Brake Master Cylinder problems of the 2008 Ford Fusion - part 2

Once my antilock brakes kicked in this winter, my brake pedal never went back to normal. It is very mushy and sometimes when going slowly down a small incline (I. E. Exiting a parking lot), or over rough roads, it is hard to brake. In 2015 the exact same thing happened - my abs system kicked in once during winter and my brakes were mushy. Except that time, carx did a free brake examination, couldn't find the problem but when I got the car back. The brake pedal was firm again. This time, in 2017 I took to Ford dealership and so far, they have no idea what is wrong with it. Carx thinks I need a whole new hydraulic cylinder unit for abs and/or master cylinder.

2008 Ford Fusion 100,000 miles first of all my car is still in drivable . . . I'm on a fixed income and I have already replaced the brakes,rotors,master cylinder ! my brakes have had issues for about a year . Come to a stop just a regular stop ( like a top light ) brakes go clear to the floor . This has been going on for a year . The last event was in Jan 2017 went to come to a stop in heavy traffic and I almost re ended the car in front of me . My brakes were all the way to the floor literally no brakes at all . Made it home and my son started replacing everything as mentioned above . . . . . Now still no brakes at all clear to the floor . The abs control module is the only thing not replaced ( which should be a damn recall ) I feel the only reason Ford hasn't done a recall is because of the cost . I'm already out $1000. 00 now another $1000. 00 part plus the labor . I'm 68 and fixed income no car since Jan this is ridiculous! I won't purchase another Ford and that's all I've purchased in my 68 years !!!!.

Investigation opened 12/20/16 on 2009-2011 Fusions for soft brakes after abs deployment I suggest you add the 2008 year model as I have been experiencing the same problem. One month ago, the shop replaced the master cylinder to "fix" the problem, which worked until yesterday when the abs activated again.

Brakes have become spongey and a lot of pressure is needed to engage the brakes. The master cylinder and the rotors and brake pads have been serviced and inspected. The Fusion has done this multiple times and now has stayed consistently spongey. All services have been done through the Ford dealership.

I was driving on a snow covered road and went to brake and the abs kicked in like it should, so everything was normal. Then afterwards the brake pedal felt soft and would just about go to the floor when it would be depressed. I did not lose my braking power all together but I would have to pump the brakes or begin to stop far in advance to be able to stop like normal. It was like that for about two weeks and then one day the brake pedal went back to normal, but this is the second time in two years that this has happened and it worries me that this will happen again. I have looked into the situation and from what I've read it seems that it's a problem with the abs control module and is pretty common. Most people and even dealerships diagnose this as a faulty master cylinder, worn rotors and a number of other things and they end up replacing what they thought was the issue only to have the same problem occur again! I have not replaced anything in relation to this problem due to the fact of my brakes going back to "normal" and the abs control module being so expensive to fix. So I am taking my chances that this will not happen again until there is a recall on this issue. I believe it is a safety concern because although I did not lose my brakes all-together, I did lose most of my braking power and it could happen again at a time where I need to stop quickly and don't have time to pump the brakes.

The brakes do not function properly. During any driving, the first third of typical brake pedal press is normal and the vehicle brakes normally. However the middle third does nothing additional to brake the vehicle and the last third brakes aggressively. I have recently replaced the brake pads, serviced the rotors, replaced the master cylinder, and bled the brake lines. None of these services have correct the issue. I have read many forums where other users were experiencing the same problem with the final solution being replacement of the abs control module; a very expensive part to replace.

Brake pedal goes to the floor before brakes start to engage. Local shop isolated any issues with the wheel brake assemblies and stated that is was either the master cylinder or the abs module. Brakes will engage sooner in the pedal travel if they are pumped once. Based on research it appears that it is most likely a stuck valve in the abs hydraulic unit.

Over the past couple years when the abs was activated during hard braking, the pedal went very low and compromised braking power. After a few pumps the pedal regained its pressure, but whenever the abs activated the pedal would go low again. This symptom was easily repeatable. In oct 2016, the brake pedal remained low permanently when under normal vehicle operation, but still had braking power. I brought it into a brake shop in Nov 2016 to see what the problem was and after they replaced the brake master cylinder the car still had the same symptoms. The narrowed it down to the abs pump and after bench-testing it they determined it had stuck valves which was allowing air into the brake system. This appears to be a common and potentially very dangerous problem with 06-08 Ford Fusions.

