wlepse Posted August 4, 2016 Report Share Posted August 4, 2016 So tonight we are leaving a friend's house and my wife screams WTH is wrong with the brakes! I have no brakes! Luckily we were barely moving and she was able to stop using the parking brake. So I got in an confirmed the pedal was crazy firm and had little braking power. I limped it home but noticed sometimes it actually felt like the pedal was pushing back. Other times if I pushed real hard then the pedal would go super soft and then it sounded kind of like air leaking out of a balloon. Looking at the extended warranty it mentions a soft pedal and make it sound like braking is maintained. I clearly am experiencing something different, mostly a firm pedal and minimally effective brakes. I did find some posts saying that their bad booster had a firm pedal too but could this be something else? Can't believe this wasn't a recall if it is the booster. Even if a small percentage fail without notice in this manner they should be proactively fixing them. Losing faith in Ford by the day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omar302 Posted August 4, 2016 Report Share Posted August 4, 2016 I`d agree it is a dangerous situation, in my case it wasn't a sudden failure. It came slowly. There is an extended warranty for 2010-2013 models. http://www.fordedgeforum.com/topic/13888-13n02-extended-warranty-coverage-on-brake-booster/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlepse Posted August 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 4, 2016 Yeah knew about the extended coverage but txs. Was just thrown by how it failed. Drove fine to his house then going down the driveway she freaked out.I just can't believe this isn't a recall. Had we not been in his driveway and were on rt80 in traffic there would have been an accident. I had to plan on braking distances to be 3-4xs longer than normal...like driving in an ice storm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlepse Posted August 9, 2016 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2016 Well it was the brake booster. The dealer replaced it under the extended coverage which is great but I am still amazed that Ford hasn't issued a recall for this. The failure was so sudden and reduced braking to maybe 25-30% of normal that I am surprised this hasn't caused an accident yet. I think I will file a complaint on NHSTA.org. Thankfully we are all safe but if this happened on Rt80 during rush hour things could have been very different. So maybe if I issue a complaint it might end up forcing them to do something and keep others safe too. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishx65 Posted August 9, 2016 Report Share Posted August 9, 2016 I'm sure Ford has figured out that it's a better financial move to extend the warranty, replace boosters as they fail and hope nobody gets killed. All about the green!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelmcd531 Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 I have a 2007 Edge SEL FWD and my brakes recently started acting like I don't have power brakes anymore. There is a hissing sound coming from the brake pedal when I apply pressure. I've read about the extended warranty for 2010-2013 models. Is there any chance they would cover mine? It has 137k miles on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted October 9, 2016 Report Share Posted October 9, 2016 Sorry no. The warranty was extended to SOME 2010MY vehicles, but 2007 is way too far out of warranty. And with 137K miles on it, the case for Ford covering it isn't that strong 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccouch2 Posted October 17, 2016 Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 The booster went on my 2012 Sport in May of 2014. Got it replaced by Ford under the extended warranty on the part. It went out again 15 months later. Got it replaced again but they busted me a $100 deductible this time because it was over 12 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
omar302 Posted October 17, 2016 Report Share Posted October 17, 2016 The booster went on my 2012 Sport in May of 2014. Got it replaced by Ford under the extended warranty on the part. It went out again 15 months later. Got it replaced again but they busted me a $100 deductible this time because it was over 12 months.I would try to check if the part number they used the first time matches the part number in the TSB/extended warranty. Maybe they used an old part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psmudge1972 Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 Had exactly the same thing happen on my 2011 Edge SEL (56K) last night. Approached a junction pressed on the brakes as usual and... Uh oh after a split second of oh S@&T I stood on the pedal and stopped. Just dropped the car at North Central Ford here in Dallas, awaiting their verdict. This should be a recall, but this is a bean counter spreadsheet exercise until someone is unfortunate enough to have a really bad wreck or worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 Glad you are ok and stayed in control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 Has anyone actually lost brakes completely? I also thought there were indications that it was going bad before it got bad - or does it happen suddenly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2FAST4U Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 About two months ago, my girlfriend had a similar problem with her '11 MKX and the problem was indeed the brake booster. The dealer replaced it at no cost. All is well now. Claude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psmudge1972 Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 With mine there was no warning (at least that I noticed) ithe pedal just did not respond as usual, I've owned the car from new and it's always been main dealer services etc. Fortunately it was late with not much traffic so even if I had overshot the junction it would have been ok. But under other circumstances it could have been very bad! Still awaiting the call from the dealer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlepse Posted November 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 Glad to hear you are OK. Hearing more and more stories like this gets me really pissed off. We had no indication there was a problem until it went. We too were lucky that we were on my buddies driveway and not out on Rt 80 in rush hour traffic when it failed. It makes me angry because the letter I received specifically said that even if it failed the only difference would be pedal feel. This clearly was not the case for us as my braking distances were easily double if not triple the normal length. This really should be a recall. