Ford Mondeo (petrol engines). Manual - part 32

bracket. Note that on Saloon and Hatchback
models, the pin is at the bottom of the caliper,
whereas on Estate models, it is at the top.
5 Swivel the caliper away from the carrier
bracket, to expose the brake pads (see
illustrations).
6 Disconnect the pad wear warning light wire
(when fitted) at the connector. Also unbolt the
brake hose bracket from the rear suspension
strut, to avoid straining the flexible hose.
7 If necessary, the caliper may be completely
removed by prising off the cap and
unscrewing the pivot guide bolt. Support the
caliper on an axle stand, or tie it to one side
with wire.
8 Remove the pads from the carrier bracket.
9 Brush all dust and dirt from the caliper,
pads and disc, but do not inhale it, as it may
be harmful to health. Scrape any corrosion
from the disc.
10 Before fitting the new pads, screw the
caliper piston fully into its bore, at the same
time pressing the piston fully to the bottom of
the bore. Proprietary tools are available for
this operation - at a pinch, it may be possible
to use long-nosed pliers engaged with the
cut-outs in the piston. Brake fluid will be
displaced into the master cylinder reservoir,
so check first that there is enough space to
accept the fluid. If necessary, syphon off
some of the fluid.
11 Fit the new pads using a reversal of the
removal procedure. On completion, firmly
depress the brake pedal a few times, to bring
the pads to their normal working position.
Check the level of the brake fluid in the
reservoir, and top-up if necessary.
12 Give the vehicle a road test, to make sure
that the brakes are functioning correctly, and
to bed-in the new linings to the contours of
the disc. Remember that full braking
efficiency will not be obtained until the new
linings have bedded-in.

Removal

1 Chock the front wheels, and engage 1st
gear (or “P”). Loosen the rear wheel nuts, jack
up the rear of the vehicle and support it on
axle stands. Remove the appropriate rear
wheel.
2 Fit a brake hose clamp to the flexible hose
leading to the rear brake caliper. This will
minimise brake fluid loss during subsequent
operations.
3 Loosen (but do not completely unscrew) the
union on the caliper end of the flexible hose.
4 Remove the rear brake pads, and free the
caliper as described in Section 8.
5 Disconnect the handbrake cable from the
caliper. On Saloon and Hatchback models,
the handbrake lever faces away from the
caliper, whereas on Estate models, it faces
towards the caliper (see illustrations).

6 Support the caliper and disconnect the
hydraulic hose, making sure that the hose is
not twisted or strained unduly. Once the
caliper is detached, place it to one side, and
plug the open hydraulic unions to keep dust
and dirt out.
7 If necessary, unbolt the carrier bracket from
the knuckle.

Overhaul

8 No overhaul procedures were available at
the time of writing, so check availability of
spares before dismantling the caliper. In
principle, the overhaul information given for
the front brake caliper will apply, noting that it
will be necessary to unscrew the piston from
the handbrake mechanism (see Section 8,
paragraph 10) before being able to expel the
piston from the caliper. On reassembly, push
the piston fully into the caliper, and screw it
back onto the handbrake mechanism. Do not
attempt to dismantle the handbrake
mechanism; if the mechanism is faulty, the
complete caliper assembly must be renewed.

Refitting

9 Refit the caliper, and where applicable the
carrier bracket, by reversing the removal
operations. Tighten the mounting bolts and
wheel nuts to the specified torque, and do not
forget to remove the brake hose clamp from
the flexible brake hose.

9 Rear brake caliper - removal,

overhaul and refitting

Braking system  9•9

9

9.5A  Rear brake caliper on

Saloon/Hatchback models (A) and Estate

models (B)

1  Caliper body
2  Frame
3  Brake pad spring clip
4  Handbrake cable lever facing away from 

caliper

5  Handbrake cable lever facing towards 

caliper

6  Bleed screw
7  Guide pin protective cap
8  Pad wear warning light connector
9  Flexible hydraulic hose connection

9.5B  Handbrake operation on the rear

brake caliper

1  Piston
2  Automatic adjusting screw
3  Spring washers
4  Cam
5  Handbrake cable lever

8.5A  Rear brake pad removal on Saloon

and Hatchback models

4  Brake caliper     5  Brake pads

8.5B  Rear brake pad removal on Estate

models

3  Brake caliper     5  Brake pads

10 Bleed the brake circuit according to the
procedure given in Section 15. Make sure
there are no leaks from the hose connections.
Test the brakes carefully before returning the
vehicle to normal service.

