Ford Focus noisy ABS???

Stevie Dakota

I well used to ABS in many cars but have to say the ABS in the Focus (2008 with ESP) is the most agricultural I've ever experienced. It makes a severe rough, grating sound, with quite a bit of 'kick' in the pedal, can any other Focus drivers confirm if this is normal?

mickdw

My audi abs system is quite rough too. So rough that it sounds as if it is almost doing damage. Obviously its just designed that way to draw attention to the fact that system is cutting in. Having said that, you would need to be pretty dumb not to realise it.

Hal1

I noticed this in the mk2 (05) during the last snow we had. It felt like I had no control and the brake felt like cheese on a grater with some stones mixed in. So I found myself having to apply the handbrake gently to slow at junctions. I've no bothar with my own mk1 non abs, tis shweet. :pac:

cdsb46

not just the focus i've an 06 fiesta and it does the same, it was my first car with abs, brought it back to the garage as thought something was wrong with it lol

Gitb1

My 10 megane is the same. I never had a car with sbs before and thought it was normal?

MagicMarker

I've just bought a golf and I've experienced this as well, very alarming the first time I heard/felt it! :eek:

stevenmu

I think every car is going to be different, my previous two cars (Seat Ibiza and Leon) both felt like medium size gravel in between the discs and pads. Current car (Rx8) feels like smaller gravel but more of it.

Just a guess, but I think it feels like more gravel because it's operating quicker (i.e. applying and releasing more times per second), and it feels like smaller gravel because the pad is moving back less each time.

I'm assuming both of these qualities are better, and that the Rx8 has more advanced ABS than the Ibiza/Leon, so it's possible that the Focus ABS isn't as advanced/refined as previous cars you were used to?

Also I presume things like the discs used, the calipers, pads etc would all have an impact in how the ABS feels back through the pedal.

pajo1981

The ABS is as smooth as you like in my BMW.

But then, BMWs are the cars of God-like men.

Stevie Dakota

pajo1981 wrote: »

The ABS is as smooth as you like in my BMW.

But then, BMWs are the cars of God-like men.

That is my previous experience of them, Megane also feels a lot more refined, you know its working but without the theatrics of the Focus.

Mc Love

pajo1981 wrote: »

The ABS is as smooth as you like in my BMW.

But then, BMWs are the cars of God-like men.

And RWD's are nightmares to drive in snow and icy conditions

My focus mk2.5 is like what the OP said but it works and the last car I had Pug 206 was rough with the ABS too, but at least it worked

corktina

maybe Im just a gentle driver but the ABS hasnt activated at all in our Fiesta, (except backing down the drive (steep)..Traction contriol occasionaly gives me a flash.

gondorff

pajo1981 wrote: »

The ABS is as smooth as you like in my BMW.

But then, I'd rather drive an Audi.

.

Plug

Stevie Dakota wrote: »

I well used to ABS in many cars but have to say the ABS in the Focus (2008 with ESP) is the most agricultural I've ever experienced. It makes a severe rough, grating sound, with quite a bit of 'kick' in the pedal, can any other Focus drivers confirm if this is normal?

Perfectly normal steve!

D_murph

My Focus is the same. Plenty of grating noise and a good foot massage. I've had it happen a lot more since the weather got cold and the roads getting slippery but it can happen on grit/roughness on roads etc also. I wouldn't worry about it .

Esel

I just take the bulb out of the dash.

BArra

06 ST

exactly the same, its normal