Bronco and the F-150 electronic E brake recall

[JT58Bronc]

I despise electronic parking brakes- period. I am old school and much prefer manual E Brake. The Bronco has an electric one yes and I don't use it unless I am parked on any kind of grade- even a slight grade. But on a perfectly level surface, which is almost all of FL I don't feel I need to use it. My 23 GTI has one and it's way worse. Every time I shut the car off it applies the electronic E Brake. Regardless if it is on a grade or not. There is a bypass which I use- which is pressing the stop button at the same time holding the switch for the E Brake to off. But then even if I turn on the ignition without starting the vehicle, then turn off the ignition it applies it. I have stalled the car a few times now forgetting it was on. There is no setting to change it so you apply it when you want to.

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[mj63]

I know how an ABS solenoid block is supposed to work in normal situations, but I do not know if today's tech has a way to sense a catastrophic loss of pressure and shut that lines valve to preserve fluid to the remaining brakes. I know that the older master cylinders would move a plunger to limit flow on unequal pressures, but still, once the fluid is gone and the pedal is on the floor or unresponsive, then feathering the ebrake was the way to stop. Your right that the electric E brake won't cut it because you can't feather it.

Modern ABS systems should recognize a failed circuit in the event of a hydraulic leak. Also, in the case of a fault like a failed circuit the electric e-brake will still clamp mechanically, and the ABS module has the ability to apply and release it repeatedly to act much like ABS if one of the rear tires starts to slide (though it happens much slower than the hydraulic brakes).

 

[rtaylor]

what do you all think? Do you wish, like I do, that Ford would cut pennies somewhere else and leave time tested safety equipment mechanical?

In my first jeep, the mechanical parking brake would release at random. Had to chase after it more than once...

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Service advisor... so the person who runs the counter? (i.e. not a mechanic)

LOL, some of our most trusted Ford sources here at B6G, including info for mechanical issues, are "not a mechanic".


As far as the OPost is concerned, I've had an electronic e brake fail ... the actuator unit alone cost $700, labor not included.
I seem to recall one of our "not a mechanics" looking up the cost for the Bronco's e brake actuator and it was in that price range as well.

Half the time, I'm amazed at the tech included on even the Base models, the other half I wonder if we've taken it too far. Considering the base is now rolling in at $38k plus with just a few options.... do we really need a host of sensors and a computer that takes 10 seconds to think about if it really wants to turn the cabin air fan up for you when you tap the button to increase it?

So yeah, considering the simple operation it is asked to perform, I'd prefer the ol' lever and cable and $150 bucks.
There are/were plenty of vehicles that have had both electronic brake control for stability/traction control and still utilized a cable e brake.
It can be done.

At the same time, I'm pissed they won't put remote start on the manual despite the fact that the vehicle is smart enough to shut off and restart itself numerous times on a single trip to the grocery store utilizing umpteen sensors and the ASS system, but...
even they don't trust their own systems enough to install remote start.
That alone should tell you something.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

If I had my way there’d be a naturally aspirated motor option with a manual e brake

I was tired of the chronic carb issues that would pop up while offroad, so I learned as much as I could about basic EFI systems and installed one on my 69 Bronco.
I'm sold on that now and would have no issue with an EFI V8. Good God how I'd love to hear that rumble from this Bronco!!!

 

[tourproto]

As someone who has only driven manual transmission vehicles my entire life, I still find myself reaching for a handbrake when parking my 7MT Bronco (because I still drive a 2004 BMW 330i with a 6-speed).

I don't like the e-brake but it is, what it is. I don't "distrust it", I just don't like it.

I hate the digital tach more...

What happened to the F-150 has nothing to do with the safety/reliability of an e-brake. There was a different design issue that was a cause. The e-brake is what makes the trail-turn assist work for the automatics (cool feature BTW, I got to try it at the Off-Roadeo) but doesn't apply to manuals so does me no good.

 

[ex_nyer]

I'm not sure why you have anxiety, you can hear the parking brake apply when you pull the switch (or at least I can, and I have crappy hearing thanks to serving with an artillery regiment lol)

Either way, park with it in 2nd or 3rd gear (apparently the compression isn't low enough to hold the vehicle in 1st, or so I believe I read here somewhere) and stop living your life worrying about what might never happen.

