2008 Ford Focus Brakes Problems

The brakes went to the floor and the whole car locked up. When I pressed the brakes to slow down it felt like something on the brakes just fell apart. I was in a car accident because of this I hit another car no no

IF YOU HIT YOUR BRAKES AND THE ABS ACTIVATES MOMENTARILY BECAUSE YOU HIT A BUMP WHILE BRAKING OR JUST BECAUSE YOU HIT THE PEDAL A BIT TOO HARD, A LOSS OF BRAKES OCCURS. THE VALVE INSIDE THE HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT RESPONSIBLE FOR ACTIVATION OF THE ABS FAILS TO CLOSE COMPLETELY CAUSING FLUID BYPASS AND NO BRAKE PRESSURE RESULTING IN THE PEDAL FALLING TO THE FLOOR. AFTER SOME TIME, THE PEDAL RETURNS TO NORMAL FUNCTION AND THE HCU VALVE SEEMINGLY SEALS BE IT THE SAME DRIVE, OR A COUPLE DRIVES . THIS OCCURS AT RANDOM, ONLY WHEN THE CORRECT AMOUNT OF BRAKE PRESSURE AND ROUGH ROAD CONDITIONS COMBINE FOR THE ABS TO ACTIVATE. HOWEVER, THE BREAKS DO NOT RETURN IMMEDIATELY, SO YOU ARE FORCED TO DRIVE WITH VIRTUALLY NO BRAKES TILL IT FINALLY RESOLVES ON ITS OWN. THIS HAS HAPPENED IN STORMS, WHERE I HAD TO STOP HARD DUE TO DEBRIS IN THE ROAD. THIS IS ESPECIALLY PROBLEMATIC WHEN EXITING A HIGHWAY AND THE EXIT RAMP IS MILLED, SO WHEN YOU ARE BREAKING AND HIT THE GROOVED SECTION THE BRAKES DISAPPEAR. THIS ALSO OCCURS IF YOU HIT A ROUGH PATCH OF ROAD OR POTHOLE WHILE BREAKING. THIS IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS, WITH THE ROOT CAUSE BEING A DEFECTIVE VALVE DESIGN IN THE HCU AND IS A COMMON ISSUE ACROSS THE FORD LINEUP. THE ISSUE IS THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, HARD TO DIAGNOSE, AND ALWAYS MISDIAGNOSED AS AIR IN THE SYSTEM. THE ROOT CAUSE IS A FAULTY HCU CAUSING A VALVE TO FAIL TO SEAT PROPERLY AND ALLOW PRESSURE BLOWBY. THIS IS GOING TO LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE IT IS NOT PREDICTABLE, AND IT DOES NOT RECOVER UNTIL SOME TIME HAS PASSED. SO IMAGINE A FOCUS EXITING THE HIGHWAY AND LOSING THE BRAKES UNEXPECTEDLY AND FOR THE REST OF THE DRIVE - THAT IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. NO INDICATION OF ANYTHING ABNORMAL IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, NO LIGHTS. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN THE OTHER DAY AND IT HAS YET TO RESET ITSELF - FORD NEEDS TO FIX IT!! LOSS OF BRAKES FROM HITTING A BUMP - SO DANGEROUS! *LN*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER PORCARO FORD (6001 WASHINGTON AVE, RACINE, WI 53406 (262) 886-5200) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED AND DETERMINED THAT THE ABS FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 127,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WILL NOT STOP. ON HIGHWAY AND REGULAR STREETS. BRAKE PEDALS APPLIED BUT ARE PUSHED TO THE FLOOR. TO STOP I PUMP BRAKES AND EVENTUALLY THEY COME BACK. REPORTED PROBLEM TO DEALER BUT WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. HAVE REPLACED MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKES IN THE LAST YEAR BUT PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. ALMOST HAD ACCIDENT YESTERDAY AND AM TERRIFIED OF DRIVING CAR. DON'T REMEMBER ANY RECALLS BUT HAVE BEEN READING OTHER PEOPLE'S COMMENTS ON THIS SAME PROBLEM. WHAT IS THE FIX FOR THIS!!! NO ONE SEEMS TO KNOW!!! THIS CAR STILL HAS LOW MILEAGE I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE BUT I HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS BUT DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO BECAUSE I ALWAYS TOOK CAR TO DEALER FOR SERVICE AND THEY KEPT SAYING NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR. I HAVE ALL OF MY SERVICE RECORDS AND PAPERS BUT SOLD THE CAR TO MY DAUGHTER [XXX] LAST YEAR AND SHE KEEPS HAVING SAME ISSUES. I HAVE TOLD HER TO GET RID OF THE CAR BECAUSE IT IS NOT SAFE. I DROVE CAR FOR 10 YEARS WITH THIS PROBLEM AND WAS LUCKY NOT TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT BUT DID HAVE SOME CLOSE CALLS. AT THIS POINT I WANT TO KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS AND HOW TO FIX IT BECAUSE SHE IS A SINGLE MOTHER WITH NO MONEY TO BE BUYING CARS. I SAW A COMPLAINT THAT IT COULD BE THE ABS PUMP BUT THE 2008 WAS A ONE YEAR DESIGN AND CAN'T BE PURCHASED ANYMORE, IF THIS IS THE CASE THEN WE ARE SCREWED. PLEASE ADVISE WHAT THE CORRECT FIX IS IF YOU CAN.[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM *TR

