1996 Ford Explorer brake pedal vibration and noise

Tiny
VSAVELLA
  • MEMBER
  • 1996 FORD EXPLORER
  • 6 CYL
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 160,000 MILES
Replaced the pads on all wheels, changed the master cylinder due to leak going into booster. Already bled the brakes 3 times. Now when you step on the brake pedal sometimes it vibrates under your foot and a wierd buzzing vibration sound can be heard seems to be coming from the booster area but not sure. Seemed to be braking fine when there wasn't the vibration, when it does vibrate the brake seems to drag or slip some. The more you drive the worse it seems to be getting, the buzzing vibration sound is staying constant even when not applying the brake. So we decided to resurface the rotors and reinsert the new brake pads. Now it is worse still have the vibrating foot pedal and noise, plus a strange grinding noise like the calipers aren't releasing from the rotor and steering wheel is a little shaky and a strange "clunk clunk" sound from somewhere underneath. My brother thinks its the booster as the mastercylinder was leaking bad and he thinks it leaked into the booster and messed up the diaphragm, but the pedal is near perfect as far as pressure goes.I'm leaning toward the ABS that hasn't been bled. Need a lot of help now. Thank you
Friday, February 26th, 2010 AT 9:44 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,700 POSTS
I would say the abs is the problem. HAs the light come on? Also, recheck your work to make sure you didn't get dirt, grease. On one of the sensors or bump or damage a wire.

Let me know what you find.

Joe
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Monday, March 1st, 2010 AT 8:02 AM
Tiny
VSAVELLA
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  • 3 POSTS
Well it turned out we were both correct, I had been leaning towards the ABS as well. This is what happened, I took it down to my very reliable wonderful mechanic and he put it on the machine to bleed the whole system, that improved it about 75% but still had a little vibration and a buzz that came and went. So when I took it to test drive it I made a right turn heard something pop and then the ABS light came on, and the buzz and vibration went away, which meant the ABS had deactivated. So I went back to him and told him what happened. Turned out that I needed a new wheel bearing on the driverside (which we knew about but weren't ready to "commit to") and the ABS sensor inside that hub had broken off. So now its good as new, especially since we had to do Freeze Plugs back in December. Thank you!
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Friday, March 19th, 2010 AT 5:30 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,700 POSTS
I'm glad you got it fixed. I miss the old days when things were much easier, but technology must advance. (LOL) You take care and let us know if you have questions in the future.

Thanks for using 2carpros. Com.

Joe
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Saturday, March 20th, 2010 AT 11:58 AM

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