I too would have preferred a mechanical parking brake, but I think you're worrying about nothing, personally.

I have always left my MT vehicles in reverse?

 

[kodiakisland]

I drive a lot of different vehicles. Heck, I wish I could still get the bright light switch on the floor for old times sake. Anyway, adapt and overcome. It's not that hard to set and release after you've done it hundreds of times. It's also pretty dang easy to look at the tach and see those huge numbers that are so easy to read in an instant. Yeah, things aren't like they were, but what is?

 

[indio22]

LOL, some of our most trusted Ford sources here at B6G, including info for mechanical issues, are "not a mechanic".


As far as the OPost is concerned, I've had an electronic e brake fail ... the actuator unit alone cost $700, labor not included.
I seem to recall one of our "not a mechanics" looking up the cost for the Bronco's e brake actuator and it was in that price range as well.

Half the time, I'm amazed at the tech included on even the Base models, the other half I wonder if we've taken it too far. Considering the base is now rolling in at $38k plus with just a few options.... do we really need a host of sensors and a computer that takes 10 seconds to think about if it really wants to turn the cabin air fan up for you when you tap the button to increase it?

So yeah, considering the simple operation it is asked to perform, I'd prefer the ol' lever and cable and $150 bucks.
There are/were plenty of vehicles that have had both electronic brake control for stability/traction control and still utilized a cable e brake.
It can be done.

At the same time, I'm pissed they won't put remote start on the manual despite the fact that the vehicle is smart enough to shut off and restart itself numerous times on a single trip to the grocery store utilizing umpteen sensors and the ASS system, but...
even they don't trust their own systems enough to install remote start.
That alone should tell you something.

Living in an urban area, I rarely park with the transmission in gear, because of the risk of having someone bump the vehicle and potentially damage the transmission. And that cost you mentioned long term is not appealing. Mainly I only leave in gear when on a significant slope.

Much prefer my two other vehicles with old school parking brakes, no listening for actuation sounds, looking for dash lights, or reaching to the other side under the dash to actuate. Ultimate control with the old school brake including feathering if needed.

E-brake, A.S.S, and various chimes/horn sounds are probably my biggest gripes with the Bronco. And they all basically involved the vehicle doing things, making decision and taking control away from me as the operator.

Clearly having a vehicle do things instead of the operator is a big draw for some folks, to the point of having vehicles do the driving. Some people are really into that stuff - which is fine for them. But I enjoy operating mechanical things and am reasonably good at it, so I don't care for most vehicle automation and expense of it needing repair down the road. At least my manual base Bronco is reasonably free of much of those automation trinkets.

 

[Joshc920]

My biggest concern with the e-brake is that I'm going to snap the thing off when activating.

A porter at the dealer service already did that to mine!!! Now I’m waiting for new brake switch and trim panel as there is a TSB on the 21 broncs for this very reason! They break! I’ve NEVER KNOWN ANYONE WHO BROKE a traditional hand lever parking brake. They let me still take it LOL I had already been without it for a while due to brake vac hose failure at highway speeds and drive shaft recall plus misfires on start. I’m just parking with wheels turned to curbs (And boulders when I went off road last Sunday) and in gear

 

[PWillette]

A porter at the dealer service already did that to mine!!! Now I’m waiting for new brake switch and trim panel as there is a TSB on the 21 broncs for this very reason! They break! I’ve NEVER KNOWN ANYONE WHO BROKE a traditional hand lever parking brake. They let me still take it LOL I had already been without it for a while due to brake vac hose failure at highway speeds and drive shaft recall plus misfires on start. I’m just parking with wheels turned to curbs (And boulders when I went off road last Sunday) and in gear

I've heard of a few stories of the lever snapping but did not know there is a TSB out. Do you happen to know the number?

 

[Ducati1098]

I've heard of a few stories of the lever snapping but did not know there is a TSB out. Do you happen to know the number?

 

[PWillette]

Thanks man. So this isn't an automatic replacement? Only if it breaks...is that correct?

 

[Ducati1098]

Thanks man. So this isn't an automatic replacement? Only if it breaks...is that correct?

Correct, only if it breaks.

 

[Donkeygyrl]

My focus st had all the electronic stuff and a mechanical ebrake,embrace, was simple and great for sliding when you wanted to.

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