ABS PUMP IS MALFUNCTIONING. CAR HAS "SOFT PEDAL" THAT IS NOT RESOLVED BY REPLACEMENT OF MASTER CYLINDER, BRAKE BOOSTER OR THOROUGH BLEEDING OF THE BRAKES (INCLUDING ELECTRONIC BLEEDING OF THE ABS). IN ADDITION, AFTER ABOUT 5-10 MINUTES OF DRIVING, THE BRAKES START TO CLAMP DOWN ON THE ROTORS WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT. THE FRICTION IS ESPECIALLY BAD WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS (E.G., ON A HIGHWAY), TO THE POINT WHERE THE CAR BEGINS TO VIBRATE FROM THE FRICTION. BUT IT WILL ALSO SHOWS SIGNS OF BRAKE DRAG EVEN AT LOWER SPEEDS (E.G., 30-50 MPH). NO ABS LIGHTS/WARNINGS/CODES CAME ON, BUT MECHANIC (CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AUTOMOTIVE, LOCATED IN HOUSTON TX AREA) CONFIRMED THROUGH MANUAL TESTING THAT ABS PUMP WAS MALFUNCTIONING. AS IT TURNS OUT, I AM TOLD THE ABS PUMP FOR THE 2008 MODEL WAS A ONE-YEAR DESIGN AND WAS DISCONTINUED AND CANNOT BE PURCHASED ANYWHERE NOW. THE PROBLEMS ALL STARTED ABOUT ONE YEAR AGO.

SPONGY BRAKING ISSUES, RECENTLY THE BRAKES ON MY 2008 FORD FOCUS HAVE BECOME VERY SPONGY, I TOOK IT IN TO FIRESTONE AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THAT MY FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WERE PERFECTLY NORMAL, BUT BEING THAT I DRIVE MY VEHICLE EVERYDAY I KNOW THAT SOMETHING IS UP. I AM FINDING IT HARD TO STOP AT RED LIGHTS AND ON THE HIGHWAY. IT'S ALMOST TO THE POINT WHERE I HAVE TO PRESS THE BRAKE PEDDLE THE FLOOR TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT IT MAY BE THE MASTER CYLINDER OR A COMBINATION OF OTHER THINGS, BUT ONE THING IS TRUE FORD NEEDS TO DO A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE DIES OR GETS HURT. I PRAY THIS DOES NOT FALL ON DEAF EARS AND ACTION IS TAKEN!!

ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AND HITTING A BUMP AT THE SAME TIME THE PETAL WENT ALMOST TO THE FLOOR. THE FOURTH TIME THE PETAL DROPPED NEARLY TO THE FLOOR DURING HARD BRAKING. WITH THE ENGINE OFF PUMPING THE BRAKES A COUPLE OF TIMES THE PETAL CAME FIRMLY TO THE TOP. APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE PETAL AND TURNING ON THE ENGINE THE PETAL DROPPED NEARLY TO THE FLOOR. PUMPING THE PETAL SEVERAL TIMES RETURNED THE PETAL TO THE NORMAL OPERATING POSITION.