When braking, particularly on uneven surfaces and/or when cornering, the abs system, or some component causes the car to vibrate or pull the vehicle left, and it makes noise. Sometimes it is reluctant to brake at all. On one occasion while approaching a red light at an intersection where the speed limit is 35 m. P. H. , I crossed uneven pavement. I applied the brakes but nothing happened. I quickly pumped the brakes and they responded just in time. On another occasion traffic slowed unexpectedly due to construction at a city street intersection, again 35 m. P. H. Zone. I pressed the brakes but nothing happened until the brake pedal hit the floor. I stopped just before striking the car in front of me. I was not speeding at the time of either incident. At a service on 9/28/16, at rusty eck Ford in wichita, KS, my service advisor gave me the standard information about the service, and included the fact that my brake pads were nearing replacement. This was not surprising. I believe I mentioned one incident with brake shuddering while braking on an uneven road at that point. What he told me next though shocked me. He explained that, based on his conversation with the service technician who had driven my car approximately 100 yds. , that I would probably need to have my brake master cylinder replaced in the near future. This made no sense because the car is in excellent condition, is garage kept, dealer serviced, and has less than 100,000 miles on it. His comments started to make sense when I learned that my make, model, and year of vehicle was under investigation by your agency for this brake problem. I am willing to aid your investigation as best I can, because it seems that this is a very real and dangerous problem, and that Ford has been aware of it for at least some time.

Spongy brakes - they go to the floor before they stop - mechanic said master cylinder and brake pads are fine- brake lines have been bleed and it did not fix the problem.

Several near miss accidents occurred with my 2008 Ford Fusion, after my brake pedal went "soft", the car took longer to stop in most driving conditions, particularly slippery, snowy, roads. The brake would require to be pushed nearly all the way to the floor to successfully stop. The brakes would require this no matter what speed I was traveling it, particularly very dangerous on highways. The brakes being in this condition led me to not use the car on highways or in slick conditions. As a result of these brakes, I had to have my car serviced and have the abs pump & master cylinder replaced, leading to $1,700 repair. My local mechanic mentioned that Ford has seen this occur on numerous occasions in Fusions, yet has not put a recall out. As a driver with two small children, I was unable to use my Fusion for 3-6 months during any slick road conditions due to the bad brakes. I had numerous near miss accidents occur. I would like for Ford to be investigated on this part and be refunded for my cost of repair if it is recalled.

Took car in several times because brake pedal went all the way to the floor for it to stop. Dealership stated it was the rear brakes, replaced them. Problem still exist. Took back a couple mos later, dealership stated front brakes & rotors, fixed. Problem still exist. Took car back again, dealership stated master cylinder needs to be replaced. Replaced it. Took back again, now they state it's the hydraulic control unit in the abs system. Need to press brake pedal to the floor to stop.

I have experienced dangerous braking issues immediately following engagement of the abs system. It first happened on wet roads not too long after changing brakes (rotors/pads). A firm braking was being done, but it wasn't enough to kick in abs until going over a painted rr crossing sign on the road. The paint was slippery and caused the abs to fire and immediately it felt like the brakes went out entirely. Pushing almost to the floor would stop the car and at that point they brakes felt strong. The problem went away after about 30 minutes. It happened again a second time when making a left turn. I was going a bit to fast into the turn and the road was rough. Same symptoms. It's happened probably 4 or 5 times in total. Once it happened making a right turn into a business. I went over a bump in the road that you normally pay no attention to (raised area where a pipe or something was dug up and replaced, then paved over). The immediate loss of pedal firmness and braking power caused me to overshoot the right side of the entrance. If a car had been exiting, I would have hit it. Most of the time the problem resolves itself in a day or so, but the longest lasted about 5 days. I'm hesitant to get it fixed because the hydraulic control unit is very expensive. Internet research also points out that this very common issue is being diagnosed as a failing master cylinder and many people indicate that doesn't solve the problem. As of now, this is not fixed. I drive much more cautiously, especially in slippery conditions.

The contact owns a 2008 Ford Fusion. When the brake pedal was depressed, the pedal felt soft. The failure corrected itself for eight months until it became constant. The dealer (bill kay Ford, 2556 s cicero Ave, midlothian, IL) diagnosed that the master cylinder was faulty and needed replacement. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was returned to the dealer, but the failure could not be diagnosed. The contact made multiple attempts to contact the manufacturer regarding the failure; however, the contact was disconnected from the customer service representatives. The failure mileage was approximately 65,000.

