2006-2009 Ford Fusion Brake Upgrade Options

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

The best brake upgrade for a 2006-2009 Ford Fusion is a better pad and rotor on the brakes you already have, not a big-brake kit. Every first-generation Fusion runs discs at all four corners, so a performance pad compound, a slotted or coated rotor, fresh DOT 4 fluid and, if you want a firmer pedal, stainless brake hoses will give you a real improvement for the money. Before you start, check whether the car's ABS recall was ever done.

How the 2006-2009 Fusion Brake System Is Built

Ford's published specifications for the 2006 and 2007 Fusion list four-wheel power disc brakes on every trim. The front rotors are 299 x 25 mm and vented. The rears are 279 x 10 mm and solid. The same sizes are listed for the 2.3L four-cylinder and the 3.0L V6, and in Ford's launch material the engineers said they made the rotors bigger and thicker to keep dust and noise down while giving a firm, repeatable stop.

ABS was optional at first. Consumer Guide notes that antilock four-wheel disc brakes were an option in 2006, and Ford's 2008 overview says ABS became standard on all models for 2008. All-wheel drive became available on SE and SEL models for 2007.

What matters most for an upgrade is where the weight sits. Ford lists a 60/40 front-to-rear weight split for the four-cylinder car, and roughly 3,100 to 3,300 lb curb weight depending on engine and transmission. The front brakes do most of the work, and that thin solid rear rotor is only there for balance and the parking brake. So front parts give you the biggest change in how the car stops, and the rear parts mostly need to hold up and stay quiet.

Check the ABS Recall Before Any Upgrade

This one comes before anything you bolt on. NHTSA campaign 19V904000 covers certain 2006-2010 Fusion, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ vehicles. According to the recall report, valves in the ABS hydraulic control unit can react with brake fluids that contain certain corrosion-preventive additives and may not close properly. If that happens, the pedal can need extra travel before the car stops.

Ford's remedy is to flush the system with DOT 4 fluid, fit a new reservoir cap, test the hydraulic unit for a stuck valve and replace it if needed, all free of charge. The recall came out of NHTSA investigation EA18002. Run your VIN through NHTSA's recall lookup or ask a Ford dealer. If your pedal sinks lower than it should, no pad or rotor will fix it. Get the recall work done first.

Pad Upgrades: Pick the Compound for How You Drive

Pads are the cheapest change that you'll actually feel. The factory-style pad is a compromise between bite, noise, dust and rotor wear. An upgraded compound shifts that balance toward the thing you care about.

• Daily driver who wants less dust and a steadier pedal: a carbon-fiber or ceramic street pad. Power Stop describes its Z23 Evolution compound as a carbon-fiber reinforced ceramic with a low-dust formula, and the kits come with shims and stainless hardware. Browse ceramic brake pads for daily driving.
• Spirited street driving: a fast-road ceramic such as EBC Redstuff rear pads for the 2006-2009 Fusion 2.3L. You get more bite than a standard ceramic but still keep dust and noise down on a street car.
• Autocross, track days or mountain driving: a higher-friction compound such as EBC Yellowstuff rear pads for the Fusion 2.3L. It is built to keep working when the brakes are hot, so expect more dust and a little more noise than a pure street pad.

Keep the same kind of compound front and rear. A very grippy rear pad with a mild front pad upsets the bias the ABS and EBD were tuned around. If you upgrade the rears, match them with a pad from the same family up front. Our full brake pad range lets you filter by vehicle.

Rotor Upgrades: Slotted, Coated or OE-Style

Rotors don't add stopping power on their own. The pad and the tire decide that. What a better rotor gives you is resistance to heat, rust and pad glazing.

• Coated OE-style rotors: the best fit for most Fusions in rust-belt states. The coating protects the hat and vanes, which is where these rotors usually corrode first.
• Slotted rotors: the slots wipe gas and debris off the pad face and keep the pad surface fresh. DBA, for example, describes the slots on its Street Series T2 rotor as giving a quieter, more responsive pedal. Steeda lists DBA's DBA2963S front rotor for 2006-2012 Fusions, and DBA's own page shows it as a 25 mm vented rotor with a 23 mm minimum thickness.
• Drilled and slotted rotors: popular for the look and for cooling. Power Stop's Z23 kits use drilled, slotted and zinc-plated rotors paired with their ceramic pad.

