Setting Parking Brake to Maintenance Mode

[Mark S.]

The wife's 2020 Escape and our new Bronco Sport both have electronic parking brakes, which is a first for me. Turns out you cannot SHOULD NOT service the rear brakes unless you set the parking brake into maintenance mode. Fortunately, you do not need any fancy tools or diagnostic gear to do it.

NOTE: Both of our vehicles have push-button start. I have tested this procedure on both and it works. This procedure should work for cars that require a key to start, but I do not have a car I can test it on. If your car requires a key and you try out this procedure please let everyone know if it works.

To set maintenance mode:

1. Turn on accessory power without starting.
2. Depress and hold the accelerator pedal and press (not pull) the parking brake switch simultaneously.
3. While still holding both, turn accessory power off, then back on.
4. After a few seconds the system will chime and display a parking brake maintenance mode notification on the instrument panel.
5. Release the accelerator pedal and parking brake switch.
6. Turn off accessory power. The system will display another notification that the system is in brake maintenance mode.

It's now safe to work on the rear brakes. Don't forget to exit maintenance mode before driving.

To exit maintenance mode:

1. Turn on accessory power without starting. The system will display a notification that it is set to parking brake maintenance mode.
2. Depress and hold the accelerator pedal and pull (not press) the parking brake switch simultaneously. The system will chime and display a warning that you are in parking brake maintenance mode.
3. While still holding both, turn accessory power off, then back on.
4. After a few seconds the system will display a notification that brake mode is normal.
5. Release the accelerator pedal and parking brake switch.
6. Turn off accessory power. You should NOT see a parking brake maintenance mode notification.

If you do not see a parking brake maintenance mode notification it is safe to drive your Bronco Sport.

EDIT: 69cuda340s pointed out below that you actually CAN take the rear brakes apart without putting the parking brake into maintenance mode, but it will likely not end well.

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[69cuda340s]

Great info. It should be noted put in maintenance mode prior to doing any work on rear brakes. I know that might seem obvious but there are ppl on other forums who removed rear pads and accidently activate park brakes resulting in caliper pistons being ejected which is a huge mess to fix.

 

[Black Horse]

Wouldn't it be just as easy to unplug the parking brake actuator? (I do that anyway) I dont trust software.

 

[Mark S.]

Wouldn't it be just as easy to unplug the parking brake actuator? (I do that anyway) I dont trust software.

I'm sure that would work, although I don't know how doing so affects the software. You could also disconnect the battery; if the actuator has no power it can't actuate.

 

[Scapino]

I put my 2021 Sport into Brake Maintenance Mode before starting the rear pad replacement. Everything went fine - but now I can't get it out of Brake Maintenance Mode. Any suggestions on what to check?

It drives fine like this - other than it gives an audible warning every time I stop that it's still in Brake Maintenance Mode...

 

[Mark S.]

I put my 2021 Sport into Brake Maintenance Mode before starting the rear pad replacement. Everything went fine - but now I can't get it out of Brake Maintenance Mode. Any suggestions on what to check?

It drives fine like this - other than it gives an audible warning every time I stop that it's still in Brake Maintenance Mode...

Did you try this?

To exit maintenance mode:

1. Turn on accessory power without starting. The system will display a notification that it is set to parking brake maintenance mode.
2. Depress and hold the accelerator pedal and pull (not press) the parking brake switch simultaneously. The system will chime and display a warning that you are in parking brake maintenance mode.
3. While still holding both, turn accessory power off, then back on.
4. After a few seconds the system will display a notification that brake mode is normal.
5. Release the accelerator pedal and parking brake switch.
6. Turn off accessory power. You should NOT see a parking brake maintenance mode notification.

If you do not see a parking brake maintenance mode notification it is safe to drive your Bronco Sport.

 

[Scapino]

Did you try this?

