Important Taurus brake problem

Virginia Riley · #1 05-26-2005, 03:03 PM

I was driving on the highway doing about 60. When I applied the brakes I had NONE. The brake light came on at the same time. Thank goodness I was able to coast the car for a few miles and pull off to the side of the road. I checked the brake fluid and found that it was empty. I always have an emergency kit with me so I filled the brake fuild up but by the time I got to an exit it was empty again. I got a tow to my home and found that the lines from my ABS were cut (worn) thru.

The lines from the ABS are directly under the battery and riding on those lines is the radiator hose which has a metal stiffener wrapped around it. After 50,000 miles the metal stiffener just cut right thru the ABS lines. I couldn't believe it. The car has never been worked on other then general maintainence. So it must be by design. I checked a Taurus 2000 a few weeks later and saw the same thing. The problem is you have to remove the battery and the bracket then lift the raditor hose up to see that it is riding on the lines so a quick visual doesn't tell you anything.

I took the car to a Ford Dealer to replace the ABS and the lines ($1300) and told them I wanted a report made on the repair. I never heard anything from them or Ford. I lucked out that day and so do every other driver on the road.

Madcat455 · #2 05-26-2005, 05:19 PM

Info please... What engine does your car have??? Looks like I'm checking my 03 Tonight.

xtremehp482 · #3 05-27-2005, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Virginia Riley

I was driving on the highway doing about 60. When I applied the brakes I had NONE. The brake light came on at the same time. Thank goodness I was able to coast the car for a few miles and pull off to the side of the road. I checked the brake fluid and found that it was empty. I always have an emergency kit with me so I filled the brake fuild up but by the time I got to an exit it was empty again. I got a tow to my home and found that the lines from my ABS were cut (worn) thru.

The lines from the ABS are directly under the battery and riding on those lines is the radiator hose which has a metal stiffener wrapped around it. After 50,000 miles the metal stiffener just cut right thru the ABS lines. I couldn't believe it. The car has never been worked on other then general maintainence. So it must be by design. I checked a Taurus 2000 a few weeks later and saw the same thing. The problem is you have to remove the battery and the bracket then lift the raditor hose up to see that it is riding on the lines so a quick visual doesn't tell you anything.

I took the car to a Ford Dealer to replace the ABS and the lines ($1300) and told them I wanted a report made on the repair. I never heard anything from them or Ford. I lucked out that day and so do every other driver on the road.

Please let us know what year/engine eize your taurus is. Is there a way the lines can be moved to pervent any problems?

Madcat455 · #4 05-27-2005, 01:11 PM

I just checked my 03 Vulcan engine... No clearance issues.. rad hose does come close(still 1 inch away though), but only has a plastic cover on my model... I can see where it'd be more of a concern on a duratech engine.... I can also get my fingers in above the lines under the battery tray.

Since I didn't have to remove my battery to check this, I'm assuming her engine is the Duratech... I had pleanty of room.

Virginia Riley · #5 05-27-2005, 03:35 PM

The engine is a Duratech 24 valvue 6 cylindar. I'm glad that so far everyone else isn't having the problem.

TravisG · #6 06-15-2005, 06:38 PM

I have a 1999 Ford Taurus with around 122,000 miles on it. The only problem I am having with it right now is the ABS Light will come on after I have been running it for awhile. It started out that the only time it came on was when it was either raining or that I had the A/C running for awhile. Now it just comes on after I have been driving it continuously for a little while. I do know that I have the 24 valve engine, but I am not sure if the same issues applies. I still have normal brakes when the light is on, but after reading in the manual, the ABS brakes will not function if the light is on. Once in awhile if I am applying the brakes and the light is not on, I can feel some kind of resistance or grinding during braking and the light will come on. Again, once the light is on, I still have brakes and I have no problems braking. I have been told that this could be a sensor, but after reading this post, I have another thing to check. I just wanted to maybe get some other suggestions as well. Thank you.

drdisque · #7 06-15-2005, 08:30 PM

the grinding makes me think either your pads or rear shoes are shot. The computer knows this and doesn't want to try to antilock brake a blank pad gouging into the rotor.

TravisG · #8 06-15-2005, 10:33 PM

That is a good idea, but I am not sure if it is an actually grinding, I do not hear it, I can feel it when I am trying to brake and at the same time the ABS brakes are being disabled. When the light is on, the brakes work like normal brakes would. I do not hear any grinding or have any problems stopping. When I had my car in a couple of months ago at a local Ford dealership for an oil change, they also did an inspection on other things, and I brought this up to them as well. They said the brakes looked fine visually, but they would not be able to tell me why the ABS was coming on unless they hooked it up to a computer and charge me $80.00 just for that.

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