At the rear, the solid 10 mm rotor is where cheap parts cause trouble. They rust fast and wear thin. EBC USR slotted rear rotors for the 2006-2009 Fusion 2.3L pair naturally with the Redstuff or Yellowstuff rear pads above. Shop all brake rotors by vehicle for front options.

Fluid and Hoses: The Upgrades People Skip

Brake fluid picks up water over time, and wet fluid boils at a lower temperature. Under the federal fluid standard (FMVSS 116), DOT 3 must have a dry boiling point of at least 205 C (401 F) and a wet boiling point of at least 140 C (284 F). DOT 4 raises those minimums to 230 C (446 F) dry and 155 C (311 F) wet. On this car DOT 4 is the natural choice anyway, because it is what Ford's recall remedy flushes in. Use the exact fluid spec printed on your reservoir cap or in the owner's manual.

The rubber flex hoses on a 15- to 20-year-old Fusion can swell a little under pressure, which you feel as a soft pedal. Stainless braided hoses take that stretch out. See our brake hoses and brake lines. After any hose change, bleed the system and follow the service manual's procedure for the ABS unit.

What to Replace at the Same Time, and How Hard the Job Is

• Hardware: new abutment clips and slide-pin boots every time. Old clips cause the dragging and uneven pad wear that people often blame on the new parts. Our brake hardware kits cover it.
• Slide pins: clean and grease them with a proper high-temperature brake lubricant.
• Calipers: if a piston is seized or a boot is torn, replace the caliper rather than putting new pads in a bad one. See brake calipers.
• Bed-in: new pads need a proper bed-in. Power Stop's procedure is five moderate-to-aggressive stops from 40 to 10 mph, then five moderate stops from 35 to 5 mph, then a few minutes of normal driving to let things cool.

Front pads and rotors are an easy driveway job with basic hand tools. The rear calipers also run the parking brake, so the piston has to be turned back in rather than pushed straight in. Use a caliper wind-back tool and follow the service manual. Tighten caliper bracket bolts and lug nuts to the values in the factory service manual, and never use an impact gun on the lugs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my 2006-2009 Fusion have rear drum brakes?

No. Ford's specifications list four-wheel disc brakes on every first-generation trim, with 279 x 10 mm solid rotors at the rear. Always check the product fitment against your engine and trim before you order.

Is a big brake kit worth it on a Fusion?

For street driving, almost never. The stock 299 mm vented front rotor is a good size for a car around 3,100 to 3,300 lb. Performance pads, good rotors, fresh DOT 4 fluid and braided hoses fix the soft pedal and fade that most owners complain about.

Will ceramic pads work with my stock rotors?

Yes, if the rotors are above minimum thickness and have no runout. If the rotors are grooved, heat-spotted or pulsing, replace them with the pads so the new compound can bed in evenly.

Why does my pedal feel soft even with new pads?

Check the ABS recall (19V904000) first, then look at old fluid, air in the lines and swollen rubber hoses. Pads don't cause a pedal that sinks. That comes from the hydraulic side.

Do the 2.3L rear parts also fit the V6?

Ford lists the same rear rotor size for both engines, but fitment can differ by trim and build date. Our EBC rear parts are listed for the 2.3L, so confirm on the product page before you order for a V6 or AWD car.

Sources

1. NHTSA recall data, 2007 Ford Fusion - Campaign 19V904000 ABS HCU valve defect, DOT 4 flush remedy, investigation EA18002
2. Consumer Guide, 2006-12 Ford Fusion - optional four-wheel disc ABS in 2006, AWD from 2007, 160 hp I4 and 221 hp V6
3. 49 CFR 571.116 (FMVSS 116), Cornell LII - DOT 3 and DOT 4 dry and wet boiling point minimums
4. Power Stop Z23 Evolution Sport Brake Kit - carbon-fiber ceramic pad, drilled and slotted zinc-plated rotors, bed-in procedure
5. DBA Street Series T2 rotor DBA2963S - 25 mm vented rotor, 23 mm minimum thickness, slot design
6. Steeda, DBA Ford Fusion front rotor (06-12) - DBA2963S listed for 2006-2012 Fusion