Electric Brake Came On and HyTi Wouldn't Budge

[Fastronaut]

So I'm driving along and exiting a highway and turn on to the exit ramp. As soon as the car comes to a stop, on comes the Parking Brake Light and the car won't budge. Called the Ford Dealership Service Department and they never heard of this happening. Finally, turning the car off/on, moving shift lever repeatedly, etc. (a million times), the car starts to move in Drive even with the brake light on. I drove it straight to the Ford Dealer.

 

The Hybrid Service guy (singular) is in a Hybrid class Tuesday-Friday this week, so guess what? OK, he diagnosed it from a conversation and thought it was something to do with the regenerative braking and someone else there can possibly handle it.

 

Anyone else ever seen this problem?

[acdii]

Yours is the first. Sounds like a short in the system somewhere.

[Fastronaut]

Yours is the first. Sounds like a short in the system somewhere.

I'm so lucky :)

[hybridbear]

Sorry to hear about this. I'm glad you got your car finally. Please keep us updated on what happens.

 

I don't often use the accelerator as my way to turn off the parking brake even though the car will do this because it seems like it would create extra wear & tear, but I tried to the other day and had it not work for the first time. At a traffic light I put the car in neutral since it was going to be a long wait. I then put the parking brake on and took my foot off the pedals to rest. When the light was about to turn green I put the car in drive and then figured I would just hit the gas to take off and let the car turn off the parking brake but it wouldn't turn it off so I had to push the button and then drive. I haven't tried this again because I don't want to have any problems. But after your experience I might try this again to see if it is an issue regularly

[Fastronaut]

Sorry to hear about this. I'm glad you got your car finally. Please keep us updated on what happens.

 

I don't often use the accelerator as my way to turn off the parking brake even though the car will do this because it seems like it would create extra wear & tear, but I tried to the other day and had it not work for the first time. At a traffic light I put the car in neutral since it was going to be a long wait. I then put the parking brake on and took my foot off the pedals to rest. When the light was about to turn green I put the car in drive and then figured I would just hit the gas to take off and let the car turn off the parking brake but it wouldn't turn it off so I had to push the button and then drive. I haven't tried this again because I don't want to have any problems. But after your experience I might try this again to see if it is an issue regularly

Hybridbear - thanks for the update. I am glad I'm not alone in this. It could be we both need a software update. I have the car at the dealers so can't try anything. If you find any reproducible problem to document a second case, That might mean Ford will pay more attention. Good luck.

 

Anyone else put there - please check put the parking brake.

[Fastronaut]

The dealer has had the car since Monday afternoon and has only found two electrical error codes, but is still going through diagnostics. Two other Ford dealership service departments that I have contact with have never seen, nor heard of, this problem. There are no TSBs or Recalls describing it. The analysis continues.

[neod192]

I don't often use the accelerator as my way to turn off the parking brake even though the car will do this because it seems like it would create extra wear & tear, but I tried to the other day and had it not work for the first time. At a traffic light I put the car in neutral since it was going to be a long wait. I then put the parking brake on and took my foot off the pedals to rest. When the light was about to turn green I put the car in drive and then figured I would just hit the gas to take off and let the car turn off the parking brake but it wouldn't turn it off so I had to push the button and then drive. I haven't tried this again because I don't want to have any problems. But after your experience I might try this again to see if it is an issue regularly

I didn't know about this feature until a few days ago when I read about it here. I tried it yesterday and this morning and the parking brake disengaged both times when I hit the gas pedal. It worked both going forward and in reverse backing out of my garage. I really like it because I found it a pain to manually disengage it every time I turned the car on (I use the parking brake all the time - habit from my old manual car).

[Fastronaut]

Update: Diagnostic testing finished and there were several error codes that lead the service technician to say that the best description he can give is that the Fusion Hybrid needs a new "Transmission Control Module". The dealer is sharing the diagnostic data with Ford Technical Support to see if they concur.

[Fastronaut]

I didn't know about this feature until a few days ago when I read about it here. I tried it yesterday and this morning and the parking brake disengaged both times when I hit the gas pedal. It worked both going forward and in reverse backing out of my garage. I really like it because I found it a pain to manually disengage it every time I turned the car on (I use the parking brake all the time - habit from my old manual car).