As I came to an intersection, I was depressing the brake and the pedal went all the way down. Ever since then, I have to press the brake pedal all the way to the floor of the car in order to come to a complete stop. Every time the brake pedal is unpressed their is an "air" noise coming from the hood of the car. I have changed the brake fluid cap, bled the brake lines, changed the calipers, and even replaced the master cylinder and the problem is still the same: brake pedal has to be depressed all the way to come to a complete stop and every time the brake is unpressed it makes an "air' noise. My dashboard never lit up with a warning before this happened.

In winter 2014/2015, cars brakes quit working while driving in snow. I took the car to a mechanic who could not replicate the problem. Drove car for about a year to this past winter 2015/2016, when driving on snow attempted to slow down at traffic light for a left-hand turn doing 45 mph when breaks quit working again. I could not stop and cars slid through intersection. Finally coasted to a stop on side of road. Took her back to mechanic who replace the master cylinder. On April 20, 2016, I pulled into a convenience store and hit a bump in the parking lot breaks quit working and I almost ran into the building of the store. After sitting in park and pushing the break as I had done previously, they worked fine and I was able to drive home. I may 3,2016, I pulled into that same convenient store with the same bump and lost my brakes again. This time bumping the curb before I stopped. I called Ford I may for 2016 after doing some research online and finding that this is a common problem with the 2008 Ford Fusion yet there is no recall. Ford said unfortunately there is no recall but I could take my car to a Ford service center for repair. I feel this is a serious safety problem and I could die or end up killing someone else because I can't stop.

On three occasions, upon suddenly braking, brake pedal failed. Took it to Ford once and they couldnt tell me what was wrong. Ford dealer said, "must've been a freak accident. " I ignored the second time brake pedal went to the floor as pressure built up soon after, but the third time, took it back to Ford dealer. They quickly said it was the master cylinder. I didn't accept the diagnoses. Did some research and found online that there are so many other 2008 Fusion brakes issues like mine! and no recall!?! research points towards the hydrualic control unit, the mechanical part of the abs module is bad. And it's a common issue! people can die over this! I have no abs indication showing on my instrument panel. . . On all three occasions I was driving on level roads or highways. How can Ford not fix this? is it not common enough just yet!?! maybe let a few die and have the media have a field day with the deaths before Ford responds??? Ford has a responsibility to its vehicles! where's the pride and good will from Ford? god forbid Ford take responsibility and make a recall and prevent them from taking away from there profits!!!.

The contact owns a 2008 Ford Fusion. While driving 35 mph, the brake pedal was depressed and traveled to the floorboard. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the brake booster and master cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 92,578.

The first time this happened I was sliding into traffic due to icy conditions. After hitting the brakes hard and engaging the abs system the brakes became spongey and went to the floor. This happened again after having to hit the brakes hard again and this time we were on an interstate. My mechanic has replaced the master cylinder, brakes, and adjusted them. After this happening several times my mechanic researched it to find the the abs modules on this model are faulty. This has happened 4 times in the last year. This is a very dangerous and expensive defect on this automobile. After searching online I have read several complaints with this model and the same defect has been noted.

In November 2015 I took my 2008 Ford Fusion to a mechanic because the brake pedal went soft. As I recall, I hit a regular ole pot hole and the brakes were non-existent until I pushed the pedal all the way to the floor. When I took it to the mechanic, he said there was power steering in my master cylinder, and that I needed my master cylinder replaced. I allowed him to do so and the brakes were working properly again. In December of 2015 I was pulling into ted's hotdogs and the pedal went soft, again. I took it back to the same mechanic and he noticed the soft pedal. After bleeding out the brakes the brakes returned to working properly. He said he saw nothing wrong with it and called it, "weird. " when I picked it up everything was working fine. January 13th, 2016 I was returning home. There was snow on the ground and I was making a left turn onto my street. The brake pedal went soft again. This morning my mother took it to work and she was forced to run a red light at 5:30 am because she could not stop because the pedal was soft. Every time the pedal went soft, it was because I was making a turn. The speeds I was going at were 40mph, 35mph and 20mph. After further research, I have learned that it has nothing to do with the master cylinder, brakes, rotors nor calipers, but has to do with the abs and hcu.

