Windstar ABS & Trac Off Indicators

First symptom was spongy brakes. Replaced master cylinder, brakes were still squishy. After about 2 weeks, ABS light came on along with the :Trac Off" light flashing. Brakes still work, but pedal goes right to the floor. Any ideas, I'm a single mom who cant afford to get the run around at the local garage.

If you had some shop do this repair, go back and demand they fix it.

If you did this yourself, then what Year, and engine does it have, and how many miles are on it?

Karl

The master cylinder was replaced by a friend of mine who is a mechanic. He lives 2 hrs away and he did it in his driveway for me because I cant afford shop costs. He wasn't happy with it after he test drove it, but to me it did seem like there was more braking power after the master cylinder was done, although the pedal still didn't hold as it should. He said maybe it was something to do with the ABS system, but there was no way to check it in his driveway. It was a couple of weeks later that the lights came on. They are on all the time now. Its a 98, 3.8l, 210,000km.

What symptoms caused the master cyl to be replaced?

Master cylinders can be tricky to replace properly.
1. With all the variations (ABS, Trac control, etc) in brake system design .. some year to year ... an exact replacement cylinder is necessary.
2. Sometimes a replacement re-built cylinder is no good ... straight out of the box.
3. Cylinders need to be bench primed.
4. Master cylinders need to be allowed to "fully retract". Poorly returning wheel brake hardware (usually caused by poor cleaning/lubrication) can prevent it. A mal-adjusted plunger link from brake pedal can prevent it... there is an adjustable screw that actually goes inside the master cylinder from brake pedal ... these can be too loose ... or too tight.

First symptom was spongy brakes, pedal not holding, it would only grab at the top of the pedal, then pedal would go to the floor. Pumping the brakes allowed me to stop OK (it would grab at the top, then go soft). No loss of brake fluid. Tried bleeding the brakes, no change. Consensus from 2 mechanics was that it was master cylinder so I bought one at USA Auto Parts and had it changed. I am still driving with spongy brakes. 2 weeks later, ABS & "TRAC OFF" lights came on. ABS stays on, TRAC flashes. Braking is getting worse.

I have to start by saying that I belive the ABS system is not connected to the power braking system. They are two seperate units that function seperatly. Get your Power Braking system bled and rebled. The traction off flashing light and abs steady light will come on once you have reached a driving speed of 25 mph, correct? This could be a bad wheel sensor. VM

Yes, the lights dont come on until I've been driving for few seconds, I never equated it to speed but your probably right. I will check that this afternoon when I drive it.

The lights actually do start once the speed hits 25 mph. What does the wheel sensor do, should it be changed you think? Thanks for all the help.

Each wheel has a sensor for determining the speed of the vehicle, a form of measurment to help determine how much pressure is needed to apply to wheels when there is hard breaking to prevent sliding, locking up of wheels ,etc etc. Remember the ABS system works indepedently from the braking system. The ABS system actually contains air in the ABS lines. This what gives you that pulsating action on your wheels when hard breaking comes into play. I believe that the traction control also uses these same sensors to determine wheel resistence and to active the other drive axel for the "Posi" traction. On a follow up, the Haynes Manual states the braking system should be atbled least 25 cycles after replacing master cylinder. Hopefully this was helpful. VM

Spongy brakes are caused by air in the brake line. The brake lines weren't bled properly.

Brake bleeding requires 2 people. On to work the brake pedel and the other to work the bleed bolt and the bucket. ABS hasn't changed this 75 yr old method of bleeding hydrolic brakes. Anybody who has done this once knows the drill. (Person under brake say's "OK push the pedal down" Person behind the wheel says "It's down" Person under the brake says "OK letter up!" Person behind the wheel says "It's up" etc. etc. etc.)

My guess is that your brake guy had nobody to help bleed the system after he finished the brake job. Find somebody who knows how to bleed brakes, and OFFER to HELP while they bleed yours. This will solve the spongy feeling, and have you stopping on a dime. If the ABS light remains on, then replace the ABS sensors on each of your wheels.

Karl