Ford - Focus :: 2009 - Pulsing As Slow Down When Hit The Brakes At Any Speed
Aug 25, 2013
I have a 2009 Ford Focus and have been having a problem with the brakes. When I hit the brakes at any speed there is a feeling of pulsing as I slow down. It is proportional to the speed I am going. It feels like there is an unevenness to the rotor or brake drum that makes one spot on either of those hit the brake pad/shoe more severely than the rest of the pad/shoe and thus I slow down more during that one spot. Maybe the best way to describe the feeling is like this: While the brake pedal is pressed down it feels like I am slowly pulsing the pedal even though the pedal is steadily pressed down. This pulsing feeling slows down as I slow down until I stop. What might cause this?
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Recently my brakes were feeling a little spongy so I took my X to a local shop who installed new front and rear brake pads and flushed the brake fluid. The brakes seemed to operate properly.
But, then while driving on the interstate in Tampa, I had to SLAM on the brakes but it seemed like it took forever to slow down. It's hard to describe, but it's like when you are moving at interstate speeds and then you have to SLAM on the brakes, the X just slows down and comes to an eventual stop. It does not stop quickly.
I do not feel any pulsing from the antilock braking system so I don't think it is being activated for some reason. This seems to only happen at faster speeds. I have no problem when driving around town and slowing down for stop signs or red lights. It slows and stops just fine.
So I took the X back to the shop and they replaced the Booster w Ford booster. I thought I checked it out as soon as I picked it up around town AND on the interstate.
But, today I had to SLAM on the brakes while on the interstate again and it is acting just like before - just slowing down, but not fast and without the antilock brakes activating (apparently).
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For the past 4/5 weeks my truck vibrates when i brake at slow speed ex. Driving out of a parking spot, slightly braking no matter if i go forward, reverse, turn or go straight it'll vibrate, sometimes very lightly, but usually it's very noticeable, can be compared to the clutch pack issue with these trucks. I had the clutchpacks in the rear diff. replaced at 160k ,after that it drove very smooth but that only lasted 20/30k.
So when turning it'll vibrate at about 15/20 km/h, but that's because of them crappy clutch packs
truck:
2009 f150
xlt ext. cab
4x4
xtr package
6,5 ft box
5.4 L
212000 km
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I took my 2011 Lariat in for first service and reported that it sometimes tries to accelerate on its own during slowdown from high speed, eg when coming off a freeway ramp, rpms go up and vehicle wants to speed up rather than slow down. (sounds like something a Toyota would do!)
Dealer says its a known problem with 5.0L and performed a supposed fix per "TSB 11-8-9, 5.0L ENGINE BRAKING PERFORMANCE DURING LOW SPEED COAST DOWN," essentially a PCM reflash.
Happened once in a parking lot...thought the floormat was stuck on the accelerator but the pedal was clear.
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2010 f150 4x4... Whether I'm in 4wd or 2wd when I turn at low speed something in the rear has slow clunking but clears out after a few feet of going straight. This occurs with or without a trailer behind me. Just bought this truck a week ago m noticed it about the third time I drive it.
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The front brakes are pulsing (slightly, enough to spill my coffee when they line up together) with each rotation. I can't tell if they're warped, or if they have a rough patch on each disc.
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The car is at rest, engine on, when I turn the wheel (either sides), there is this popping sounds, coming out from the front suspension. It almost sounds like the Titanic moments before it fell apart... It also happens when I drive slow, like parking or backing out...etc. Doesn't happen at >10mph.
So I had my friend turned the wheel and I inspect it. I can feel the spring or something popping on the strut mount of the front wheels. SEE PICTURE.
I also uploaded a video with sound. I have sufficient tools to remove the struts and springs.
2009 LE
Video : [URL] ......
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So originally I was told it was my front brakes going bad, which was the case. To address the issue, I replaced the rotors and pads awhile back and the noise disappeared for a bit. Fast forward a month or so ago and I hear an on-and-off squeaking noise when the brakes are applied. It does not happen every time. Usually when I ease onto the brakes to a slow stop.
Figuring it could be my pads going bad for whatever reason, I decided to check my brake pads and rotors again. No odd signs of damage on the rotors and by the looks of it there was still plenty of pad left. I then sprayed some brake clean assuming it could be dust but there wasn't much.
I have not touched the drums yet but I'm thinking it could possibly be the drums or a bad bearing? The car is a 2012 with 38k miles which is the reason I'm doubtful of it being a bad wheel bearing. What could it be?
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It's a farm truck, lumber getter trailer puller. Not driven often, after sitting for awhile the brakes seem to be pulsing in front like antilock, as if braking on ice. I checked both front caliper springs or plunger slides and they are free not froze up.
