Hello folks!
I am having problems with my 2012 ford escape limited’s brakes. I believe the passenger side caliper is locking up; it makes a noise on the highway and drifts to the left when braking hard. Also the passenger side wheel gets too hot to touch, while the driver side wheel is just warm.
I suspected the caliper needed replacing and when I opened the piston there was a bunch of very fine light brown grit. Bought a new caliper today, but it seems even the new caliper is not releasing. It just seems to clamp tighter and tighter without releasing when I pump the brake pedal. When the car if lifted I can’t even budge the passenger wheel by hand. The driver’s side caliper releases, however. Is this a pinched brake line? I inspected all the lines I could see and they appeared fine. If a brake line was bad, how would I be able to tell? I could really use some help. Thank you!
Thanks Tester. Would I only need to replace the rubber line leading from the wheel well to the caliper, or might there be more lines I need to replace going back to the abs hydraulic unit or master cylinder?
Update: I replaced the brake hoses today, and just as you said, the brake hose had deteriorated! I could not blow through it at all, it was completely stopped. I didn’t even know brake hoses could do that. Brakes work great now.
Glad you got it fixed. But I wonder, why would not use the correct hose part number? $15 is a day’s lunch money. I don’t like substituting parts, especially for safety items like brakes.
Yes I suppose I should definitely NOT recommend anyone do this. It’s also a matter of principle to me, I don’t think parts should cost twice as much just because the vehicle is different, especially not such a common car such as the Ford Escape.
Hi Joshua:
The Duralast part you installed was designed to be used on Ford Escapes built between 2001-2007. Yours is a 2012 Escape.
Do you know how the two hoses are different? Was it due to increased temperature and hydraulic pressure requirements?
Is the inside diameter of the hose the same as the old hose, meaning will your brakes now apply equal pressure to both LF and RF wheels during an emergency stop?
Starting in 2008, the Ford Escape’s turning radius increased over the previous models. This directly affects the demands on the flexible brake hose. Will your “older style” brake hose hold up under the increased turning radius that it was not designed to handle?
It cost Ford money to design and produce a replacement hose starting with the 2008 model. They only spend money on things like that when they have to. I would only substitute a replacement part if I were in the Ford engineering group during that redesign and knew the differences between the new and old hoses and why the newer one is required.
The old and new hoses are the same length, I made sure to measure them before putting it on. The hose diameter appeared to be the same on visual comparison, though I did not cut it open to check. There very well may be a difference in hose material as well. However I did edit out that part of my previous reply.