On 8/10/2023 at 5:21 PM, nicam49 said:

Interesting! 'cos on the version of Forscan I ran, it was rear wheels 1st!

What year is your car? Were you able to select an individual line? Or did the ABS service bleed straight into the rear wheels then the fronts?

On 11/21/2019 at 7:50 PM, Eatonm112 said:

I used Fordscan to bleed the brake system on my 2015 fiesta after upgrading the front calipers and disks to the ST ones and it made a huge difference to how much pedal travel was needed to stop the car. When I first swapped the parts I did a manual bleed which seemed to get all the air out but the brakes were very spongey after using the car for a week I found out about Fordscan so decided to try it, Its well worth the small outlay.

In the program ( windows pc ver) there is a few different options for brake bleeding depending on what work you have carried out.

std brake fluid flush / caliper swap / ABS change etc only advise is too keep and eye on the fluid level whilst you are bleeding the system as it drops very quickly.

Did you sort your soft pedal? Was it just air in the brakes? Or faulty master cylinder/seals?

On 4/10/2025 at 6:42 PM, EastLondonLiving said:

Did you sort your soft pedal? Was it just air in the brakes? Or faulty master cylinder/seals?

Whilst I'm not the person you asked I am the OP and thought it worth posting back to say that I use Forscan exclusively now for brake fluid replacement and find it works perfectly and without risk of air admission. I specifically choose the 'Brake Fluid' option in the 'What's been changed?' list and it pumps through a total of around 600ml of fluid, starting with the rears and then the fronts. You'll need two pipes as it does both sides (being separate circuits) at the same time if choosing this option.

On 4/15/2025 at 5:05 PM, MJNewton said:

Whilst I'm not the person you asked I am the OP and thought it worth posting back to say that I use Forscan exclusively now for brake fluid replacement and find it works perfectly and without risk of air admission. I specifically choose the 'Brake Fluid' option in the 'What's been changed?' list and it pumps through a total of around 600ml of fluid, starting with the rears and then the fronts. You'll need two pipes as it does both sides (being separate circuits) at the same time if choosing this option.

Thanks all the same for the reply. I’ve got an 09 Focus, and the ABS service bleed, on my car anyway starts with front two wheels (long cycle), back two wheels (long cycle), front two wheels (short cycle), back two wheels (short cycle), front two wheels (cycle until air is bled), back two wheels (cycle until air is bled), undoing and nipping up the bleed valves in between cycles. 
 

I think I recall I pushed about 500-600ml of brake fluid also on this process. 

From what I remember, the abs bleed on my '02 mk3 Mondeo once started had to run all the way through and with no option to pause, or stop and return to where it left off, so I had to buy an extra set of axle stands and have all wheels off at the same time. It did both rears 1st then both fronts iirc.... 🤔 Maybe the procedure improved with later versions of Forscan. I'll edit in the version I used in a day or 2 when I dig out the laptop I used. 

23 minutes ago, nicam49 said:

Maybe the procedure improved with later versions of Forscan.

On a 2002 model, it is possible that the limitations of the bleed process was down to the operation of the ABS pump.

On 4/17/2025 at 8:19 PM, nicam49 said:

From what I remember, the abs bleed on my '02 mk3 Mondeo once started had to run all the way through and with no option to pause, or stop and return to where it left off, so I had to buy an extra set of axle stands and have all wheels off at the same time. It did both rears 1st then both fronts iirc.... 🤔 Maybe the procedure improved with later versions of Forscan. I'll edit in the version I used in a day or 2 when I dig out the laptop I used. 

Yeah I had the same thing, no option to pause. I failed first time round due to battery dying, mid process. 

Had to have all 4 wheels off too, abit annoying when I only needed to bleed fronts. FORScan commands to:

- Press brake, (becomes stiff half way),

- Hold foot on pedal (pedal mid way, abs pump makes loud noise)

- Depress pedal (abs pump stops making noise, pedal sinks to floor)

- Release Pedal 

 

This starts for front two wheels (approx 30%) - Long cycle 

This repeats for rear two wheels (approx 30%)  - Long cycle

This repeats for front two wheels (approx 15%)  - Short cycle

This repeats for rear two wheels (approx 15%)  - Short cycle

This repeats for front two wheels (approx 5%) - Instructions to bleed until no bubbles. 

This repeats for rear two wheels (approx 5%) - Instructions to bleed until no bubbles. 

In hindsight, for completing the last step with the front and back wheels, I would have the brakes bleed valves individually nipped up by someone while the brake pedal was being depressed midway of fully depressed in the process. To ensure no bubbles are being sucked back upstream. 

ABS Bleed complete !