Ford Explorer Brakes Slow responding

I have a 2001 Ford Explorer Sporttrak where when we push the brake pedal
down it acts almost like it wants to go into anitlock pulsing but then
finally starts to grab and stop the vehicle. This is enough delay to scare
the hell out of us not thinking this thing is going to stop. The fluid
level is ok and I dont get any warnng lights. It seems to be getting worse
every week. I am about to get into checking all the brakes for wear but is
there anything I should check while I have it apart?


'frequent contributor'
ed

"ed" > wrote in message
news:f8Ayg.909$8v.413@trnddc05...
>I have a 2001 Ford Explorer Sporttrak where when we push the brake pedal
>down it acts almost like it wants to go into anitlock pulsing but then
>finally starts to grab and stop the vehicle. This is enough delay to scare
>the hell out of us not thinking this thing is going to stop. The fluid
>level is ok and I dont get any warnng lights. It seems to be getting worse
>every week. I am about to get into checking all the brakes for wear but is
>there anything I should check while I have it apart?
>
>
> 'frequent contributor'
> ed
>

Not much information to go on here, but if the antilock and brake warning
lamps are not indicating any problems then it is probably something else.
Maybe (probably) you are feeling warped rotors or brake drums. You didn't
mention the mileage since your last brake service. I think you are doing the
correct thing to check all the brakes to see what condition they are in
before you start worrying about the antilock system. Be sure to check for
rotor run out .. Probably would be a good idea to replace the fluid if it
has never been done. I always advocate doing a thorough brake job, so check
everything while you are at it. Better safe than sorry.
--
Disclaimer:
Due to the nature of solving problems over the internet being mostly
guesswork,
please do not consider the above recommendations as the only possible
solutions.

--
Kevin Mouton
Automotive Technology Instructor
"If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy"
Red Green

ed wrote:
> I have a 2001 Ford Explorer Sporttrak where when we push the brake pedal
> down it acts almost like it wants to go into anitlock pulsing but then
> finally starts to grab and stop the vehicle. This is enough delay to scare
> the hell out of us not thinking this thing is going to stop. The fluid
> level is ok and I dont get any warnng lights. It seems to be getting worse
> every week. I am about to get into checking all the brakes for wear but is
> there anything I should check while I have it apart?
>
>
> 'frequent contributor'
> ed might bethe abs pump is going bad . out of curiosity when you have the drums off the rear brakes check to see how worn the shoes are . back in the day a brake adjustment would do the trick but theses days no one does because of the automatic adjusters but i still do it.

ed wrote:
> I have a 2001 Ford Explorer Sporttrak where when we push the brake pedal
> down it acts almost like it wants to go into anitlock pulsing but then
> finally starts to grab and stop the vehicle. This is enough delay to scare
> the hell out of us not thinking this thing is going to stop. The fluid
> level is ok and I dont get any warnng lights. It seems to be getting worse
> every week. I am about to get into checking all the brakes for wear but is
> there anything I should check while I have it apart?
>
>
> 'frequent contributor'
> ed

I had an old BMW that used to do the exact same thing; the problem
turned out to be a bad hydraulic accumulator. Apparently instead of
using engine vacuum the power boost was provided by the power steering
pump. don't know if this is helpful or not.

nate

ed wrote:
>
> I have a 2001 Ford Explorer Sporttrak where when we push the brake pedal
> down it acts almost like it wants to go into anitlock pulsing but then
> finally starts to grab and stop the vehicle.

I think you need to explain that better. Do you feel an actual pulsing
or are you saying that it is like when you you are on ice and the brakes
just don't do much, but no pulsing. When the brakes do start to grab
does the pedal feel any different at that point (does it sink farther to
the floor, stop pulsing, or no difference).

-jim




> This is enough delay to scare
> the hell out of us not thinking this thing is going to stop. The fluid
> level is ok and I dont get any warnng lights. It seems to be getting worse
> every week. I am about to get into checking all the brakes for wear but is
> there anything I should check while I have it apart?
>
> 'frequent contributor'
> ed

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I have never had this happen on a car with anti-lock brakes, so I don't
know about the pulsing part unless it turns out to be a warped rotor,
but on my toyota truck what happened was: The master cylinder had
leaked into the brake booster, which corroded the diagphram in there,
so the brake booster no longer worked. The loss of fluid was barely
noticable, but it sure was scary trying to stop!!

It doesn't seem like this should happen on a car so new, and what I
described may have nothing to do with your problem, but the delay part
is what I am focusing on here. It may be that the anti-lock system
wants to engage bacause you are depressing the pedal farther than
normal? Maybe the booster just gave up without fluid leaking into
it.... You didn't say how far you had to push the pedal down, though,
so??????

loren


ed wrote:
> I have a 2001 Ford Explorer Sporttrak where when we push the brake pedal
> down it acts almost like it wants to go into anitlock pulsing but then
> finally starts to grab and stop the vehicle. This is enough delay to scare
> the hell out of us not thinking this thing is going to stop. The fluid
> level is ok and I dont get any warnng lights. It seems to be getting worse
> every week. I am about to get into checking all the brakes for wear but is
> there anything I should check while I have it apart?
>
>
> 'frequent contributor'
> ed

It may be that the anti-lock system
> wants to engage bacause you are depressing the pedal farther than
> normal? Maybe the booster just gave up without fluid leaking into
> it.... You didn't say how far you had to push the pedal down, though,
> so??????
>
> loren
>
>
Anti lock brake engagment has nothing to do with how far the pedal goes
down.

Anti lock kicks in when the sensors detect that the weels are spinning
at different speeds, the idea being one has "locked up".

Mark