After noticing braking issues I had a mechanic look at it to investigate what the issue maybe. I was told it was the master cylinder. This part was replaced and then after replacing noticed air going into the line. After noticing the sound of air there was air lines after the flush. It was determined a faulty abs sensor.

After abs event, brake pedal is now low. Shop checked for leaks, air, and master cylinder health and everything was fine. The hydraulic control unit seems to be the only other explanation. Car does stop but barely.

Attached is the work order and the payment receipt we paid Ford, we pray that we can get our money back. On oct 28,2015 my Ford Fusion: low/soft brake pedal at times , I brought my certified pre owned Ford Fusion 2008 in 2012, at capital Ford dealership in raleigh nc. The service department is wonderful. I am a senior citizen on social security I have no funds for savings so I am limited in what I do, my brake pedal goes all the way to the floor, I drive my great grandson to kindergarten daily, to school and on that day it was a dry day, I am afraid the car won't stop one day. I have all info that it is not the master cylinder, but a hcu, my warranty ran out at 124,000 miles, I have 132,000 miles, but I understand that this has been an issue with the 2008 Ford Fusions. Then on Nov. 3 I was driving to raleigh and went to stop at the light and the pedal went all the way to the floor, and I panicked but got the car to stop with hitting any thing, when my husband called Ford the man said that they had problems with that year vehicle before, and that all 3 components of the brake system had to be replaced ant the same time we have no money other than social security, and we had to pay $2,700 to have it fixed this is so terrible for a company like Ford to have a recall on floor mats and not on the brake system or the transmission, our car was taken back to Ford about the car lurching forward when we stepped on the gas and them at 40 miles per hour the whole car would lurch like it was jumping put of gear, and the Ford mechanic said they couldn't find anything wrong with the car, we will never buy another Ford. Michael & victoria powell.

The brakes went all the way down to the floor, the Ford dealer said that there are 3 components in the system 1)master cylinder 2)hcu 3)power booster, he said that the master cylinder probably leaked into the hcu, which in turn messed up the power booster. The dealership also said that there have been numerous complaints from other 2008 Ford Fusion owners with the same thing. So our question is why doesn't Ford have a recall since they said there is a problem with the brake system on the 2008 Ford Fusion? now they want us to pay $2070 to have it fixed, we have a small grandchild that we transport to school daily, if something happens to the brake system, then what? we want Ford to have a recall on this before someone dies. How could all 3 components go bad at once????.

While driving on a gravel road at slow speed for about 3 miles I came to a stop sign/intersection. When I applied the brakes there was no resistance and the pedal went to the floor before it did brake and locked the wheels and slid to a stop. I drove another hundred feet and pulled off the road and it did the same thing; pedal to the floor. With motor idling I opened the hood and checked the brake fluid level which was full, closed the hood and checked the brakes and they were fine; a full pedal. I drove another 20 miles or so in stop and go traffic and the brakes were flawless, full working pedal, no problems at all. I then went to my local Ford dealership where I related the above to the service mgr. And was told there was no way to diagnose the problem since at that time everything was working fine. He advised me that it could be the booster or master cylinder losing vacuum , but there was no way to check it. I suggested trading the vehicle since it is dangerous to drive but that might get someone else killed. The service mgr. Said if/when it happens and does not change or correct itself, they could then fix it. When it happens again I fear it will result in an accident. What can I do? there are several forums, etc. That suggest I am not alone. I bought this car new and nothing has been done to it. I am so afraid it will happen again and cause an accident that I cannot keep it and I fear for anyone who purchases it. I need an answer.

Brake pedal went soft after driving over pot hole in summer of 2015. Did online research that pointed to the abs hydralic control unit. Ford dealer replaced brake master cylinder and I had marginal improvement. Few months later went to a snowy empty parking and activated the abs doing a quick stop. Brake pedal which wasn't very firm after master cylinder replacement got very soft. Took it back to Ford who replaced the abs hcu. Brake pedal returned to normal firmness. Ford has revised this part which I had fail. It's the abs hcu which has a valve stick open. Go to you tube and search Fordtechmacaluso soft Fusion brake pedal who describes this same problem.

Brakes failed, went all the way to the floor. Had to put the car into first gear, pull over to the emergency lane, and pump madly to get brakes to finally stop the car. This is the third time it happened, and by far the worst incident. Had to pay Ford dealer $1688. 00 for new master cylinder and new hcu. Went online to see if there was a recall. So far, none. But scores of other complaints on several web sites describe the same situation, same cost to repair.

