Brake System

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2009 Mercury Grand Marquis and 2009 Ford Crown Victoria. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The brake system consists of the following components:

Fixed or optional power adjustable brake pedal
Front dual piston brake calipers
Hydraulic control unit (HCU)
Master cylinder and fluid reservoir
ABS
Rear single piston brake calipers with a drum-in-hat integrated parking brake system
Vacuum-assisted power brake booster

The brake pedal is connected to the power brake booster, which is connected to the brake master cylinder. When the brake pedal is pressed, brake fluid is pushed through the double-walled steel tubes and flexible hoses to the front and rear disc brake calipers. The brake fluid enters the disc brake calipers, forcing the caliper pistons and brake pads outward against the brake disc friction surface, slowing or stopping rotation. When the brake pedal is released, brake fluid pressure is relieved, returning the front and rear disc brake caliper pistons and brake pads to the unapplied position.

The vehicle has an optional adjustable brake pedal to increase driver comfort. The brake pedal position (BPP) is changed in phase with the accelerator pedal. The system is adjusted by pressing the dash-mounted switch that powers the adjustable pedal motor mounted on the accelerator pedal assembly. The 2-way motor operates backward (toward the driver) or forward (away from the driver) to adjust the accelerator pedal directly and the brake pedal through the drive cable attached to the brake pedal assembly.

For information on:

the adjustable pedals, refer to Adjustable Pedals .
the non-adjustable pedals, refer to HYDRAULIC BRAKE ACTUATION article.
the optional ABS and HCU, refer to VEHICLE DYNAMIC SYSTEMS article.
the master cylinder and fluid reservoir, refer to HYDRAULIC BRAKE ACTUATION article.
the vacuum assisted power brake booster, refer to POWER BRAKE ACTUATION article.
the front dual piston brake calipers, refer to FRONT DISC BRAKE article.
the rear single piston brake calipers, refer to REAR DISC BRAKE article.
the drum-in-hat integrated parking brake system, refer to PARKING BRAKE & ACTUATION article.