Mondeo Rear Brake Binding – Solution?

Over the last couple of weeks I have noticed that my Mondeo doesn’t role when stationary on a slight hill. Also the first inch or so when pulling on the handbrake is completely slack.

Whilst driving to work this morning on the mortorway, one of the rear brakes just started making a vibrating noise but as soon as I stabbed on the brakes it stopped. However on getting to work I have notice the left rear wheel is quite hot.

So I thought either wheel bearing, or seized caliper.

Doing a bit of googling and without the handbrake sympton I would have said seized caliper, but everything points with the handbrake to it being the cable that is partially seized.

Has any one had this happen and know if it is easy to solve DIY, or the cost of having a garage sort it. I am weary of the garage approach incase they say new pads, discs, calipers etc etc.

Ta

Is the Mondeo drums or disk at the back? My corsa is drums at the back and does this from time to time when the handbrake cable gets covered in crap and jams in the guide on the rear trailing arm.

Usual fix for me is to jack the car up and pop off both wheels (easier access) and work the cable manually a few times while adding grease so it cleans out the guides, wipe it clean with a rag to get the now gritty grease off and add a light coat of clean grease. Usually sorts it for 6 months or so.

You might need new shoes if they have been worn being jammed on.

Also a quick dirty fix if I dont have time to fix it or I am stuck at work is to reverse and then jam the brakes on while putting gentle pressue on the handbrake – that usually frees the cable until I put it the handbrake on again.

If its disks on the back then I dont know!

I’ve a 53 plate Mondeo.

Cable can corrode and seize in the outer, however, its been my experience that its more likely to be the caliper.

They’re cheap and simple to replace. I recently replaced both calipers on my car, along with fitting new rear discs, pads and hubs.
Easy and quick work.

Calipers were sold on an exchange basis, so while I paid around £70 for the caliper, when I returned the old one, I go arond £40 refunded.

Do not attempt the work yourself, unless you have experience and understand what you’re doing, and have access to sufficient facilities.

😉

Edit: re-reading your post, the caliper is seizing on and binding on the disc. This results in there being slack in the HB cable and heat build-up as the caliper constantly drags the pads on the disc.

if its the mondeo 3, its the handbrake cable.
happened to my 2003 model.
the handbrake cable splits into 2 so it can pull both calipers, and its where it splits that causes the problem.
find a local independant garage, they will probably know all about it.
mine gets a squirt of wd40 every couple of months to keep it free.
also, i only use the handbrake for uphill starts or sitting at traffic lights, if im parking up i leave it in gear instead.
mine has been like this for 3 years btw.

Unfortunately the handbrake cable is not the easiest thing to get to, heat shields, cat, downpipes etc. especially the front section. Which from what you say with the slack may be sticking.

As for rear callipers, they’re not to difficult to get off but there are some setup/alignment procedures to follow. You don’t say if it’s an estate or hatch/saloon, they have different callipers.

Sounds like a sticking handbrake mechanism on the caliper. Our Galaxy does the same.(Its VW/Audi running gear I know, but from changing our Mondeo’s hubs I think its pretty much the same). The spring gets weak, & partially seizes. Good blast with wd40 & work it manually frees as a temp fix. Caliper slides could also be sticking. A refurbed caliper should sort it out. Check the cable first though, unclip & get someone to work the lever.
If you fancy doing it yourself, I’ve got a Haynes manual, could copy the relevant bit for you, if any use.

Its a 54 plate hatchback.

The handbrake has the slack in it from cold in the morning and the amount of slack doesnt change regardless of whether I am at the end of the 50mile commute or the start.

The heat build is only slight, and not a true full on heat build up as I have had on previous cars that have had a properly seized caliper.

I had this. I did some googling and pulled the back wheel off assuming it was a sticking handbrake cable. Didn’t really help at all…. so I got a professional out. In the end it was corrosion on the side of the pad backing, when it was dry (either because it wasn’t raining or because it was raining but i’d used the brakes a lot) it would cause the drivers side rear to bind a little resulting in a very loud honking and the heating up of the entire wheel, when it was wet it didn’t tend to do it as the water provided a little lube.

In the end it cost me 40 quid to fix (the cost of getting the mobile motors bloke out) so certainly worth checking it’s not this first. Just pop the pads out and give the sides of the pads a quick filing. Whilst you’re there it’s quite easy to see if it’s the hand brake cable as well – disconnect the cable with some pliers and then see how much stiction there is.

I took the car to a local garage at lunchtime.

They reckon it has needed the handbrake cable’s (both sides replacing) and rear pads £170 total !

When I got the car MOT’d 2 years ago they said the pads only had 4k left in them and I have done another 20k since so I know they are getting low, and I dont have the time to change them myself currently.

So not sure if I’ve been ripped off or not, a quick google showed handbrake cables at £35 each and pads at £35.

They are charging £35 per hour labour, so I guess they are saying it took 2 hrs.

My 53 hatch has just started doin this, still rolls on a slight slope but got slack on handbrake and one of the wheels is getting hot 🙁

same thing happened to me in the summer, just thought the hand brake cable had come loose, turned out needing all new bits at the back and was quite expensive.

Bugger 🙁

Finally got mechanic out today need handbrake cable , caliper and disc and pads both sides. bloody cars 🙁 luminous where did you get caliper at that price

this is a standard Mondeo problem, my 53 one did it too. I’ve got a relation that was an engineer at the Ford R&D site in Dunton – their standard response is simply be prepared to change out the cable every couple of years. Basically, the design is flawed