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 And this has been my point of contention all along. Even though technically the brakes haven't failed, the power assist has. And guess what, pretty much all of the car driving universe is now acquainted only with the notion of "power brakes". They don't know any better when the assist fails, and that leads to an avoidable accident. More and more disabled/partially disabled people are driving vehicles around, and I have doubts they would be able to use the manual brakes anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akirby Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 If they go out without any prior warnings then I would tend to agree with you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psmudge1972 Posted November 2, 2016 Report Share Posted November 2, 2016 Quick update. North Central Ford here in Dallas replaced the booster under warranty so I'm pleased about that, but as everyone says it is dangerous and only a matter of time. Fortunately I'm used to no servo assist as my 66 Mustang replies on leg muscles to stop and not air (which would be bad in that system). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlepse Posted November 3, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2016 One point I would like to make is I have driven cars with out power brakes, some MG's etc and this was far worse. Maybe somehow having the system in there to boost the output reduces non-powered operation or something but this was far and away worse than any old car I have driven. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autom8r Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 On my edge it was a gradual failure. I heard the tell-tale hissing noise and it progressively became worse over two weeks time. Eventually I was standing on the brake too, and there is no control over the brake pressure, so stops are jittery and not as graceful as with the power assist. My edge is way out of warranty. I bought a new brake booster and installed it without disconnecting the brake lines. I removed the cowl completely and the shelf behind it that supports the PCM and windshield wiper motor and mechanism. The booster came out without much room to spare and the new one went in with some coaxing (nothing bent or dented). Not sure why people are breaking the brake switch, but it needed to be removed, but not unplugged so that the pedal can be disconnected from the booster. I'll upload pictures later if anyone is interested. Long night. 3 hours minimum with power tools. On my way through, I noticed my upper transmission mount was bad. A few days after my brake booster replacement, I took on the transmission mount. That was a struggle, but now smooth as glass. Now to do the dog bone underneath. Happy trails. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 Good info, sir! Did it sound like the hissing noise came from the brake pedal area? That's how some people describe it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psmudge1972 Posted November 4, 2016 Report Share Posted November 4, 2016 I totally understand the comment about driving older cars that don't have a brake booster, the problem with this one is that one minute You have a brake booster the next you don't. So it's the sudden change in needed braking pressure that is the danger. The car still stopped fine IF you knew you had to apply much more pressure. If it had been a different day and a different braking situation then there may well have been an accident. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlepse Posted November 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2016 Yes please post pics/walkthrough...I suspect this may be an issue I will have to deal with again like the door ajar issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autom8r Posted November 8, 2016 Report Share Posted November 8, 2016 Some pictures of the brake booster R and R. You'll need to take the wipers and the tray under the cowl to remove the booster without disconnecting the brake lines. Personally, I prefer to work on the brake cylinders and not so much the master cylinder if I can avoid it. Part number for a 2008 Edge Part number for the booster vacuum line. Remove the air box, intake tubing and battery. Remove the battery tray. Remove the master cylinder from the booster. Keep it level. Don't let the brake fluid spill out of it. You can try, but you won't be able to wiggle the booster out yet. Remove the cowling, remove the wipers and wiper mechanism. Loosen the tray. You'll only lift it up for a little more wiggle room. The PCM needs to come out of the tray so it'll move a little more. Old brake booster removed. New booster in. Here is the reference PDF I made just for information. No need to remove the master cylinder, but I wanted to know how it looked and interfaced with the booster. Same with the pedal bracket. It is not necessary to remove the pedal bracket assembly. But the four bolts on the booster go through it and it helps to know what that looks like too. The brake switch turns a specific way, push the brake pedal down with one hand and twist the brake switch out of its bracket. Leave it connected, and dangling, it is unnecessary to electrically disconnect it, unless of course you've broken it. It's a puzzle to get the booster out, but it will come out. Good luck! Ford Edge Gen1 BRAKE BOOSTER REPLACE.pdf 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WWWPerfA_ZN0W Posted November 8, 2016 Report Share Posted November 8, 2016 Very cool, thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.