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At low speed braking or before it comes to a full stop. I'm guessing the ABS but would like a 2nd opinion from others. If it's the ABS, is the fix something that can be done DIY?
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When I apply the brakes moderately at speeds between 60 mph and 80 mph, the brakes pulses and the car shakes. If I press harder, the intensity gets worse shortly and then disappears the harder I press. The front steering wheel does not shake so I believe it is the rear brake or wheels. This problem started after I changed the rear VW brakes rotors and rear VW pads and changed all four wheels with remanufactured VW Phaeton wheels. The issue must be with the wheels,brakes, or lug nuts. The tires have not been changed but they are fairly new from what I can tell. The front rotor and pads was changed by the prior owner and I've never had issue with them, they are fairly new and look to be OEM.
Prior to reinstalling the new wheels, I cleaned the rust off of the front rotor surface that makes contact with the wheel and applied high temperature paint. One of the wheels I had a run in the paint (and there is no way I can make the paint 100% the same thickness) so perhaps this has slightly misaligned the front wheels to the rotors.
When I did the brake job, I cleaned the driver side rear hub of surface rust prior to installation of the rotor. I did not clean the hub on the rear passenger side because the hub and wheel bearing was changed a few months prior. I did snap the plastic for the speed sensor for the abs on the rear passenger side. I epoxied the plastic back together and have no ABS errors when the car is scanned. Everything was torqued per VW recommendations. I also checked the calibers sliding mechanism (for left to right movement if rotor slightly warped or out of true) and they moved freely and was not locked up. The only part of the job that was not 100% by the book is I used a hand made tool to push the pistons in on the calipers so I could install the pads (I had to push and turn the piston roughly at the same time but was not 100% at the same time because the tool was hand made).
I've had the wheels professionally rebalanced balanced at a tire shop with a fairly modern balancing machine (digital computer flat screen readout). Originally the wheels was balanced with an older balancing machine and when they rebalanced it it was noted the wheels was way out of balance. I had a bad steering wheel shake and the car vibrated significantly prior to the new balance. The shaking improved greatly with the rebalancing but I could still feel a subdued shake in the seat of my pants (steering wheel shake is gone). Yesterday, I retorqued all of the lug nuts and found the driver side rear and passenger side front had one loose lug nut. Also it appeared that the lug nuts may have been installed with an impact driver and probably not torqued because some were very tight. I used a dial gauge to check both the rear tires and I have about 15-20 thousands of movement in each wheel when rocked side to side and top to bottom. Prior to tightening the lug nut on the driver rear, I had 100 thousands of side to side movement. Car now runs much smoother (maybe not as good with the original wheels and brakes but pretty good) after retorquing all the lug nuts, but the same 60-80 mph pulsing / shaking happens when apply the brakes at speed, perhaps even worse.
I've also checked the rear rotor and wheel runout with the dial gauge and I didn't have anything over 4 thousands on the rotor or wheel when rotated. My jig for the dial gauge was not the best since it was hand made and was attached to the ground instead of the car, so any dial gauge measurements could be off, but I would think they tolerances would be even better if I had a proper jig mounted to the car (not floor). The only thing that I haven't replaced is the lug nuts. Tightening them did seam to change the brake pulse behavior for the worse but did make the car run smoother. Could it be possible that the lug nuts are stretched and this is producing the behavior I'm seeing? I've head the ABS can cause a shake if the speed sensor is damaged.
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When coming to a full stop, there is a growling/grinding sound from beneath the floor behind the brake pedal and I can feel the growling./grinding in the pedal as well. Used to happen occasionally, now is happening more often than not. When the Service ABS System/Service Traction System message is displayed (occasionally) on the message center, the growling/grinding doesn't occur and the brakes work. Like normal. When I turn the car off and restart it, the messages are no longer displayed and the growling/grinding sound and feel returns.
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Our gen 1 has developed a (currently minor) noise issue when braking. I'd like to sort it out before it becomes serious.
The brakes are still strong, and the regenerative system appears to be working. When the brakes are applied (even gently) there is a pulsing raspy sound, seems like it is coming from the front, driver's side. It is more rapid at higher speeds, and louder during rapid deceleration. I guess I'd call it 'grinding', although this is much less unpleasant than the classic 'grinding brakes' I've heard on other cars.
In any other car I would figure a warped rotor or worn out brake pad. But I had imagined that the regenerative system handled light braking, and conventional brakes took over beyond a certain threshold. Now I'm hoping they work in tandem, even on gentle braking and this is just a boring, simple pad issue.
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Ever since the day I bought the car, it has had a highway speed pulsing vibration. This vibration manifests once you cross about 90kph, and pulses like a sine wave.
Think of it like this - OOOOOOooooooOOOOOOooooooOOOOOOooooooOOOOOO - where big O's are vibration and little o's are absence of vibration.
