Brake Warning

[TGCMAX]

Hello.  I am a newbie here to the site and am hoping someone can help me.  I have a 2013 C-Max Hybrid SE with 50,000 miles on it.  I have recently been getting a brake warning with the red brake light staying on.  I have checked that it is not the parking brake causing the issue and I have topped off the brake fluid reservoir.

 

I brought the car into the Ford Dealer.  They recommended replacing the rear brakes and rotors.  I declined at the time.  I took the car home and took a look at the right front and right rear brakes.  The rear are worn more than the front, as should be with this car, but they are not worn to the point where I would replace them myself.

 

Through my reading on forums I gather there are no rear brake wear sensors.  So why would the dealership want to replace them?  Other than to make money selling parts?  I have had good luck with this dealer in the past, but am not believing their story here.

 

The brake pedal feel is starting to get worse.  Not as responsive.  I also now hear a hissing air sound if I press the pedal harder than just the regen braking limit.

 

Any thoughts or recommendations would be great!

 

Thanks!

[joshg678]

That night being on will have a code in the computer to identify the problem.

I bet they didn't even look at the car and tried to sell brakes because a service writer is trying to be a mechanic. That's just my guess.

I would take it back and work with someone different and have them pull codes.

 

It could be a faulty sensor causing different behavior

[plus 3 golfer]

Rather than take it to the dealer, spend $30 or even less and get the ForScan App for a smartphone and an ELM327 adapter to plug into the OBDII port.  You can then check for DTCs and also monitor stuff like brake pressure, abs components, and virtually all data and status on the scanned control modules.

 

IMO, ForScan is worth it just to monitor tire pressure.  You can throw away your tire gauge. :)

 

[cmax-nynj]

The rear rotors will crap out before the pads are worn out.  Your car is safe to be driven despite the rotors appearing worn.  Motorcraft brake parts are not that expensive online but it's up to you if you want to get the parts & repairs done at the dealer.  My dealer wanted to charge me $500 or so replacing the rear rotors/pads.  

 

Plus 3 Golfer, I bought a cheapo ELM327 scanner but it is not compatible with Forscan.  How much do I have to spend to get a OBDII bluetooth scanner that is recognizable by Forscan?  I'm currently using Torque but it does not give me all the information.  BTW, I can't drive with 48PSI over here in NY/NJ since the roads are too rough.  I retreated to factory 38PSI

Edited July 28, 2017 by cmax-nynj

[plus 3 golfer]

I have a bluetooth and wifi ELM327.  Both work with ForScan.  I spent somewhere around $15 - $20 for each.  Get  on the ForScan forum as I believe posters have indicated which ELM327s work and some that don't.  If I were going to buy one now, i'd look for one that has a toggle switch built in as that will allow one to toggle scanning between the High Speed and Medium Speed modules.

 

At 48 psi I could feel a lot of the road but I had them that high because most of my miles are on the interstates and I have extra weight in the car.  I recently got a new set of tires on the car and of course the tire shop set them at 38 psi.  The ride was exceptionally smooth but I didn't like the way the car handled at that pressure.    I put them up to 42 psi and hardly noticed much change in ride comfort but handling improved slightly.  I then put them up to 48 psi and the ride felt bone jarring when going over potholes.  So, I settled at 45 psi as a compromise on the new tires. 

[obob]

The rear rotors will crap out before the pads are worn out.  Your car is safe to be driven despite the rotors appearing worn.  Motorcraft brake parts are not that expensive online but it's up to you if you want to get the parts & repairs done at the dealer.  My dealer wanted to charge me $500 or so replacing the rear rotors/pads.  

 

 

FYI

 

For Rear Brakes

 

Motorcraft pads 46.62   http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcraft-2-Wheel-Set-Brake-Pad-Sets-Rear-New-Ford-Focus-BRF-26E-/131783205259?fits=Model%3AC-Max&epid=140033627&hash=item1eaee4218b:g:768AAOSwf~9ZX~la&vxp=mtr

 

Motorcraft rotors  49.02 x 2 - 98.04  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorcraft-BRRF248-Rear-Disc-Brake-Rotor-/291940372492?fits=Model%3AC-Max&epid=236908233&hash=item43f900900c:g:5a0AAOSwXYtYz~84&vxp=mtr

 

Off brand rotors(2) and brake pads  54.74  http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-OE-Disc-Brake-Rotors-Ceramic-Pads-C-Max-Escape-Transit-Connect-/302309922144?fits=Model%3AC-Max&hash=item4663135560:g:yjAAAOSw-K9ZEKHT&vxp=mtr

 

Off brand rotors(2)   43.22   http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rear-OE-Disc-Brake-Rotors-Ford-C-Max-Escape-Transit-Connect-/272742726270?fits=Model%3AC-Max&hash=item3f80bbba7e:g:4kMAAOSw3YJZVoUO&vxp=mtr

 

I suspect it takes less that an hour for an experienced mechanic to do the rear brakes, maybe less than a half hour.

 

 

By the way, if I were doing a rear brake job I would get the no-name rotors with name brand pads like https://www.amazon.com/ACDelco-14D1095CH-Advantage-Ceramic-Hardware/dp/B004J6IIIM/ref=sr_1_fkmr2_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1501265422&sr=8-3-fkmr2&keywords=rear+raybestos+brake+pads+c-max for 29.33

 

Though I access the likelihood of needing rear brakes is remote.

Edited August 2, 2017 by obob

[cmax-nynj]

I'd stick with original Motorcraft pads since there is no brake dust at all

[fbov]

Hello.  I am a newbie here to the site and am hoping someone can help me.  I have a 2013 C-Max Hybrid SE with 50,000 miles on it.  I have recently been getting a brake warning with the red brake light staying on.  ...

Time to replace your brakes.

 

... Though I access the likelihood of needing rear brakes is remote.

My car disagrees with your assessment. 

 

If you have a high regen braking score, you're using your rear brakes all the time. Look up "electronic brakeforce management." My rear brakes wore out, and my front rotors rusted out, both around 50K. Rarely good to ignore warning lights. 

 

HAve fun,

Frank

[obob]

 

If you have a high regen braking score, you're using your rear brakes all the time.

 

From 5 mph to 0 mph.

[SnowStorm]

Why would brakes be worn out at 50k miles?  (Unless you get 9% score all the time like fotomoto did once!)  I'm at 132k and the originals just passed state inspection again about three months ago.  Of course a warning light needs to be attended to but be sure you get an honest diagnosis.  Too many shops might just see that light and say "oh yeah, need new pads and rotors all around!"  I had my rear brakes "fail" inspection a couple of times back at a local garage because of "rust".  I went to my tire dealer and the inspector there was nearly livid that someone had failed them (I just went ahead and paid for another inspection).  The rear rotors look somewhat streaked and uneven but work fine.  Just be sure what is actually at fault gets fixed and not a bunch of unnecessary stuff.

[cmax-nynj]

Yes, my rear rotors look like crap with plenty of pad materials left.  Once in a while I coast in Neutral and stomp on the brake to make sure they are still working flawlessly.  Brakes don't get hot at all even at 90+F ambient temp.  My daily brake score is about 90 - 95%

Edited August 2, 2017 by cmax-nynj