Refer to Section 4 (front disc inspection).

Once the rear caliper is removed, the
procedure is the same.

Removal

1 Disconnect the low fluid level warning light
multi-plug from the fluid reservoir filler cap
(see illustration). Unscrew and remove the
cap (note that the filler cap should not be
inverted). Draw off the hydraulic fluid from the
reservoir, using an old battery hydrometer or a
poultry baster. Do not syphon the fluid by
mouth; it is poisonous. Any brake fluid spilt on
paintwork should be washed off with clean
water, without delay - brake fluid is also a
highly-effective paint-stripper!
2 Identify the locations of each brake pipe on
the master cylinder. On non-ABS models,
there are four pipes; the two rear brake pipes
are attached to PCR (pressure-conscious

relief) valves on the master cylinder. On ABS
models, there are only two pipes, which lead
to the ABS hydraulic unit (see illustration).
3 Place rags beneath the master cylinder to
catch spilt hydraulic fluid.
4 Clean around the hydraulic union nuts.
Unscrew the nuts, and disconnect the
hydraulic lines from the master cylinder.
5 Unscrew the mounting nuts, and withdraw
the master cylinder from the studs on the front
of the servo unit. If the nuts are tight, a split
ring spanner should be used in preference to
an open-ended spanner. Plug or cap open
unions, to keep dust and dirt out.
6 Recover the gasket from the master cylinder.
7 If the master cylinder is faulty, it must be
renewed. At the time of writing, no overhaul
kits were available.

Refitting

8 Clean the contact surfaces of the master
cylinder and servo.
9 Locate a new gasket on the master cylinder.
10 Position the master cylinder on the studs
on the servo unit. Refit and tighten the nuts to
the specified torque.
11 Carefully insert the hydraulic lines in the
apertures in the master cylinder, then tighten

the union nuts. Make sure that the nuts enter
their threads correctly.
12 Fill the reservoir with fresh brake fluid.
13 Bleed the hydraulic system as described
in Section 15.
14 Refit the reservoir filler cap, and reconnect
the multi-plug for the low fluid level warning
light.
15 Test the brakes carefully before returning
the vehicle to normal service.

Removal

1 Working inside the vehicle, move the
driver’s seat fully to the rear, to allow
maximum working area.
2 Remove the ashtray, then unscrew the
screws and remove the lower facia panel.
3 Prise the hairpin clip from the right-hand
end of the pedal pivot shaft, and remove the
washer (see illustration).
4 Unscrew the nut securing the pedal
trunnion to the pushrod. The nut is located
near the top of the pedal (see illustrations).

12 Brake pedal - 

removal and refitting

11 Master cylinder - 

removal and refitting

10 Rear brake disc - inspection,

removal and refitting

9•10 Braking system

11.1  Brake fluid reservoir and low level

warning light multi-plug

11.2  Master cylinder connections

A  Non-ABS models
B  ABS models
1  Brake fluid reservoir
2  Master cylinder

3  PCR valves for rear brakes
4  Primary brake hydraulic circuit (front right/rear left)
5  Secondary brake hydraulic circuit (front left/rear right)

12.3  Removing the hairpin clip from the

right-hand end of the brake pedal pivot shaft

12.4A  Unscrew the nut securing the pedal

trunnion to the pushrod . . .

12.4B  . . . and remove the tube from the

pushrod

5 Press the pedal pivot shaft to the left,
through the mounting bracket, just far enough
to allow the pedal to be withdrawn. On
manual transmission models, leave the blue
nylon spacer (located between the clutch and
brake pedals) on the pivot shaft (see
illustration). On automatic transmission
models, the shaft can be removed completely
(see illustration).
6 With the pedal removed, prise out the
bushes from each side. If necessary, also
remove the pushrod trunnion and the rubber
pad. Renew the components as necessary
(see illustrations).

Refitting

7 Prior to refitting the pedal, apply a little
grease to the pivot shaft, pedal bushes and
trunnion.
8 Refitting is a reversal of the removal
procedure, but make sure that the pedal
bushes are correctly located, and that the
pedal shaft “D” section locates in the right-
hand side of the pedal bracket. Also make
sure that the hairpin clip is correctly
located.