I have had the wheels and tires rebalanced several times on various machines over the years in attempts to rid myself of it. The original owner had theorized that the car was so heavy and had sat on its aftermarket rims in one spot for so long that the wheels had bent, which does not appear to be the case. The dealer has experienced the symptoms but cannot find a cause...though I fear they are less knowledgeable about the car than I am. I note that several people on the forum have had vibration issues due to drive shaft bushing failures...but in skimming the relevant threads, none of those people characterized it as a pulsation OR a constant issue that I saw.
I wouldn't say the pulsing was fast...think 4-5 seconds of vibration and then 4-5 seconds of peace.
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My wife has a Sierra 1500 2WD 6cyl that is doing the low speed ABS pulsing. I read this forum and performed the sensor cleaning as described in the TSB from GM. The problem did not go away, so I pulled the ABS fuse for now. When I was cleaning the sensors - which were covered with crap - I noticed a lot of grease between the lobes on the reluctor ring in the hub. I cleaned it as best I could, but I could not get all of it. My question is - should there be any grease visible on that ring at all? If not, then do I need to replace the hubs? If some grease is ok, then I guess I will do a voltage check on each sensor, but I don't want to change the sensors if they are just going to get dirty again. The problem is on both sides.
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Some of you might remember I've pondered here before about the strange pulsing that occurs on my steering (on the V10) when maneuvering at low speed. It's always done it. Well, for the 18 months and 15k miles I've had the car.
Nobody (including Phaeton technicians) who have heard it/felt it have had any useful advice or insight (save offering to take the engine out to check on various bits).
I had always assumed that it was something like the load when the car is being parked etc was sufficient such that some relief valve was lifting momentarily and repeatedly. However I've come to realize that it is not just the slow vehicle speed, but engine speed too. Of course, nearly all parking maneuvering is done at tick over. But if I raise the revs just a little, the phenomenon seems to go away. Not easy to isolate maneuvering speed from engine speed... which is why I'd not really noticed before.
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My 1998 Forester suddenly began pulsing / crunching sound, from the front brakes. I had just performed full brake inspection 2 weeks before. So I removed the ABS fuse (20 amp), and the problem disappeared. Of course the ABS light is also on now, but I can drive the car. I disconnected the 4 wheel sensors from the car harness, connected an oscilloscope to each, and spun the wheels pretty fast. I get 150 MV peak-to-peak from each sensor. Must I replace the "tone rings", or just wire-brush them? Replacing the rings are a BIG job, and the wheel bearings & seals must be replaced, since they don't survive pulling out the axles from the steering knuckle (front), or strut assembly (rear).
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I have a problem with the front rotors on my '01 Impala warping. The pulsing is really bad when decelerating from highway speed. They will last maybe a month after installing before they start to warp again. I purchase my parts at the local NAPA store. Is there something I could be doing wrong during installation or it bad parts (cheap material)?. Could it be an issue with other front end components?. The car has 173,000 miles on it.
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2007 Ford Focus - 70,000 miles
The ABS light went on two weeks after we had the brakes done at Ford. We have not yet had the chance to return there, and I am wondering if the recent brake job played a role in the ABS light issue... there is a youtube video claiming that debris from a brake job could dirty the "tone wheel/ring" and make it difficult for the ABS sensor to read the wheel. True or not?... And is this something I have a chance of dealing with myself?... I prefer to work on vintage cars that have no high tech add-ons... but for the time being, this is the car we have ...
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I have a 2007 Ford Focus and 'bout a month ago, the brakes lost compression when applied. The mechanic replaced the master cylinder and we thought everything was ok. After driving it around we noticed the brakes are less sensitive then before. Prior to this, lightly taping/pressing the brakes would slow the car. Now you must press more firmly and with a bigger stopping distance. Additionally, if you press very hard or very suddenly, it feels like the roughness of the road is transmitted to the foot. It's a bit choppy too and the car won't stop for several seconds. After 2-3 seconds it does stop. This happened three times in two weeks. It's never occurred before. When this happens to my husband, he pumps the brakes to correct it, and when this happens to me, I keep pressing down 'till it works. Could the anti-lock brakes be acting up? We brought it to the mechanic and so far he hasn't found a problem.
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My wife's car is a 2006 2.0T Passat. It has been very slow to blow cool air on starting. Once you are moving at highway speeds it cools fine, but then blows hot air when you slow or come to a stop.
I have taken the car to a mechanic who purged and refilled the coolant. This did not fix the problem. Upon checking with the mechanic, we noticed that both the primary and aux. cooling fans start and stop at the same time, and only would come on when I would rev the engine up some (around 2000 rpm).
I have talked with this mechanic and one more. Both are certified master mechanics, but neither specializes in VW. They believe it may be the high pressure side switch or the compressor itself.
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