Hi - From a Newbie,

If anyone can please advise, just purchased a Ford Focus 2020  - 69 Plate  1.0  Zetec  Petrol, pleased with car but when you apply brakes you feel a vibrations from I think Front Discs.

Car purchased from a Ford Dealer ( 200 miles away from home )  They have been helpful, checked car and replaced front discs and pads ( only done  12500 Miles )  

The car shudders / vibrations  from front discs or so I thought,  Is there any known issues when braking ? I am only braking a little harder than usual and it is really noticeable , passenger can also feel vibrations when braking, Is this something that is covered by Fords  3 Year Warranty.

My wife had a 2016 Fiesta that drives and brakes perfect, it's a pity my newer car is giving me some concerns as IF I would have test drove car properly on a smooth road and then applied brakes you notice the vibrations front I believe the front wheels / discs as you can feel it through the brake pedal. 

Your comments / advice, much appreciated, Thank you. 

 

Just to add - upgraded 17 Wheels, drives well just the Braking issue a  problem.

I have never test drove a newer Ford Focus -  Do brakes pulse / shudder / Vibrate when applied a little ( only a little harder than usual ) you really feel vibrations on the pedal and also in the car.   Another note -    When car is idling - bonnet open you can see the Engine Mount near the water bottle /   drivers side front side, the Engine mount area this is really moving vibrating inside the Engine rubber mount I assume this is normal ?   Really noticeable yet I tend to think the discs / wheels are generating the braking problem,  thank you.  

I should test drive another Focus to check how the braking system performs on a similar car / model ? 

I should look at the Engine mount when idling - is this movement normal ?  

As a retired Engineer - not car related, automatically you are looking for solutions / causes etc,  Hence I think it's the braking system / wheels etc not really sure about the Engine mount movement maybe normal but this wouldn't cause you to feel vibrations when applying brakes / brake pedal , I don't know.

Hoping Local Ford Dealer will investigate ( Under Warranty )  Thanks again. 

If it only happens under braking and you've already had the front discs and pads changed, then it could be the rears ??

2 hours ago, PJZ said:

Do brakes pulse / shudder / Vibrate when applied a little ( only a little harder than usual )

The short answer to that is that my one has never done that in the 2 and a bit years that I have it (since new).The first thing that struck me when I got the car is just how good the Brakes are even with light pressure.

There must be something wrong, especially if passengers can sense it. Phil's thought may be correct or it could be something wrong with complex electronics that control it.

Thanks, looking at the rear discs they have some kind of pattern - like a dotted / pitted pattern on the surface - looks pitted pattern like leopard spots on surface of Rear discs but they are not pitted they are smooth, I think I will ask local Ford Dealer to checkout brakes - rear discs but it could be the Electronic braking system, on a smooth road 30 mph ( quiet road - no traffic ) out of gear and press a little harder on the brakes you feel like the brake system is pulsing / rotation of discs has a high spot every revolution your foot on the brake pedal feels it pulsing as though its not running true - maybe the Electronics,  also a passenger will notice on occasions when say you are breaking coming to a roundabout or coming to a stop - If I brake very gently it's less noticable yet normal braking you will feel the vibrations / some resistance - Feels like brake pads are pulsing on the discs,   ...  trying to explain the best I can.   Only 12,800 miles on the  car   so I hope a fixable problem hopefully under warranty. 

I will speak with Local Ford Dealer tomorrow - If this is a known / common issue I am sure Ford would have a fix for this problem.

Thank you. 

Regarding the look of the Discs, I got my car in the summer of 2019 and the Discs looked the same as you described very quickly, no pitting but they looked like they where even though it was a warm dry summer.

The symptoms you describe do sound like a warped disc and would need to be measured to confirm one way or another. I have often wondered if having Auto Hold would lead to more Disc warping, but it hasn't so far on my car.

As for the electronic side, I know that there are a lot of Service Functions for calibrating various things relating to the ABS Module and they are way above my knowledge level. If your later model came with an Electronic Brake Booster instead of a conventional Servo them things are likely to be even more complicated.

 

Hi PJZ,

Wondering if you got this brake judder issue fixed? Our 2023 focus is doing exactly the same? Any advice appreciated please