2013-2020 Ford Fusion Brake Noise: Squeal, Grinding and Pulsation Causes

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

Brake noise on a 2013-2020 Ford Fusion almost always falls into one of three patterns: a high-pitched squeal (worn pads hitting their wear indicator, missing or dry shims, or glazed friction), a grinding or scraping sound (pad material gone, or rust and debris between pad and rotor), or a pulsation you feel in the pedal and steering wheel (rotor thickness variation or lateral runout). Identify which one you have, and you know which part to check first.

This guide walks through how the Fusion's brakes are laid out, how to tell the noises apart, what causes each one, and what to replace so the noise does not come straight back.

How the 2013-2020 Fusion Brake System Is Built

This generation of Fusion uses disc brakes at the front and rear, and the rear calipers also carry the electric parking brake: a small motor on the rear caliper applies the parking brake instead of a cable and lever. That matters for noise diagnosis in two ways. First, a parking brake that is not fully releasing can drag a rear pad and make noise. Second, the rear caliper pistons cannot simply be pushed back with a clamp during a pad change. Service training for the 2013 Fusion states the electronic parking brake must be deactivated before rear brake service and reactivated afterward, which is normally done with a scan tool or the procedure in the factory service information.

The Fusion also runs dual isolated hydraulic circuits, so a leak on one circuit still leaves braking on the other. Keep that in mind in the recall section below: a soft or long pedal is a different problem from noise, and it should be treated as a safety issue first.

Match the Noise to the Cause

Squeal: Wear Indicators, Shims and Glazing

Wagner's brake noise guidance puts it plainly: vibration is the main source of noise in a brake system. A squeal is the pad, caliper and rotor vibrating at a frequency you can hear. On a Fusion, the usual sources are:

• Wear indicators. Many pads carry a small metal tab that contacts the rotor when the friction is nearly used up. That squeal is a warning, not a defect. If you hear it, measure the pads before anything else.
• Shims and lubrication. The shim on the back of the pad damps vibration between the pad and caliper. Wagner notes that on pads with attached shims, a light coat of silicone brake lubricant on the back of the shim helps suppress noise, while some shim designs must not have any compound on them. Follow the instructions that come with your pads.
• Worn hardware. Anti-rattle clips and springs lose their tension from brake heat, and corroded guide pins can keep a caliper from releasing cleanly. Replace the clips and clean and lubricate the slide pins with every pad change.
• Glazing and poor break-in. If friction material does not transfer evenly to the rotor, you get noise and vibration. Wagner's break-in procedure is 20 slow-downs from 50 mph to 20 mph with about 30 seconds between stops. Your pad maker's procedure may differ, so use theirs.

For most daily-driven Fusions, a quality ceramic brake pad with shims already fitted is the quietest choice. Our front ceramic brake pads for the 2013-2020 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ fit this generation.

Grinding: Pads Worn Through or Debris

A steady grinding or scraping sound under braking usually means the pad friction is gone and the steel backing plate is rubbing the rotor. At that point the rotor is being cut, and the job has grown from pads to pads and rotors. Stop driving on it as soon as you can.

Other grinding causes are less serious: a stone caught between the rotor and the splash shield, or grit packed into the rotor surface. Wagner recommends cleaning the rotor and hub thoroughly to remove dust and debris during a brake job. A light scraping on the first few stops after the car sits overnight is often just surface rust that the pads wipe off.

How deep is too deep? Vehicle Service Pros notes that manufacturers generally do not call for machining unless scoring is 0.060 inch or deeper, and suggests a coin as a quick gauge: if the coin's edge disappears into a groove, the scoring is beyond a light cleanup. In practice, grinding damage on a Fusion rotor usually means new brake rotors, since the rotor must also stay above its discard thickness, which is stamped on the rotor or listed in the service information.

Pulsation: Rotor Thickness Variation and Runout

Most people call it "warped rotors." The more accurate cause is one of two conditions: disc thickness variation (the two faces of the rotor are no longer parallel) or lateral runout (the rotor wobbles as it turns). A rotor with runout brushes the pad at one spot every revolution and wears unevenly, which is how runout turns into thickness variation and a pulsing pedal.