BOUGHT THIS CAR 4 YEARS AGO WITH 18,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE 41,000 MILES ON IT AND THE ABS HYDRAULIC PUMP IS LEAKING. COST TO REPAIR IS A THOUSAND. NOT A HAPPY CAMPER. *TR

I BOUGHT THIS CAR FOR MY DAUGHTER AT LOVING LINCOLN MERCURY IN LUFKIN TEXAS. WHILE TEST DRIVING THE CAR I NOTICED 1) THAT THE BRAKES WERE MAKING A LIGHT GRINDING NOISE WHILE COMING TO A STOP. 2) THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE INDICATOR LIGHT WAS ON. THE SALESMAN ASSURED ME THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM BEFORE I BOUGHT IT. WHEN WE PICKED IT UP THEY SAID THEY LOOKED AT ALL THE BRAKES AND THEY WERE OK. ALSO, THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT WAS NO LONGER ON, SO I WENT AHEAD AND BOUGHT THE CAR. NOW, JUST A FEW DAYS AFTER TAKING POSSESSION OF THE CAR THE LOW TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN. THE TIRES WERE MADE IN CHINA. THE BRAND NAME OF THE TIRES IS "GOODRIDE". I HAVE READ ONLINE THAT THE CHINESE VALVE STEMS WERE RECALLED DURING CERTAIN YEARS. I WILL HAVE THE DEALER ALERTED AND GET A TIRE STORE TO CHECK THE TIRES AND VALVE STEMS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HAD TO FIRMLY DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC REPLACED THE BRAKES ON THE VEHICLE, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

THE BREAK MASTER CYLINDER HAS BEEN LEAKING SINCE 70,000 MILES. SINCE THEN, THE BREAK OIL HAS BEEN ADDING WHENEVER A PARKING BREAK LIGHT WAS TURNED ON. I HAVE DRIVEN MORE THAN 10 DIFFERENT USED AND NEW CARS IN DOMESTIC AND IMPORT. THIS IS FIRST TIME TO HAVE THE BREAK MASTER CYLINDER ISSUE. IT IS NOW 156,000 MILES. THE LEAKING BREAK OIL SEEMED TO BE DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF THE BREAK PUSHING. THE OIL DOESN'T SEEM TO BE LEAKING WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARKING. FOR EXAMPLE, I PARKED THE CAR MORE THAN 3 WEEKS BECAUSE I TRAVELED. WHEN I CAME BACK, I DIDN'T NOTICE THE BREAK OIL LEVEL CHANGED. THE SHORTEST REFILLING THE BREAK OIL WAS WITHIN A WEEK. ONE OCCASION, IT LASTED OVER 3 MONTH. THERE WAS NO CAR ACCIDENT INVOLVED IN THIS CAR. THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MODIFICATION DONE ON ANY OF THE PART. THIS WAS EXACTLY THE SAME CAR THAT CAME OUT FROM THE FACTORY. THE DRIVING CONDITION WAS USUALLY A CITY BOUNDARY WITH WELL PAVED ROAD. THE LONGEST DRIVING WAS 300 MILES. THE LEAKING OIL USUALLY WENT DOWN CLUTCH PEDAL THAT MADE THE PEDAL SLIPPERY. IF I HAD A HAND TOWEL TO ABSORB THE LEAKING OIL, I HAD TO CHANGE IT ONCE A MONTH OR TWO MONTH. THE BREAK OIL DIDN'T SEEM TO LEAK OUTSIDE OF THE CABIN. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS CLEAN AND DRY.

BECAUSE "INCIDENT" DATE IS REQUIRED, I PUT TODAY'S DATE, BUT THIS COMPLAINT IS ABOUT A CONTINUOUS CONDITION. AS FAR AS I KNOW, THE PROBLEM HAS EXISTED SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW. THE PARKING BRAKE ALWAYS FREEZES (WILL NOT RELEASE) AT TEMPERATURES BELOW 20 DEGREES (SOMETIMES WARMER). USE OF THE PARKING BRAKE DURING WINTER MONTHS RESULTS IN DRIVING WITH BRAKE SET, WITH OBVIOUS DANGERS. NOT USING THE PARKING BRAKE DURING WINTER MONTHS SOMETIMES RESULTS IN VEHICLE LEFT IDLING WITH NO BRAKE SET (THERE ARE TIMES, IN ALASKA, WHEN IT IS NOT SAFE TO SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE, BECAUSE OF THE NEED TO MAINTAIN LIGHTING) WITH OBVIOUS DANGERS. I HAVE HAD THE CABLE REPLACED, TO NO EFFECT. I AM 62 YEARS OLD, AND WHILE I HAVE HEARD OF PARKING BRAKES FREEZING, THIS IS THE FIRST VEHICLE I HAVE EVER OWNED (OR DRIVEN, FOR THAT MATTER) THAT EVER ACTUALLY EXHIBITED THIS PROBLEM. *TR