Loud clunk after starting car and trying to reverse

Timelessblur

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Not my experience, but OK. Did your experience with the thunking come with a large chunk of brake pad tearing off and stuck to the rotor causing clunking sound and vibrations when driving? (Yes, that's thunk, chunk and clunk from the Mach E.)
Yeah the pad tearing off no that part is not good.
For me the thunk seems to be just the pad being rusted onto the rotors so breaking that free and the by the end of 1 rotation of the wheels they are scraped clean.
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Illinibird

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I don't think so. Ford is aware the original brake pads can cause a problem on some MMEs and issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) to dealers to replace with revised pads. Link to TSB: https://www.macheforum.com/site/thr...rakes-brake-pad-material-stuck-to-rotor.8971/

Sorry for the long rant, but I've had quite a few cars of different makes and I've never had a problem with brakes sticking, ever. It is NOT normal. No way this is rust. No way should I have to "bed in" the brake pads on brakes with 5,000 miles on them, no matter how much I use One Pedal drive (which is all the time, but I've used the brakes plenty).

I've had this problem twice after washing the car and returning it to the garage immediately. Next morning, put it in reverse and the car does not move. Pushed the accelerator pedal harder and after a loud crack/clunk sound the car moves but now with a clunking sound coming from the front wheel.

After reading this thread and the other on this topic (https://www.macheforum.com/site/thr...-ford-roadside-on-speed-dial.4730/post-181954), I see that I'm not alone and others have had the same problem when the wheels get wet. So, now after washing the car I've been driving it and using the brakes a few times to spin/dry the rotors/pads before returning to the garage. Seems to have worked because brakes don't stick anymore backing out of the garage after washing the car the day before.

Problem solved? No! I've parked in the garage after driving in heavy rain before and this has not happened, so I thought rain wasn't really a problem because the water is spun off the wheels somewhat. Last week, I was driving home in very heavy rain at the beginning of Tropical Storm Ida (my area got 11 inches of rain in about 6 hours). The next morning the brakes were stuck harder than they'd ever been before. After pushing the accelerator pedal hard, there was a loud crack and I was free but had loud clunking sound and vibration when brakes were applied for the rest of the day.

So, I made a service appointment with the dealer (who is unaware of this problem). Searching the forum some more, I found the Technical Service Bulletin posted by breeves002 (link above). Proves that the "original" brake pads on some MMEs are defective, Ford is aware of the issue, and will replace them with "Revised" Brake Pads (see Figures 2 & 3 in the bulletin).
TSB is for front brakes; does this apply to rear brakes too? I would assume so.
 

Illinibird

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TSB is for front brakes; does this apply to rear brakes too? I would assume so.
My post from the thread I started about thumping noise in right (passenger) side rear wheel:

We drove home from my doctor appointment yesterday during a deluge of rain. We drove home on the expressway going about 40-50 MPH with heavy rain and poor visibility. I could hear the water flushing the rear wheel when we were driving through the storm but I didn't notice any sounds or vibration going the rest of the way home.

Today, when backing the car out I can feel some pulsations and then in forward the pulsations increase in intensity and there is a "thumping" in the passenger side rear wheel (like there is a flat tire with some of the rubber hitting the pavement as the tire rotates only the tire is fine). The thumping increases in speed as the car accelerates. I took the car back to my garage immediately and called my dealer. I'm taking it in tomorrow morning.

My first thought is that this is a brake problem on that wheel from being drenched with water. Any other ideas of what might be causing this? A loose piece of brake pad material stuck to rotor? Problem with the rear motor? I'm pretty upset as this is the first major thing wrong with the car.

I printed out the TSB for the front brake pads sticking to the rotors and assume this happens with the rear pads as well; correct? I didn't keep driving the car to see if it would improve with braking the car. I want Ford to look at it tomorrow.
 

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https://www.macheforum.com/site/search/604437/?q=Brakes+clunking&o=date
some brake issue posts.

I also have been checking other e forums, one is the Etron forum and also the Volvo . There have been issues with the volvo
this is not to say we have the same issues….but they are all heavy cars: this is. Quote from a Volvo xc40 owner who is taking back his car because of 3 brake replacement in 4 months?yikes
”They have a seat bottom extender, and the seats are very good. If the Q4 drives like the ID.4 the Volvo drives better and has instant torque and 0-60 4.8 seconds. That said the XC40 has its share of issues. The reason I am here looking at a Q4 is my XC40 is about to hit the lemon law threshold and I may have them buy it back. Great car, but their new Google OS is bug riddled and there is a rash or heat pump, hvac and rear brake issues. They replaced my infotainment system once and it is still becoming unresponsive. They are replacing my rear brakes for 3rd time and I only have 1925 miles in 4 months, but it has been at dealer for 29 cumulative days. That said I love the car if they can get the brakes fixed. Kudos to VW/Audi for going rear drums. Volvo used discs and when you park the rear pads engage and the metallic pads ruts to the rotors and there is a big. Clunk then pads lose some material. “
 

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TSB is for front brakes; does this apply to rear brakes too? I would assume so.
I asked about the rears and dealer said only fronts. I remember one forum member somewhere in these threads reported that their dealer called Ford and Ford told them to replace all the pads. I think they may have had sticking/noise from the rear pads, though.
 


Illinibird

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I asked about the rears and dealer said only fronts. I remember one forum member somewhere in these threads reported that their dealer called Ford and Ford told them to replace all the pads. I think they may have had sticking/noise from the rear pads, though.
Thanks. Yes, somebody posted on the other forum that their rear brakes did the thumping and they replaced all the pads. I just hope they have the parts in stock as this has been a problem recently.
 

