Recommendations for 2.3L Service Mode Scan Tool? For service mode / brake job

[RobBob22]

RobBob22, thank you for that information.

Still lousy we can't just use the procedure the 2.7 people can.

Oh for sure, my hope is that by the next time I need to do this it's resolved. I read that one post on the other form about using a 12v battery to run the parking brake back. I'd like to scope out the signal that is sent to the e-brake before doing that, but it would likely be a better option.

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[builtMIbronco]

Likely going to give the 12v and jumpers a try tomorrow to get the piston to release. If that doesn't work I'll have to throw the old pads back in and throw it together and do it in fdrs but I'm kinda grumpy about paying for another license just to do brakes lol

I got a little deep before reading the 2.3 brake threads when I couldn't get maintenance mode to work. I just figured it wasn't necessary but I can't get it to thread in or budge.

 

[mbdlds]

Likely going to give the 12v and jumpers a try tomorrow to get the piston to release. If that doesn't work I'll have to throw the old pads back in and throw it together and do it in fdrs but I'm kinda grumpy about paying for another license just to do brakes lol

I got a little deep before reading the 2.3 brake threads when I couldn't get maintenance mode to work. I just figured it wasn't necessary but I can't get it to thread in or budge.

I'd be interested to hear if it works.

 

[builtMIbronco]

I'd be interested to hear if it works.

Didn't work with 9v+ and I didn't mess around long enough to try 12v+. I don't know what logic ford uses to control the parking brake motor off hand or if it's even just a solid 12v signal but it was worth a shot lol

What did work though and I'm assuming will be proper procedure going forward on the 2.3 rears is a 5mm Allen to remove the 2 bolts that hold the parking break motor onto the caliper, it's an o ring seal so the housing comes off stiff. Under the motor, there is a spot for you to use a T55 torx to wind the piston in. Both calipers needed to be turned fully to the right with the T55, and then you can use a compression tool or pry bar to push the caliper pistons back into place. Only takes about 5 minutes extra once you know what you have to do.

On restart I had a parking brake fault, I cycled the switch on and off 2 full times and they reset themselves.

FWIW my fronts are over 50% still and the rears were down to the metal. 48k miles.

 

[mbdlds]

Thanks @builtMIbronco. I was wondering about manually winding the parking brake. Glad to hear it's not too much extra work.

 

[CalvinT]

Would this help?

 

[builtMIbronco]

Would this help?

Yep that's what I did. The pistons move fairly easy with a pry bar or compression tool after you release the epb.

 

[dgorsett]

Didn't work with 9v+ and I didn't mess around long enough to try 12v+. I don't know what logic ford uses to control the parking brake motor off hand or if it's even just a solid 12v signal but it was worth a shot lol

What did work though and I'm assuming will be proper procedure going forward on the 2.3 rears is a 5mm Allen to remove the 2 bolts that hold the parking break motor onto the caliper, it's an o ring seal so the housing comes off stiff. Under the motor, there is a spot for you to use a T55 torx to wind the piston in. Both calipers needed to be turned fully to the right with the T55, and then you can use a compression tool or pry bar to push the caliper pistons back into place. Only takes about 5 minutes extra once you know what you have to do.

On restart I had a parking brake fault, I cycled the switch on and off 2 full times and they reset themselves.

FWIW my fronts are over 50% still and the rears were down to the metal. 48k miles.

Good to know. Bookmark set.

My life experience is that fronts wear first, but on my 2013 Explorer it was the rears. Must be something with the integrated parking brake even though I seldom use them.

 

[VADER]

Didn't work with 9v+ and I didn't mess around long enough to try 12v+. I don't know what logic ford uses to control the parking brake motor off hand or if it's even just a solid 12v signal but it was worth a shot lol

What did work though and I'm assuming will be proper procedure going forward on the 2.3 rears is a 5mm Allen to remove the 2 bolts that hold the parking break motor onto the caliper, it's an o ring seal so the housing comes off stiff. Under the motor, there is a spot for you to use a T55 torx to wind the piston in. Both calipers needed to be turned fully to the right with the T55, and then you can use a compression tool or pry bar to push the caliper pistons back into place. Only takes about 5 minutes extra once you know what you have to do.

On restart I had a parking brake fault, I cycled the switch on and off 2 full times and they reset themselves.

FWIW my fronts are over 50% still and the rears were down to the metal. 48k miles.

Thanks for the write up, not realizing this last week until after I took off the wheel and pads and then trying to get into brake maintenance mode (which then pushed the piston further out). I went through and pulled off electric motor as a final hail mary and really was not difficult at all.

I only did the pads, so I will replace the rotors next week. I am going to go the route of using a small 12v device (8 AA batteries) to turn motor piston back. (plenty of youtube videos of this) The motor for the bronco is only two pins, (positive and negative).

But the one thing I found odd is that when I did the front pads the week prior I still had about 35% life and the rear pads we're between 0% - 5%.. first time I have had a vehicle where the rears wear out before the fronts

 

[Brian_B]

Unlikely you’re going to find a low cost tool that’s able to do this. Unless forscan can, but I’m not sure if it can or not.

Latest versions of Forscan ~can~ enter Brake Service Mode.

*edit* responding to an old post here, but ... yeah. Still stands. Get an OBD scanner that supports Forscan and you can easily enter/exit BMM there.

A bit more writeup about it here:
https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/bronco-cheat-codes-list.91121/

 

[VADER]

Latest versions of Forscan ~can~ enter Brake Service Mode.

*edit* responding to an old post here, but ... yeah. Still stands. Get an OBD scanner that supports Forscan and you can easily enter/exit BMM there.

A bit more writeup about it here:
https://www.bronco6g.com/forum/threads/bronco-cheat-codes-list.91121/

iPhone (not sure about android) Forscan Lite app can also enter Brake Service Mode. Not sure how long it's been there, but I never bothered checking back in December when I did the work.
Using the app with OBDLink MX+ OBD2 via bluetooth connection.

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