I'm glad that my "pain" is able to allow you and others more knowledge about the parking brake subsystem. Amazing how these Forums are such a valuable source of information.

Edited May 15, 2013 by Fastronaut

[hybridbear]

I hope they can get it solved soon! What kind of rental did Ford provide you with in the interim?

[Fastronaut]

I hope they can get it solved soon! What kind of rental did Ford provide you with in the interim?

My dealer has an Enterprise Rental Car franchise located on-premises, so I got whatever they had. In this case a Chevy Equinox SUV. First time, I got a Kia Forte.

[aaronj1159]

My dealer has an Enterprise Rental Car franchise located on-premises, so I got whatever they had. In this case a Chevy Equinox SUV. First time, I got a Kia Forte.

We just had to take an Equinox from our Enterprise here for a company trip. Thing has the turning radius of a 747.

[Fastronaut]

OK, so it is looking like it is something to do with an OBD-II Control Module that has functional control over both the transmission and braking system. Dealership, with direct Ford Michigan Engineering help, has been able to isolate and get repeat failures. That's good news.

[Fastronaut]

We just had to take an Equinox from our Enterprise here for a company trip. Thing has the turning radius of a 747.

A 747 - you are too kind. How about an aircraft carrier :)

Edited May 15, 2013 by Fastronaut

[Fastronaut]

Now looking like the Hybrid Power Control Module (HPCM)

[GrySql]

Now looking like the Hybrid Power Control Module (HPCM)

In your spec's I see you have the Luxury Self Defense Option (LSDO).

Did they check to see if your Phasers are using too much of the HPCM for the Faster Than Light Drive (FTLD)?

Or, maybe a Photon Torpedo Stability Interlink (PTSI) locked the car's position for launch.

Who's the engineer working on your car, his name wouldn't be Scotty would it?

Edited May 15, 2013 by GrySql

[Fastronaut]

In your spec's I see you have the Luxury Self Defense Option (LSDO).

Did they check to see if your Phasers are using too much of the HPCM for the Faster Than Light Drive (FTLD)?

Or, maybe a Photon Torpedo Stability Interlink (PTSI) locked the car's position for launch.

Who's the engineer working on your car, his name wouldn't be Scotty would it?

I think the dilithium chrystal oscillator overloaded and surged into the transporter filtering circuits. We're bargaining now with the Ferengis to get a deal on parts. :)

[Fastronaut]

Failing part identified as Transmission Control Module, part number DG907B012E. Also called a Secondary Onboard Diagnostic Module.

[acdii]

Not too far from the truth. So many components now that intercommunicate that makes troubleshooting a chore. Someday an engineer will have a bright idea that will allow the system to self diagnose and say, Hi Im broke, please replace me.

Edited May 16, 2013 by acdii

[dalesky]

In your spec's I see you have the Luxury Self Defense Option (LSDO).

Did they check to see if your Phasers are using too much of the HPCM for the Faster Than Light Drive (FTLD)?

Or, maybe a Photon Torpedo Stability Interlink (PTSI) locked the car's position for launch.

Who's the engineer working on your car, his name wouldn't be Scotty would it?

"I cana do it Captain!"

[Fastronaut]

Not too far from the truth. So many components now that intercommunicate that makes troubleshooting a chore. Someday an engineer will have a bright idea that will allow the system to self diagnose and say, Hi Im broke, please replace me.

Cars are getting to be computers on wheels today. It won't be too long before they download automatic software updates. After all, we see it on Synch now, or close to it.

 

Unfortunately, the driver may still be the one who has to say "I'm Broke" before the execution of the update. ;)

[hybridbear]

The problem with computers diagnosing themselves is that they aren't very good at it because it means that someone has to write code to tell it how to do that. It just doesn't work well

[neod192]

Did you run a Vehicle Health Report? I wonder if it would show anything went wrong.

[murphy]

I've never seen anything useful in a VHR.

If I forget to release the parking brake before I run the report it gives me a warning that my brakes have failed and must be serviced immediately.

The 2010 Fusion Hybrid did that in 2009 and I verified that it still happens in my 2013.

[Fastronaut]

Did you run a Vehicle Health Report? I wonder if it would show anything went wrong.

No. You can't do it with under 200 miles and I haven't had the car home enough to do that, as crazy as it seems. Been with the dealer mostly.