Siggie

Greetings forum!

I’m new, and this forum, like my F150 is something I hope to do good things with for a long time.

I own a 2001 F150 4WD – a spotless truck just bought on Craigslist.
I own a 1996 E150 completely restored van used for camping.

What do those trucks have in common?

ABS woes! ABS woes that even the Ford dealership could not fully diagnose on the E150 (I have since driven it without ABS for years)

And, $750 into a Midas brake diagnosis and repair, the Midas tech reported that my 1 week old F150 has serious ABS issues – and that the previous owner must have erased the codes. I drove it 50 miles and now several codes are pending. And can't figure out exactly what is wrong.

The symptom: The pedal goes to the floor. Multiple bleeds, renewed brake media, new master cylinder, and boom! Now the ABS codes appear.

The solution: Try the dealership to diagnose and repair the unit? I don't think so. BS component costs are insanely high. The ECU, or HCU is over $1000 each. Just checking it will cost $150-350.

I will bypass the HCU. I will do it with $50 of brake line, fittings and I may even buy a tube bender to make the installation clean. The lines will be bracketed and professional looking.

I’m so frustrated with ABS, I will remove it as a factor holding the truck reliability and ownership cost (!) hostage.

I’ve done research on the subject, including this forum before joining and the consensus is “Don’t do it!” Most of my cars don’t have ABS and I wouldn’t sell one to get it. I’ve restored classic and modern cars and can wrench (and yes, I was extremely lazy taking it to Midas – I was lazy and overloaded with work).

I ask this: Does anyone have a procedure/experience with this?

I intend to leave the ABS components in place, but will run my master cylinder output directly to the slave cylinders. I’ll use the thousands of dollars saved to keep great tires and other safety components on the truck.

Thanks for any light shed on this.

Thank you

Siggie

white89gt

Not sure if this is your issue. But the most common problem is a bad ABS controller. There is a member on here that did a DIY on rebuilding it. Here ya go:

https://www.f150forum.com/f6/diy-abs...solved-149387/

Siggie

Thanks for the reply and for forwarding that great write-up.

If it weren't for forums like this, that ABS system would be a "black box."

Proprietary.

Take it to the dealer.

Owner: Don't mess with it.

Will that be credit or debit -- and would you like me to staple the receipt to your paperwork?

I don't think so.

I buy cars (and trucks) based on a lot of factors and maintainability is one of them. That ABS system (on both of my Fords actually) is a big subtraction in that regard.

My F150 is not indicating a fault, and my Midas mechanic rattled off three code numbers, that I did not write down because his "throw parts at the problem before diagnosis" attitude left me with little confidence that he extracted the codes properly. I called Ford and those ABS components are Grey Poupon type expensive. Guessing is expensive.

For others in this situation, I'm going to run the bypass and report the results. In effect, my 2001 will have at least the braking performance of pre-1999 Ford trucks -- perhaps even better with the more modern components elsewhere in the system. In the coming years, a lot of things may go wrong with my F150. ABS won't be one of them.

mbb

I think thats a can of worms.

Technically, your insurance rate is based in part on the safety features of the vehicles VIN. Defeating it, in effect, becomes insurance fraud. ABS is definitely part of this.

Should you be involved in a serious accident , it would be grounds for insurance to deny any responsibility.

Low probability. Yes. But high consequences should it happen. You could lose everything you have. Not to mention affecting vehicle resale by exactly what it takes to fix it.

Youve already lost the repair price, whether you pay it now and reap benefits, or later and dont.

Siggie

Thanks, MBB -- I'm just getting started, and I am listening to feedback.

Your post is intriguing. The implication: That I would deliberately commit insurance fraud is wrong. I hadn't thought about it, but since you brought it up, I will investigate this with my insurance company. If it is a concern, I'll disclose it. Simply tell them.

That raises other questions. My E150 left the Ford dealership (with its driver sporting a considerably lightened wallet) with the ABS disabled. They couldn't figure it out. By implication, I am already committing insurance fraud. I'll ask about any modification that could be interpreted as affecting safety -- horsepower enhancement, tires, aftermarket brakes, suspension, lifts, tinting, loud audio equipment, aftermarket seats or harnesses, and much more. I'll also ask about maintenance and repair. Driving with an airbag or other equipment showing a fault or in disrepair. What's the legal risk?

Lots of questions. And what would be the effect on premium?

Right now, I have dangerously defective brakes. Let's be clear: My intent is to get good brakes, and to do it in a way that reflects common sense judgement. That means sinking thousands of dollars into a 15 year old truck when less than $50 will produce excellent braking is an action that should be questioned.

To others with ABS woes, my research (so far) is that the job is actually very easy. I'm getting a parts list (line fittings). The HCU can stay in place, and it may only require disconnection and rerouting of five hoses and an optional connection of a adjustable proportioning valve. The parts appear very available. I'm still researching.

Interestingly enough, MBB's post raises another question: if someone wanted to make the modification without raising any questions, getting a junkyard HCU, opening it up and modifying it to eliminate the dump valve function would result in a conventional brake system.

(just kidding)

I reiterate: This is about getting good brakes. And when lawyers design products.....

Thanks for the feedback. I will take it to heart.

Rockjock3

So, you decided not to try and repair it yourself for the low cost of $10-15, using the other thread's directions?

white89gt

Kinda what I was thinking...

Siggie

I expressed thanks for forwarding the other post.

I read the thread.

I saw nothing that suggested that that procedure was the fix to my truck's behavior.

I'll read it again. If that's the fix, of course I will do it. I want ABS. But not if I pay thousands of dollars to maybe get it working. If that's the fix, it makes no sense to bypass the ABS.

However this gets done, I intend to fix it myself. I'm done throwing money at guessing mechanics.

Nor do I intend to guess. I'll look at the thread again.

Right now....

Thanks!

Rockjock3

I didn't mean to imply you weren't thankful. It just seemed you had chosen the more difficult route. I know it is your truck, and I, too, have been driving long enough to have had vehicles without ABS. I know that it can, sometimes, be just as much a pain in the ***, and no more safe, than traditional brakes. I was just inquiring.

Siggie

I re-read it.

This fix appears to reflect some good technical work. I certainly have respect for the man or woman who wrote it.

This is a fix not for my problem. My ABS pump does not run constantly. I also do not have an ABS light indication.

If I knew to a certainty that this was the problem (and it is not) I would more than likely bite the bullet and buy a new module.

Ironically, some of the fraud concerns MBB expressed could apply to this kind of repair. I don't necessarily believe what MBB was saying is fully scoped out, but if someone did brain surgery on the module that controls the ABS and was not doing so using a Ford approved method, I'd think that would to a lawyer also represent a liability issue. If the truck was driven by some person -- even a new owner, and that chip failed and the cut up case was discovered, wouldn't we be looking at the MBB scenario? You put that in -- who validated the fix? I can only imagine if a Ford engineer were called as a witness.

By a lawyer.

Don't misunderstand me -- it looks like great technical work. I drive a classic Ford with lots of custom work.

This is a great forum. And I'm not happy. Two Fords in a row with ABS BS. Hapless mechanics. Dope smoking Ford parts prices. Even the PO who erased the codes.

Thanks you people for even listening. I need to get on Jegs and order my proportioning valve.....

Thanks, people.