How does one bleed the brakes in a ford equipped with ABS? Does it need to be bled? If yes how? Do I need a special computer to make the pump activate?
Ford Flex Brake Bleeding
- Thread starter Rust_Belt_Pete
- Start date
What year FLEX is it?
I don’t believe that it’s any different than any other vehicle with ABS...Vehicles of the FLEX’s generation.
Does the brake system need to be blood? People do some people don’t. It depends on how you feel about it.
I like to bleed my systems every few years but living in Western New York, if it hasn’t been done in many years you may have trouble unscrewing the bleeders and you could end up twisting them right off the calipers.
I may be wrong about this but YouTube is your friend.
I don’t believe that it’s any different than any other vehicle with ABS...Vehicles of the FLEX’s generation.
Does the brake system need to be blood? People do some people don’t. It depends on how you feel about it.
I like to bleed my systems every few years but living in Western New York, if it hasn’t been done in many years you may have trouble unscrewing the bleeders and you could end up twisting them right off the calipers.
I may be wrong about this but YouTube is your friend.
Ah chicken wings say hello to garabage plate
I dont belive my ABS units or brakes were ever bled and as we are both in the rust belt I want to be sure its good fluid before it rusts up my ABS. Thanks for the heads up about the bleeder screws. I may get replacement ones just in case.
It is bled like any other vehicle. Does it need to be bled? That is to get air out. Is there any? Do you mean a brake fluid flush to put new fluid in? You should go ahead and replace the fluid at this point.
If the reservoir has not run dry (emptied out) then you probably don't need to bleed the ABS. If you do, there are various scan tools that can do it or the most basic (inexpensive, DIY) setup would be using an (ELM327 based) scan tool dongle and forscan app on a windows PC (tablet or laptop). More info about the latter can be found in Forscan's forum. After the normal bleed procedure, get it out somewhere slippery (wet/dewy grass or leaves, or gravel, etc) to get ABS to activate then see if you still have normal pedal firmness after.
Caliper bleeder screws, if rusty it helps to put some penetrant on ahead of time, let it seep in for an hour+, and use a tight fitting, six point socket. Once it's started turning free then you can use a proper flare nut wrench, better that than a common open end wrench that does not grip the bleeder nut on as many sides.
If the bleeder screw shears (or rounds) off, the bigger issue is then (for ease of doing it) you probably end up taking the caliper off, mount in a vice, trying to get the rest of the screw out, or if the whole caliper is rusted up, some people would just replace the whole thing.
Usually, old fluid with moisture in it, will not rust up your ABS module, before the brake lines themselves succumb to rust. However at some point Ford started using plastic coated line so if yours has that, it may buy you a few years at the more susceptible areas like at the wheels where the winter slush is kicked up while driving. In other words, inspect the brake lines from time to time. Better to replace a severely rusted line before failure, rather than finding it has failed while driving.
If the reservoir has not run dry (emptied out) then you probably don't need to bleed the ABS. If you do, there are various scan tools that can do it or the most basic (inexpensive, DIY) setup would be using an (ELM327 based) scan tool dongle and forscan app on a windows PC (tablet or laptop). More info about the latter can be found in Forscan's forum. After the normal bleed procedure, get it out somewhere slippery (wet/dewy grass or leaves, or gravel, etc) to get ABS to activate then see if you still have normal pedal firmness after.
Caliper bleeder screws, if rusty it helps to put some penetrant on ahead of time, let it seep in for an hour+, and use a tight fitting, six point socket. Once it's started turning free then you can use a proper flare nut wrench, better that than a common open end wrench that does not grip the bleeder nut on as many sides.
If the bleeder screw shears (or rounds) off, the bigger issue is then (for ease of doing it) you probably end up taking the caliper off, mount in a vice, trying to get the rest of the screw out, or if the whole caliper is rusted up, some people would just replace the whole thing.
Usually, old fluid with moisture in it, will not rust up your ABS module, before the brake lines themselves succumb to rust. However at some point Ford started using plastic coated line so if yours has that, it may buy you a few years at the more susceptible areas like at the wheels where the winter slush is kicked up while driving. In other words, inspect the brake lines from time to time. Better to replace a severely rusted line before failure, rather than finding it has failed while driving.
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I just had a bleeder screw issue. It was rusted down so no wrench would fit. A quick hit with a torch then using some vise grips and it came off. I've found the heat is really an easy way to loosen the stubborn bleeders. Only takes a minute. Don't set the boots afire.....
Hey folks thank you very much currently researching forscan. I will probably do a pressure bleed and have the pressure bleed tool ordered.