Vehicle Service Pros gives these general guidelines:

• Thickness should generally not vary more than 0.0005 inch around the rotor. Measure with a micrometer at a minimum of four points, preferably twelve.
• Lateral runout of 0.002 inch or less, measured with a dial indicator on the car, is generally acceptable, though the factory specification always wins.
• Uneven lug nut torque causes problems on modern thin-hat rotors, with as little as a 5 ft-lb difference between lugs. Tighten with a calibrated torque wrench in a crisscross pattern rather than an impact gun, and do not lubricate the threads.

Rust on the hub face is the other common cause of runout, and Wagner lists corrosion on hub contact surfaces as a noise and vibration source. Clean the hub face to bare metal before installing a new rotor. For the lug nut torque value on your Fusion, use the figure in your owner's manual or factory service manual.

Check the Brake Hose Recall Before You Chase Noise

Ford issued recall 23S12 for 2013-2019 Fusion (along with Edge and Mondeo) because steering and suspension movement can cause a front brake hose to rupture and leak. According to Ford, the symptom is increased pedal travel from brake fluid loss, and the brake fluid warning indicator will come on. The remedy is replacement of both front brake hoses, plus hose routing or ride-height sensor changes where equipped, at no cost to the owner.

This is not a noise problem, but if your pedal feels soft or travels farther than it used to, enter your VIN on Ford's recall lookup first. If the recall work is already done and you are replacing other hydraulic parts, our brake hoses and brake calipers collections cover the rest of the system.

What to Replace Together and How Hard the Job Is

To stop brake noise for good, treat each axle as a system:

1. Pads and rotors on both sides of the axle, so the friction surfaces start fresh together.
2. New abutment clips and anti-rattle hardware from our brake hardware kits.
3. Cleaned and lubricated caliper slide pins, with new boots if torn.
4. A clean hub face under each new rotor.
5. Lug nuts torqued to specification in a crisscross pattern.
6. A proper pad break-in before normal driving.

The front brakes are a standard job for a careful DIYer with basic hand tools and a torque wrench. The rear brakes are harder only because of the electric parking brake: without a scan tool or service procedure to put it into service mode, you risk damaging the caliper motor or leaving the parking brake out of adjustment. If you do not have that capability, do the fronts yourself and have a shop handle the rears.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do the new brakes on my Fusion squeal?

New pads most often squeal because they were not broken in, the shims were left off or lubricated against the pad maker's instructions, the old clips were reused, or the rotors were not replaced or resurfaced. Check the hardware first, then run the break-in procedure.

Is a pulsing brake pedal dangerous?

Pulsation usually means rotor thickness variation or runout, which hurts braking smoothness rather than causing sudden failure. It gets worse over time, so measure or replace the rotors soon. A soft or sinking pedal is a different and more urgent problem.

Can I push the rear caliper pistons back on a 2013-2020 Fusion?

Not with a C-clamp alone. The rear calipers carry the electric parking brake, which must be deactivated before rear pad service and reactivated afterward, usually with a scan tool.

Does the brake hose recall cause brake noise?

No. Recall 23S12 addresses a front brake hose that can leak, which causes longer pedal travel and turns on the brake fluid warning. Check your VIN on Ford's site regardless of noise.

Should I replace the rotors every time I replace the pads?

Not always, but on a noisy or pulsing Fusion it usually solves the problem in one visit. If the rotors are scored, below discard thickness, or out of runout or thickness variation limits, replace them.

Sources

1. Ford: 23S12 Fusion and Edge Front Brake Hose Recall - recall scope, symptoms, remedy, dual isolated brake circuits
2. Vehicle Service Pros: Rotor Routine - thickness variation, runout, lug torque and scoring guidelines
3. Wagner Brake: Brake System Noise - noise causes, shim lubrication, hardware, break-in procedure
4. Garage Gurus: 2013 Ford Fusion Parking Brake Deactivation - electric parking brake must be deactivated for rear service