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Sorry for the long rant, but I've had quite a few cars of different makes and I've never had a problem with brakes sticking, ever. It is NOT normal. No way this is rust. No way should I have to "bed in" the brake pads on brakes with 5,000 miles on them, no matter how much I use One Pedal drive (which is all the time, but I've used the brakes plenty).
ALL EV's do this in winter. Go to any EV forum, loooong threads on the brakes sticking and grinding show up every single winter. It will bother you all winter long.

My suggestion if you don't like it is to sell your EV and go back to ICE.
 

zvez

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I get that clunk the day after I've washed the car, this is a pretty common occurrence on most cars. A fine film of rust or some such causes the pads to stick slightly to the rotor.
 

SAM

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I don't understand the "this is common for EVs" or "it's just rust" posts. Then, why would Ford issue a TSB and spend the money to replace brake pads and resurface rotors, if needed, for cars affected?

After around 5,500 miles on my car, Ford replaced the front brake pads for free because they are defective. Ford is doing the right thing.
 

Shayne

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ALL EV's do this in winter. Go to any EV forum, loooong threads on the brakes sticking and grinding show up every single winter. It will bother you all winter long.

My suggestion if you don't like it is to sell your EV and go back to ICE.
Hope not. Got mine bringing of February so it has seen snow. I noted the snow really collects in the wheel wells but nothing with the brakes per se. It is my first with rear disks and normally drums. Rotor still look brand new here with no scoring noted yet (at least on the outside of the disks).

I get that clunk the day after I've washed the car, this is a pretty common occurrence on most cars. A fine film of rust or some such causes the pads to stick slightly to the rotor.
Brakes have stuck on a bit after sitting here also a couple of times and thought nothing of it. Also has happened before on other vehicles. The noise while moving I have not had and would be concerned if it did. Brakes release (clunk) and drives normal after they do.
 

dtbaker61

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Wondering if anyone has had this occur to them, don't remember seeing a thread. A couple of times now over the last few days I've started the car for the first drive of the day, put the car in reverse to back out of my garage, and it feels like the brakes are preventing the car from reversing, maybe the parking brake, for a second then I hear a loud clunk and the car finally starts reversing. I'm going to try to schedule a visit to the dealership to have them take a look but in the meant time figured I'd see if anyone on the board has experienced this issue. I've had the car since April, almost 4K miles and it has only happened recently.

Edited to add I don't engage the parking brake when I park in my garage.

sounds like pads sticking to rotors.... probably from light film of moisture/rust since air temps are getting cooler and dewpoint may be causing overnight condensation.

I would suggest 'bedding in' the brakes if you haven't done that already. If properly done, some pad material transfers to the rotors and will help prevent slip/stick and rust.
 

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I don't understand the "this is common for EVs" or "it's just rust" posts. Then, why would Ford issue a TSB and spend the money to replace brake pads and resurface rotors, if needed, for cars affected?

After around 5,500 miles on my car, Ford replaced the front brake pads for free because they are defective. Ford is doing the right thing.
my bet is that very light brake use from 1-p driving, combined with no 'bedding in' of new brakes from factory as part of dealer prep, is damaging pads that get 'stuck' to the rotors.

I'd love to know if and when 'bedding in' procedure gets added to Dealer Prep, or new owner checklist of things to do upon delivery. I will say that if you take 1/2 hr to do it right, you will have an excellent idea just how hard the MME can brake! It's pretty surprising how fast you can slow from 75mph to 10 when you really stomp on the brakes.
 

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sounds like pads sticking to rotors.... probably from light film of moisture/rust since air temps are getting cooler and dewpoint may be causing overnight condensation.

I would suggest 'bedding in' the brakes if you haven't done that already. If properly done, some pad material transfers to the rotors and will help prevent slip/stick and rust.
Bedding in? Use to use sandpaper on the pads before I installed them. Use to break in an ICE after I rebuilt it or got one new. Thought that was all done for you now? I know when mine goes out it is going for a distance and gets warmed up most of the time. Slow short trips may have a larger impact?
 

theo1000

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I don't understand the "this is common for EVs" or "it's just rust" posts. Then, why would Ford issue a TSB and spend the money to replace brake pads and resurface rotors, if needed, for cars affected?

After around 5,500 miles on my car, Ford replaced the front brake pads for free because they are defective. Ford is doing the right thing.
Read the TSB , its for vibration and pulsation and not for 'clunk'. TSB is not for your issue. If you want a new rotor caliper every 5000 miles go for it. Won't fix your 'clunk' one bit.

To be honest we can argue about this all the way to April 2022 when auto-magically your 'clunk' will disappear.
 

SAM

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Bedding in? Use to use sandpaper on the pads before I installed them. Use to break in an ICE after I rebuilt it or got one new. Thought that was all done for you now? I know when mine goes out it is going for a distance and gets warmed up most of the time. Slow short trips may have a larger impact?
I bedded in, for what good it did. Although I use 1PD, I used the brakes plenty in the 5,000+ miles on the car and half of those miles were road trips (several to New England and one to Charlotte, NC).

This only happened after the wheels were very wet and the car was parked in the garage. Driving it after washing prevented the problem.

I got new pads and have not bedded them in. I still use 1PD all the time. The thunk, chunk, clunk hasn't recurred yet, but I haven't really tested it. I will wash the car when the weather gets nice and park in the garage right away. We'll see what happens with the new pads.
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