Brake rattle

I have a 2016 Ford Transit Courier 1.6 (95PS) B-MAX with a high mileage – I have owned it from new. There’s a problem with a rattle/vibration from, I think, the front calipers, particularly over rough roads when the surface is worn and you get the ladder effect. This harshness transmits right through the van.

I have noticed that the problem stops if you rest your foot on the brake pedal, and if you apply the brakes it will take a short while to return. I made an emergency stop recently that activated the ABS and the problem disappeared for 300 miles.

I tried curing by fitting new discs and pads, but it returned after a couple of days.

I also tried removing the pads and fitting new slider clips, which helped but only for about a day. I have checked the sliders on the calipers and they are free. I have also reversed the pad slider clips top and bottom, but this has made no difference. All parts used are genuine Ford items and have I used Copaslip in the usual places.

Is this a known fault on this model and does Ford have a fix? It’s not easy to find a technical person to speak with at a franchised dealership these days.

John Cartwright

I have checked with Ford and there are no outstanding field service actions applicable to your van. Very often, a rattle from the front of the vehicle is due to wear in the small balljoints of the anti-roll bar links, but this would not disappear after braking.

You have not mentioned replacing the brake pads and this may be the root of the problem. The original brake pads should have a metal shim clipped to the back of the pad. The inner and outer shims are slightly different, with the shim on the piston side of the caliper being wider than on the outer pad. If these shims are not present, then refitting them may help solve the problem. If you have non-genuine brake pads, some of these have a rubberised shim built onto the pad and, in this case, the metal shims should not be fitted.

As you have already fitted the new slider clips, I am also assuming that the brake pads slide smoothly into the clips when installed. As a matter of course, I would also check the tightness of the brake caliper anchor plate – the securing bolts should be torqued to 70Nm.

Another point to check is the CV joint/driveshaft retaining nuts, to ensure they are tight and the driveshaft isn’t moving slightly within the flange. While in this area I would also check the movement within the CV joint to