Replacing Front Brake Pads
 

It looks like I'll need to replace my front pads on my 2007 FEH before winter. Two questions:

1) When I disconnect the battery, which is necessary, do I need to use a keep-alive 9 volt battery plugged in to the cigarette lighter to keep from messing up other functions?

2) What kind of pads should I get, if I don't get original Ford parts? i. e. Ceramic or non ceramic pads?

Thanks.

Re: Replacing Front Brake Pads
 

Have a look at this thread to see if it helps you out.

https://www.greenhybrid.com/discuss/...-dealer-24568/

Not sure about ceramic or non ceramic pads, but considering that the pads last a long time (regenerative braking) I'd stick with Ford parts. IMO.

Re: Replacing Front Brake Pads
 

Thanks for the link, but it didn't answer my questions.

The shop manual says to disconnect the battery and pull the two fuses. I'm wondering if I need to keep the memory alive to avoid other computer related issues.

Also do we know the original pads are not ceramic?

Thanks.

Re: Replacing Front Brake Pads
 

Tom, make sure you lift the hood and let the FEH sit for ~12 minutes so the PCM can properly shutdown all the relays. If those relays are not properly shutdown by the PCM, current can flow from the HV battery through the DC/DC converter draining your HV battery. Some here have reported the HV battery drained down after they disconnected the battery ground to work on their radio. You can also just disconnect the HV battery plug on the battery. Don't worry about KAM, it will reset to the default setting and relearn from there.

Don't know if the pads are ceramic.

GaryG

Re: Replacing Front Brake Pads
 

Thanks. So you let it set the ~12 minutes before you disconnect the 12 volt battery?

Got it. I didn't see this in the shop manual, but I may not have looked far enough.

Re: Replacing Front Brake Pads
 

You know when you turn the Key Off the radio will play for ten minutes or until you open the door? Same thing happens with steering (3 seconds), fans, brake pressurization and other hybrid systems like the TCM and TBCM. The 12 minutes is just to make sure the PCM shuts down everything. If you disconnect the ground to the battery the PCM uses that ground to ground the relays to disconnect power through them. This is in the PCM/ED manual under Hybrid Electronic Control Software Section "Normal Power Down Sequence". The 12 minutes and raising the hood is just my idea because I know the light will turn Off automatically by then.

In most cases the techs don't bother because they make the repair fast. Doing a brake or other time consuming job can get long when you don't have a parts dept a few steps away. I just don't like wasting any SoC myself. Taking out the fuses is a back-up so the brakes don't pressurize under any conditions.

I think it was BillyK stating his HV battery drained after he disconnected his 12V battery. My answer was the PCM didn't do a proper shutdown. Another poster was disconnecting the PCM ground wire at night and had the same problem.

GaryG

Re: Replacing Front Brake Pads
 

Adding a little insight from semi-related experience: My 2006 F-350 work truck takes 30 minutes for everything to power down. I was having dead battery issues and assisted the mechanic diagnose the problem. His meter monitored the drain on the battery (amps), and we watched as the truck's electrical components shut down. Several systems shut down in the first 10 minutes or so, but one or two stayed energized 'til the 30 minute mark.

When it comes time for me to replace my brake pads, I intend to just follow the owners manual re: putting the vehicle in brake 'service mode'. Am I missing something?

Re: Replacing Front Brake Pads
 

I don't have a FSM and mine is an '06, but the owner's doesn't say anything about disconnecting the battery when doing brake work. It just says to put it into service mode which will prevent the system from pressurizing while it's in that mode. I'm coming due time to replace the fronts and that's all I'm planning on doing.

Re: Replacing Front Brake Pads
 

You may be reading something about the standard Gas version Escape without an electrical fluid pump. If the system pressurizes while working on the FEH/MMH brake system you could blow corrosive brake fluid everywhere and hurt yourself and FEH/MMH systems. Under the Hybrid BRAKE PADS Removal and Installation Section 206-04-3 of the '05 FEH Workshop Manual #2 clearly says disconnect the battery and remove the battery junction box fuses 24 (50A) and 31 (50A).

GaryG

Re: Replacing Front Brake Pads
 

Good luck with that.

Here (attached) is what Gary is talking about ......but from an '06 FSM.