Coninued Brake problems after pad replacement

[Vchat20]

this past week my mom has been getting the car checked up to make sure its up to spec for our vacation this upcoming weekend. we are going all the way from Norhteast Ohio all the way down to Killeen, Texas (South of Dallas).

anyways, she got the pads replaced this past friday. shes always had problems with the brake pedal occasionally vibrating when she stopped. but other than that the brakes worked fine. she just recently got the pads replaced and the fluid was topped off (mechanic said it was low) and its still doing it. yesterday she went to help a friend move some stuff. she was backing up into a driveway which had a slight incline to it. when she went to stop, it made a screeching sound. so far thats the only incident of that.

maybe someone can pinpoint the issue here?

[ModMech]

I would not worry too much about that. Normally, you don't brake very hard at all in "R", only while traveling forward. Sorta like combing your hair backwards, you get interesting results.

[krazibimmer]

the pedal vibration cause be cause by warp rotor(s) or drum(s). and it can also cause by false abs activation if your windstar is equiped with abs. when replacing brake pads or shoes, make sure to clean all wheel speed sensors.

[Vchat20]

yeah. the abs may be the problem. the abs liht has been coming on randomly lately. where exactly are these wheel speed sensors located? im guessing they should be simple to clean?

also, would the e-brake light coming on during normal stopping also be a sign of the abs? o is that something different altogehter?

[krazibimmer]

the red brake light will come on only when the e-brake is applied or the brake fluid in the reservoir is very low. this could be leak(s) in the system or brake pads or shoes is worn out. make sure you check the wheel cylinders inside the drums if your van have rear drum brake in the back. they are prone to leak when it get old. when the red brake light is on, it also disable the abs system. the wheel speed sensor is located on the steering knuckle or close by. after you take the wheel off, look around the steering knuckle, you should see a electrical connector. that is for the wheel speed sensor. it should be close to the axle. cleans the sensor off wheel with a can of brake cleaner. also check the ring on the axle to make sure it is not crack or broken. also make sure the ring have all the teeth.

[ModMech]

I re-read your first post. You need to get NEW rotors on that van now. If the "mechanic" had done a good job, there would be no problems with vibration while stopping after he performed to repairs.

[rodeo02]

Originally Posted by ModMech

I re-read your first post. You need to get NEW rotors on that van now. If the "mechanic" had done a good job, there would be no problems with vibration while stopping after he performed to repairs.

No doubt about it. It sounds as if this "mechanic" is seriously compromising your safety. If you cant troubleshoot it yourself, get a quality tech to check it out for you.
G/luck
Joel

[Vchat20]

sorry about not updating. anyways, it definitely has to be something with the abs. cuz the mechanic simply pulled the abs fuse from under the hood and the vibration stopped altogether.

anyways, my mom said the mechanic checked the wheel speed sensors and they were fine. so the only thing i could think of is the fuses. well, the one from under the hood was fine (its in the glove compartment with the owners manual). i checked the one under the dash and it was fine. i attempted to check the relay under the dash but had no such luck removing the cover.

the thing id like to know is how hard and long is it to simply go in and check a wheel speed sensor? i already looked on a few sites and have found pictures so i have a decent idea of what they look like. tommorrow morning im going to be doing some work outside so i can take a look at this myself.

EDIT: also, i know this is OT, but i was curious. on our way back home we stopped off in Columbus to drop of my brother. we only stayed for a fw minutes cuz it was very late. anyways. up until that point the van was running fine. started it back up when we were leaving and the thing was running really rough. felt like it was misfiring and everything. got moving and everything seemed ok. only that one time did it do that. have no clue why, but im curious.