Brake Feel - Is this Normal?

[Stronglight]

Hello, new '21 Lariat has a pretty spongy pedal feel on first press, but stiffens up if I ease up and reapply the brake. I'm used to firmer response on my other cars. Is this normal, a known issue, or should I have this looked at? Thank you.

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[machinist85]

Sound like air in the system. There have been a few new Rangers with this issue. The dealer should bleed the system for free under warranty.

 

[FoD]

To tell the truth, I think it is a product of driving habit vs secret one-sided like pre-collision and proximity sensing, etc.

You have to admit that most everyone is used to driving full speed to a stop and stomping the brakes at last seconds and rolling on through. Especially when covid shutdown happened and people felt road rules no longer applied ( 50 mph in a 25; stop signs are for morons; red lights only if I have too).

I found that if you use the brakes in a manner of the old manual shoe brakes, they work great...begin to slow down further back, ease into the pedal with constant pressure, but not over the top, it just works.

Emergency stops, work the same, firm constant pressure works.

Final thought, all the system "aides" to help are new to your muscle memory of stopping a vehicle. Of course YRMV?

 

[OFC Ranger]

Yes I think the brakes are just spongy period. People want to get into all this stuff about air in the lines, or the old pull the E-Brake 20 times trick (more of a placebo I think), etc etc

If I drive the Ranger a lot in one day then get into any other car and press the brakes I am throwing myself into the seatbelt without fail while I readjust myself to firmer brakes in just about every other vehicle I could get into.

 

[Stronglight]

The Ranger brakes work fine, they just don't feel great at first. Not a function of driver's assistants, my other cars have all the bells and whistles too. Air seems likely, I'll see if I can get anyone's attention at the dealer, thanks.

 

[OFC Ranger]

They aren't going to find anything in the lines. That is a bet I'm willing to take.

The brakes are just that way for whatever reason Ford decided to make them that way.

 

[rang19ca]

I ended up just paying a buddy with a shop to bleed the brakes. $99.

 

[Stronglight]

Did you notice an improvement?

 

[rang19ca]

Did you notice an improvement?

YES.

 

[troutspinner]

It is normal for a Ranger. Not normal compared to other vehicles. . They do work well though.

 

[Msfitoy]

I had a great day blasting around in my MINI Cooper today...came home, hopped into my Ranger and boy do these brakes suck...rolls like a pig trying to take turns and feels 10 times heavier...Ford needs to fix this... ? ?

 

[dondonbabyraptor]

To tell the truth, I think it is a product of driving habit vs secret one-sided like pre-collision and proximity sensing, etc.

You have to admit that most everyone is used to driving full speed to a stop and stomping the brakes at last seconds and rolling on through. Especially when covid shutdown happened and people felt road rules no longer applied ( 50 mph in a 25; stop signs are for morons; red lights only if I have too).

I found that if you use the brakes in a manner of the old manual shoe brakes, they work great...begin to slow down further back, ease into the pedal with constant pressure, but not over the top, it just works.

Emergency stops, work the same, firm constant pressure works.

Final thought, all the system "aides" to help are new to your muscle memory of stopping a vehicle. Of course YRMV?

I have no problem with the brakes with the method here. I always do this method to have an almost non-existent abruptness full stop. A lot of friends mention "Oh, you're brakes are so nice" "No, I just ease into it so by the time I am "stopping" I give it one last light tap to feel no actual "stop"". But I will agree it is spongy, but fits my needs and habits. In addition, I am mostly going pretty fast but stop way ahead of time if there are any dangers within my area. Last note, my pops was a driving instructor so my methods and habits/way I learned of driving may be very different from the average folk.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

Hello, new '21 Lariat has a pretty spongy pedal feel on first press, but stiffens up if I ease up and reapply the brake. I'm used to firmer response on my other cars. Is this normal, a known issue, or should I have this looked at? Thank you.

Here is everything I did to the brakes to not only vastly improve brake pedal feel but also overall stopping performance.

First thing was to perform a proper brake bedding procedure. When completed there was a noticeable improvement in the consistency of the pedal engagement where before it was almost like a crap shoot on when the brakes would actually start to grab. Unfortunately however the pedal still was spongy.

Then I power bled the brakes with a kit like this one. Do yourself a favor and replace the vinyl hose it comes with for a silicone one and ditch the bleeder screw attachment. Otherwise you won't get a solid seal and it'll suck in air at the screw and you won't get a decent brake bleed. When I bled mine there was large air bubbles in three of 4 calipers. After bleeding the brake pedal feel improved significantly and wasn't spongy but still had a large amount of travel before caliper engagement.

Last thing that was the game changer for me in resolving the pedal engagement point was adjusting the brake booster connecting rod. Since doing this after completing the other two, the brakes are absolutely fantastic. FIY this is a very sensitive adjustment and I would highly recommend taking it in to have the dealer perform GSB 21-7002 Brake Pedal Travel Measurement Procedure before making any attempt at adjusting the booster rod as yours may be out of spec.

Now if you do decide to do this, it's entirely on you. You do not want to adjust it too far or you can cause the brakes to drag. This could lead to premature brake wear or possible heat glazing and loss of braking performance. When I adjusted this on mine I did it in two stages ultimately that raised the brake pedal engagement point to where it was even with the gas pedal. Prior to that the pedal still traveled 3/4 of the way to the floor before engaging. I also took temperature measurements before and after adjusting it to make sure the brakes were not dragging. The brake rotors and pads have also been inspected at 50, 100, and 500 miles driven since making this adjustment for any evidence of heat glazing to make absolutely sure there is no issues with the adjustment. So far there is no hint of heat glazing.

 

[AzScorpion]

I had a great day blasting around in my MINI Cooper today...came home, hopped into my Ranger and boy do these brakes suck...rolls like a pig trying to take turns and feels 10 times heavier...Ford needs to fix this... ? ?

This would have nothing to do with all that extra weight from the RTT and all your lights would it? ? ?

 

[FoD]

I had a great day blasting around in my MINI Cooper today...came home, hopped into my Ranger and boy do these brakes suck...rolls like a pig trying to take turns and feels 10 times heavier...Ford needs to fix this... ? ?

Wait, isn't your truck about 10 times heavier than your coop?

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