We purchased out 2007 Ford Edge in 2009 after leasing it for two years. We had hoped to get into a new vehicle but it was during the auto industry downturn and no one was offering any GOOD deals on leases. we decided to buy this vehicle because we had liked it and new who took care of it.
We have had the normal maintenance issues with it and already had to replace the brakes once. In 2014 (summer) my wife complained to me that the car was making a grinding noise when she would hit the brakes. She stated also that the ABS light came on at the same time. Of course I didn't know what she was talking about so I said I would take it for a drive. I drove it and couldn't reproduce the problem. The next day she told me it happened again and that she wasn't going to drive it any more because she didn't feel safe in it. I told her to take my car and I would drive hers.
I took it to work the next day and reproduced that problem within the first 20 miles. When stepping on the brake the pedal would pulsate as if you were on ice and the ABS was kicking in. When doing this the car didn't slow down as you would expect it to on dry pavement. So it was scary to drive, you didn't know if you would stop in time or not. I told het to call the dealership and take it in the next day.
She took it in, explained to the dealer what was happening and they said they would look at it. They called back the next day and told her she could pick it up as they could not fine any problem with it. Everything checked out. When I got home from work she told me that she was not going to pick up that car because she didn't feel safe driving it and that I should go talk to them about the inspection because I could probably explain it better then she did.
I went to the dealer and spoke to the service desk. They told me that the car was ready because they couldn't reproduce the problem, which I refused. I told them that I wanted them to go for a ride with me because I could reproduce it. The service manager came over and asked me about the problem. He explained that they had checked it out fully and they didn't appear to be an issue at all. I asked him what kind of voltages they were receiving from the sensors when doing their testing on each wheel (while waiting for 25 minutes I had time to do some light reading on the WEB about ABS systems and how they can be tested). He said that he would ask the technician and get back to me. Before the technician came out for a ride, the service manager came over and said he explained what I told them and the technician was going to look it over again.
Low and Behold, they called me back to show me what they found. The ABS multi tooth rings on both half shafts (that is supposed to be affixed to the half shaft) are both cracked and spinning FREE. What this was doing was sending false signals to the sensors that was telling the computer that the wheels weren't reacting to the brakes and that the brakes should be pulsed. End result they needed to replace both half shafts ($1300.00) and that would solve the problem..... Good thing I wouldn't take (Good To GO) for an answer HUH? But they were going to send my wife back out on the road with this car that quite frankly scared me when I drove it and it happened to me. She may not have been explaining it exactly, but it took them about 2 minutes to find once they looked at it. I blame them for that part. I blame Ford for the expensive part. This multi toothed gears used to be a separate item that could be replaced in earlier vehicles, but Ford made the decision to make it all one part now and they were pressed on and sold as one part with the half shaft. Difference of about $1000.00 to them in P&L.
I call Bull Sh*t on Hines Park Ford in South Lyon, Michigan for crappy technicians and Bull Sh*t on Ford Motor Company for the design decision to make this an expensive repair.
We purchased out 2007 Ford Edge in 2009 after leasing it for two years. We had hoped to get into a new vehicle but it was during the auto industry downturn and no one was offering any GOOD deals on leases. we decided to buy this vehicle because we had liked it and new who took care of it. We have had the normal maintenance issues with it and already had to replace the brakes once. In 2014 (summer) my wife complained to me that the car was making a grinding noise when she would hit the brakes. She stated also that the ABS light came on at the same time. Of course I didn't know what she was talking about so I said I would take it for a drive. I drove it and couldn't reproduce the problem. The next day she told me it happened again and that she wasn't going to drive it any more because she didn't feel safe in it. I told her to take my car and I would drive hers. I took it to work the next day and reproduced that problem within the first 20 miles. When stepping on the brake the pedal would pulsate as if you were on ice and the ABS was kicking in. When doing this the car didn't slow down as you would expect it to on dry pavement. So it was scary to drive, you didn't know if you would stop in time or not. I told het to call the dealership and take it in the next day. She took it in, explained to the dealer what was happening and they said they would look at it. They called back the next day and told her she could pick it up as they could not fine any problem with it. Everything checked out. When I got home from work she told me that she was not going to pick up that car because she didn't feel safe driving it and that I should go talk to them about the inspection because I could probably explain it better then she did. I went to the dealer and spoke to the service desk. They told me that the car was ready because they couldn't reproduce the problem, which I refused. I told them that I wanted them to go for a ride with me because I could reproduce it. The service manager came over and asked me about the problem. He explained that they had checked it out fully and they didn't appear to be an issue at all. I asked him what kind of voltages they were receiving from the sensors when doing their testing on each wheel (while waiting for 25 minutes I had time to do some light reading on the WEB about ABS systems and how they can be tested). He said that he would ask the technician and get back to me. Before the technician came out for a ride, the service manager came over and said he explained what I told them and the technician was going to look it over again. Low and Behold, they called me back to show me what they found. The ABS multi tooth rings on both half shafts (that is supposed to be affixed to the half shaft) are both cracked and spinning FREE. What this was doing was sending false signals to the sensors that was telling the computer that the wheels weren't reacting to the brakes and that the brakes should be pulsed. End result they needed to replace both half shafts ($1300.00) and that would solve the problem..... Good thing I wouldn't take (Good To GO) for an answer HUH? But they were going to send my wife back out on the road with this car that quite frankly scared me when I drove it and it happened to me. She may not have been explaining it exactly, but it took them about 2 minutes to find once they looked at it. I blame them for that part. I blame Ford for the expensive part. This multi toothed gears used to be a separate item that could be replaced in earlier vehicles, but Ford made the decision to make it all one part now and they were pressed on and sold as one part with the half shaft. Difference of about $1000.00 to them in P&L. I call Bull Sh*t on Hines Park Ford in South Lyon, Michigan for crappy technicians and Bull Sh*t on Ford Motor Company for the design decision to make this an expensive repair.
- Mike B., Commerce Township, US