Brakes go soft had master cylinder replaced doing it again it's my daughter car why hasn't Ford re-called them to really fix the problem.

My daughters car so when it started I not sure. I drove the car and stepped on the brakes they went to the floor. The pedal would pump back up. Took car and had the brakes bled. That didnt work. They put on a new master cylinder brake are mushy at best. Dealer no help. There at least 20 reports on this sight for this model are you going to wait till someone gets killed????read your own website for this car.

While driving the vehicle and needing to come to a stop the brake pedal is soft and goes striaght to the floor. We have had the brakes checked and all the fluid and those are fine. I have been told that it could be the master cylinder but probably the hydraulic cylinder unit. The dash by the passanger air bag is lifting from the dashboard. I have seen many of the same exact post for both issues. A recall needs to be made on these parts before someone seriously gets hurt. This is unexceptable that Ford is not taking car of these issues. There is obviously a serious problem with as many people that are reporting the same exact issues that my car is experiencing. Take this serious please, submit through recalls so people don't have to die or get seriously hurt in an accident to get your attention.

Tl-the contact owns a 2008 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph, the brakes failed to engage fully. No lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the master cylinder was repaired diagnosed that the hydraulic control unit needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The approximate mileage during the failure was approximately 75,000. Nw.

This problem has happened to me twice already. The first time, the abs brakes engaged after driving over some water on the highway. The brake pedal got soft, went down almost to the floor, and did not reset itself. I was afraid to drive with the decreased braking power. I called a Ford dealer and they said they had never heard of this problem, although I could hear some snickering in the background. I told them I found forum after forum online of other Fusion owners complaining of the very same thing. They could only offer an appointment in 2. 5 weeks to take a look at it. I called an independent garage and a mechanic looked at it the same day, checked a few things and added some brake fluid to the master cylinder (mc). The braking power returned. He said I would need a new mc if it happened again. A few weeks later it happened again. The abs brakes engaged after I braked to avoid a car making a surprise turn in front of me. The brake pedal went to the floor and became soft. It felt like I had no braking power at all. I had to press the brake pedal extremely hard in order to slow down or stop. I got off the highway and kept pumping the brake pedal repeatedly to get it to reset. After a few attempts, it reset itself to its normal position. I took the car to a Ford dealer a few days later. They could get the abs to engage, but could not recreate the problem with the brake pedal going to the floor. They did not know what to do, and could only offer a $2000 "fix" they would not guarantee. I did not take them up on their offer, and they did not believe changing the master cylinder would correct the problem. The problem could occur again any time the abs is activated.

2008 Ford Fusion se - loses brake pedal pressure under extreme circumstances. After hitting bumps, pot holes, slick roads or other abs events, the pedal would go soft. It could be pumped back up, but would go soft again over time or after another abs event. I took it to my Ford dealer for oil changes and they said it was my brakes. I replaced the pads, but the problem persisted. I then took it to my local mechanic who determined that the brake master cylinder had failed into the brake booster. The booster and master cylinder were not functioning properly. After replacement the brakes have worked fine. The first incident was while driving on the highway and the cars in front of my suddenly slammed on their brakes. The abs kicked in and it seemed to take a long time to stop. I started giving even longer distances and had problems driving our other cars because I'd over brake when stopping in them.

(please note that I am a former factory-certified automotive technician, so description may be technical) when approaching a stop, small imperfections in road or slippery conditions results in an abs event, which is normal (although I would argue sensors are overly sensitive and cause abs to engage too quickly). However, after the abs event is over, the pedal will often drop to floor on the next attempt at braking. While now aware of it, the first several times this happened it was unexpected and I nearly either rolled through intersections or hit another vehicle. After vehicle was turned off for a period of time (typically 30 minutes or more), pedal would return to normal. However, the problem has progressed to where the pedal now will never return to full firmness. After extensive research and testing, I have been able to determine that the issue is a malfunctioning hydraulic control unit (a part that should easily last the lifetime of a vehicle). Due to the symptoms, many have mistakenly tried replacing brake boosters and master cylinders, only to find the problem still exists. . Read more...

Its the abs. I have changed the brakes gotten new master cylinder and I still cannot get full brake control. Still pushing pedal almost to the floor. My mechanic checked on this site which showed others with same problem. Which he stated is a factory defect.