Hey guys first time posting in the transit forum. We have a 2019 transit connect that we’ve owned since new for my wife’s bakery as a delivery vehicle. It only has about 22,000 on it. I was using it a few weeks back and the front drivers side caliper was hanging up pretty bad. I was doing some googling and saw some people with similar problems that replaced caliper, pads, rotor and even brake line and still not solve the problem. I started by hooking FORScan up to the van and although it did have a soft ABS code, it didn’t seem like much. So I was hoping it was just the caliper. I begrudgingly went to the dealer for parts because I read one guy who had a repeat issue with an aftermarket caliper. So I swapped out the rotor, and pads on both front wheels and the drivers side caliper. Bled the brakes and took it for a test ride. It seemed ok but not perfect. It felt like it was taking a little longer to release. Like maybe a couple of seconds. But once it did it was not bad. I did hook it back up to the scanner to see if there were any calibrations that might need to be reset on the ABS but couldn’t really see anything that would make sense. I used it a couple of times and didn’t seem to be building too much heat or hanging up. Fast forward a couple of weeks and my wife is driving it and said it feels like the van is struggling. I think it’s hanging up again. Any thoughts? Could it be something with the ABS module, traction control, collision avoidance? I hate to take it to the dealer because they will probably start by selling me on a new caliper even tho I just replaced it.
thanks for any advice.

 

This is not the first time hearing about these type of issues width the calipers on the van. best I can say is that at some point during installation of new pads, the system was not placed in service mode, merely disconnecting the battery. If one does not place the van in service mode the system will continue to apply pressure to the brakes. so owners doing their own pads could be left with a caliper that closes and can not be reopen, Thus you'll have to buy a new caliper. make sure on checks into how to install brake pads on the van as well as bleeding the brakes. Could be something simply like not installing the pads correctly.

 

Hey FTE friends. Just a follow up for anyone with a similar issue. I ended up taking everything apart and checked my previous work and everything looked as it should. One thing I noticed this time around was that the rear passenger side was also hanging up a little. I started to trouble shoot and would get the brake caliper to hold tight by pressing the brakes and when it wouldn’t release I would crack the bleeder. And then the wheel would spin freely which pointed me toward the hose or abs module. I really would have been surprised if it was the hose because that would mean two brake hoses Front left and Right rear would both be bad. To me it made more sense that it was the ABS module. I called the dealer to make an appt. They took it apart and at first tried to tell me it was the hose. I asked them to perform the same
tests I did and to check the back wheel as well. When they did that they called back and said they would be replacing the HCU which I believe is a hydraulic control unit which in my mind is essentially the ABS module. At any rate we got the van back and it’s working well again.

 

Thanks for the information. This will help someone out in the future.