 2 doors and a total of 600$ in labor and two garbage bags to protect the rear actuators.
im sure the labor for 2 weeks of driving/diagnostics shoulda been more...but thats the way the cookie crumbles with some of this new junk

ive been seeing lots of odd crap with ground loop issues and low voltage sensor signals.....
 

Turbocharged400sbc

3800 & 4T80E > ALL
TCG Premium
Jun 16, 2007
32,540
15,847
hangover park IL
sounds like the system saw a lockup event, activated and maybe the actuator killed the feedback?

early abs systems were disconcerting for lots of drivers because the system takes them out of the hydraulic loop (pedal drops to floor) where i believe most newer systems allow for feel feedback by exhausting the actuators pressure to the pedal side (pedal pulsates/doesnt drop/drops minimally)

go drive some gravel and test.
its possible the feedback circuit was momentarily clogged with a pile of sediment?
 

smug

Please go back to eating crayons
TCG Premium
Aug 4, 2007
8,087
3,751
Cedar Lake, IN
Real Name
Dan Erickson
I stopped by the parents place today and took the Fusion for a drive down the gravel alley way to engage the ABS. First time I slammed the brake the ABS engaged and the pedal sank to the floor with minimal lock up at the wheels. I pumped the brakes and the cam back to normalish pedal feel. I then went to the street and the brakes would not even lock up the tires to make the ABS engage. Back to the gravel alley I go and from about 25 mph I would slam the brakes, skid to a stop with ABS going crazy, over and over and over about 10 times. Each time I did this the brake pedal feel with more firm and the car stopped faster and better each time. I then went back to the street and from about 40 mph I slammed the brakes and the car locked up the tires, ABS kicked in, as it should, car stopped very quickly, and the pedal stayed normal.

I don't know if this fixed anything or not, just have to wait and see if the car decided to have a fit again or not. This is just strange.
 

Turbocharged400sbc

3800 & 4T80E > ALL
TCG Premium
Jun 16, 2007
32,540
15,847
hangover park IL
keep in mind that if there's that much sediment in the abs system, its likely that rust and sediment buildup is gonna seize the caliper pistons...ive had em seize not long after compressing em for new brake pads/rotors.....kinda hard to stir up the sediment in the calipers and bleed it out.

i can see why ya dont wanna do it....dust monkeys and brake fluid go together like water and oil :mamoru:
 

smug

Please go back to eating crayons
TCG Premium
Aug 4, 2007
8,087
3,751
Cedar Lake, IN
Real Name
Dan Erickson
After hours of research it seem that this issue is a problem with Ford Fusions and the only solution that people reported was to replace the ABS pump and module. I found a minty ABS pump and module for a good price and bought that. Replaced the parts yesterday along with a complete brake fluid flush, coolant and transmission drain and refill. So far all is good. I hope that actually fixes the problem and I say that because it would happen so randomly.
 
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