Removal

1 Disconnect the battery negative (earth) lead
(Chapter 5, Section 1).
2 Remove the master cylinder and the
vacuum servo unit as described in Sec-
tions 11 and 16. If wished, the master cylinder
may be left attached to the servo unit.
3 Working inside the passenger
compartment, fold down the covering from
the front of both front footwells.
4 Have an assistant support the cross-link
assembly from inside the engine
compartment.
5 Unscrew and remove the nuts and bolts on
each side of the bulkhead, and remove the
link assembly from inside the engine
compartment. If necessary, have the assistant

hold the bolt heads from inside the engine
compartment while the nuts are being
loosened.
6 Clean the cross-link components, and
examine the bushes for wear. Renew the
bushes if necessary.

Refitting

7 Refitting is a reversal of the removal
procedure. Refer to Sections 11 and 16 when
refitting the master cylinder and vacuum servo
unit.

Inspection

1 Jack up the front and rear of the vehicle,
and support on axle stands.
2 Check for signs of leakage at the pipe
unions, then examine the flexible hoses for
signs of cracking, chafing and fraying.
3 The brake pipes should be examined
carefully for signs of dents, corrosion or other
damage. Corrosion should be scraped off,
and if the depth of pitting is significant, the
pipes renewed. This is particularly likely in
those areas underneath the vehicle body
where the pipes are exposed and
unprotected.
4 Renew any defective brake pipes and/or
hoses.

Removal

5 If a section of pipe or hose is to be
removed, loss of brake fluid can be reduced
by unscrewing the filler cap, and completely
sealing the top of the reservoir with cling film
or adhesive tape. Alternatively, the reservoir
can be emptied (see Section 11).

6 To remove a section of pipe, hold the
adjoining hose union nut with a spanner to
prevent it from turning, then unscrew the
union nut at the end of the pipe, and release it.

14 Hydraulic pipes and hoses -

inspection, removal and
refitting

13 Brake pedal-to-servo cross-

link (right-hand-drive models
only) - removal and refitting

Braking system  9•11

9

12.6A  Prise out the bushes . . .

12.6B  . . . from each side of the pedal . . .

12.6C  . . . and remove the pushrod

trunnion

12.5A  Leave the nylon spacer (arrowed) in

position on the pivot shaft (left-hand-drive

model shown, right-hand-drive similar)

12.5B  Brake pedal components -

automatic transmission models

1  Pedal

3  Pivot shaft

5  Washer

2  Rubber pad

4  Bush

6  Hairpin clip

If any brake fluid is spilt onto
the bodywork, it must be
washed off without delay -
brake fluid is also a highly-

effective paint-stripper!

Repeat the procedure at the other end of the
pipe, then release the pipe by pulling out the
clips attaching it to the body (see
illustrations). Where the union nuts are
exposed to the full force of the weather, they
can sometimes be quite tight. If an open-
ended spanner is used, burring of the flats on
the nuts is not uncommon, and for this
reason, it is preferable to use a split ring
(brake) spanner, which will engage all the
flats. If such a spanner is not available, self-
locking grips may be used as a last resort;
these may well damage the nuts, but if the
pipe is to be renewed, this does not matter.
7 To further minimise the loss of fluid when
disconnecting a flexible brake line from a rigid
pipe, clamp the hose as near as possible to
the pipe to be detached, using a brake hose
clamp or a pair of self-locking grips with
protected jaws.
8 To remove a flexible hose, first clean the
ends of the hose and the surrounding area,
then unscrew the union nuts from the hose
ends. Recover the spring clip, and withdraw
the hose from the serrated mounting in the
support bracket. Where applicable, unscrew
the hose from the caliper.
9 Brake pipes supplied with flared ends and
union nuts can be obtained individually or in
sets from Ford dealers or accessory shops.
The pipe is then bent to shape, using the old
pipe as a guide, and is ready for fitting. Be
careful not to kink or crimp the pipe when
bending it; ideally, a proper pipe-bending tool
should be used.

Refitting

10 Refitting of the pipes and hoses is a
reversal of removal. Make sure that all brake
pipes are securely supported in their clips,
and ensure that the hoses are not kinked.
Check also that the hoses are clear of all
suspension components and underbody
fittings, and will remain clear during
movement of the suspension and steering.
11 On completion, bleed the brake hydraulic
system as described in Section 15.

Warning: Brake fluid is
poisonous. Take care to keep it
off bare skin, and in particular
not to get splashes in your eyes.

The fluid also attacks paintwork - wash off
spillages immediately with cold water.
1 If the master cylinder has been
disconnected and reconnected, then the
complete system (both circuits) must be bled
of air. If a component of one circuit has been
disturbed, then only that particular circuit
need be bled.
2 Bleeding should commence on one front
brake, followed by the diagonally-opposite
rear brake. The remaining front brake should
then be bled, followed by its diagonally-
opposite rear brake.
3 There are a variety of do-it-yourself “one-
man” brake bleeding kits available from motor
accessory shops, and it is recommended that
one of these kits be used wherever possible,
as they greatly simplify the brake bleeding
operation. Follow the kit manufacturer’s
manuals in conjunction with the following
procedure. If a pressure-bleeding kit is
obtained, then it will not be necessary to
depress the brake pedal in the following
procedure.
4 During the bleeding operation, do not allow
the brake fluid level in the reservoir to drop
below the minimum mark. If the level is
allowed to fall so far that air is drawn in, the
whole procedure will have to be started again
from scratch. Only use new fluid for topping-
up, preferably from a freshly-opened
container. 

Never re-use fluid bled from the

system.
5 Before starting, check that all rigid pipes
and flexible hoses are in good condition, and
that all hydraulic unions are tight. Take great
care not to allow hydraulic fluid to come into
contact with the vehicle paintwork, otherwise
the finish will be seriously damaged. Wash off
any spilt fluid immediately with cold water.
6 If a brake bleeding kit is not being used,
gather together a clean jar, a length of plastic
or rubber tubing which is a tight fit over the
bleed screw, and a new can of the specified
brake fluid (see Chapter 1 Specifications). The
help of an assistant will also be required.
7 Clean the area around the bleed screw on
the front brake unit to be bled (it is important

that no dirt be allowed to enter the hydraulic
system), and remove the dust cap. Connect
one end of the tubing to the bleed screw, and
immerse the other end in the jar, which should
be filled with sufficient brake fluid to keep the
end of the tube submerged.
8 Open the bleed screw by one or two turns,
and have the assistant depress the brake
pedal to the floor. Tighten the bleed screw at
the end of the downstroke, then have the
assistant release the pedal. Continue this
procedure until clean brake fluid, free from air
bubbles, can be seen flowing into the jar.
Finally tighten the bleed screw with the pedal
in the fully-depressed position.
9 Remove the tube, and refit the dust cap.
Top-up the master cylinder reservoir if
necessary, then repeat the procedure on the
diagonally-opposite rear brake.
10 Repeat the procedure on the remaining
circuit, starting with the front brake, and
followed by the diagonally-opposite rear
brake.
11 Check the feel of the brake pedal - it
should be firm. If it is spongy, there is still
some air in the system, and the bleeding
procedure should be repeated.
12 When bleeding is complete, top-up the
master cylinder reservoir and refit the cap.

Testing

1 To test the operation of the servo unit,
depress the footbrake four or five times to
dissipate the vacuum, then start the engine
while keeping the footbrake depressed. As
the engine starts, there should be a noticeable
“give” in the brake pedal as vacuum builds
up. Allow the engine to run for at least two
minutes, and then switch it off. If the brake
pedal is now depressed again, it should be
possible to hear a hiss from the servo when
the pedal is depressed. After four or five
applications, no further hissing should be
heard, and the pedal should feel harder.
2 Before assuming that a problem exists in
the servo unit itself, inspect the non-return
valve as described in the next Section.

Removal

3 Refer to Section 11 and remove the master
cylinder.
4 Disconnect the vacuum hose adaptor at the
servo unit by pulling it free from the rubber
grommet. If it is reluctant to move, prise it
free, using a screwdriver with its blade
inserted under the flange.
5 Unscrew the four nuts securing the servo
unit to the mounting brackets on the bulkhead
in the engine compartment.
6 On right-hand drive models, withdraw the
servo unit so that its studs are just clear of the
brackets. Have an assistant hold the brake
pedal depressed, then extract the spring clip

16 Vacuum servo unit - 

testing, removal and refitting

15 Hydraulic system - bleeding

9•12 Braking system

14.6A  Unscrewing a brake pipe union nut

using a split ring spanner

14.6B  Pulling out a brake pipe mounting

clip