To exit maintenance mode:

1. Turn on accessory power without starting. The system will display a notification that it is set to parking brake maintenance mode.
2. Depress and hold the accelerator pedal and pull (not press) the parking brake switch simultaneously. The system will chime and display a warning that you are in parking brake maintenance mode.
3. While still holding both, turn accessory power off, then back on.
4. After a few seconds the system will display a notification that brake mode is normal.
5. Release the accelerator pedal and parking brake switch.
6. Turn off accessory power. You should NOT see a parking brake maintenance mode notification.

If you do not see a parking brake maintenance mode notification it is safe to drive your Bronco Sport.

Yes! I am following the deactivate procedure but it is not deactivating.

 

[Mark S.]

Well, I just tried the procedure on my Bronco Sport and both the activation and deactivation procedures work. Make sure you are placing the EPB switch in the right position. It's kinda backwards: Pushing the EPB switch down deactivates the parking brake, but activates the maintenance mode. Pulling the switch up activates the parking brake, but deactivates maintenance mode. Make sure you hold both the EPB switch and accelerator pedal while you turn ignition off and back on.

If that doesn't work you might consider putting your battery on a charger for a bit. Many, many electrical system anomalies with these vehicles have been traced to a weak/bad battery.

 

[Scapino]

It's kinda backwards: Pushing the EPB switch down deactivates the parking brake, but activates the maintenance mode.

If that doesn't work you might consider putting your battery on a charger for a bit. Many, many electrical system anomalies with these vehicles have been traced to a weak/bad battery.

Thanks for that - it is confusing and I thought it just me. Note: While it is in Brake Maintenance Mode I've tried both to deactivate it - I've tried the deactivation and activation procedure just in case I had it backwards. But it just does not deactivate.

I'll try the charging thing and repost if any luck.

 

[sonarman726]

Hey all, the procedures above are missing a step to get OUT of maintenance mode. You need to press the brake pedal for >1 second in the middle of the process. (Edit: Note that it sounds like the above procedure works for many models. I have a Badlands with Copilot 360+. The 360+ option may be the reason for this difference- if anyone can confirm on their BS with 360+ let us know)

Here's the updated procedure:

To exit maintenance mode:

Turn on accessory power without starting. The system will display a notification that it is set to parking brake maintenance mode.

Depress and hold the accelerator pedal and pull (not press) the parking brake switch simultaneously. The system will chime and display a warning that you are in parking brake maintenance mode.

Firmly press the brake pedal for at least 1 second.

Release the brake pedal while continuing to hold the accelerator pedal and the EPB switch.

While still holding both, turn accessory power off, then back on.

After a few seconds the system will display a notification that brake mode is normal.

Release the accelerator pedal and parking brake switch.

Turn off accessory power. You should NOT see a parking brake maintenance mode notification.

 

[Mark S.]

Hey all, the procedures above are missing a step to get OUT of maintenance mode. You need to press the brake pedal for >1 second in the middle of the process. Here's the updated procedure:

Out of curiosity, do you have Copilot 360 or Copilot 360+?

 

[sonarman726]

Out of curiosity, do you have Copilot 360 or Copilot 360+?

Copilot 360+ on a 2021 Badlands.

Do you think there's a difference? One oddity I noticed is that Forscan LIte has the maintenance mode enable/disable feature for other 2015+ Fords but doesn't for my Bronco Sport.

 

[Mark S.]

Copilot 360+ on a 2021 Badlands.

Do you think there's a difference? One oddity I noticed is that Forscan LIte has the maintenance mode enable/disable feature for other 2015+ Fords but doesn't for my Bronco Sport.

It could be. I’ve tested the procedure I posted on my car several times and it works for me. My car doesn’t have 360+.

 

[sonarman726]

It could be. I’ve tested the procedure I posted on my car several times and it works for me. My car doesn’t have 360+.

Interesting. I probably tried out your procedure 30 times and was ready to throw in the towel and carefully drive to my local shop to have them disable maintenance mode. Then in a last minute google search I found the alternate procedure (with brake) and it worked the first time with no change to anything else I was doing but that. (I'll edit my post above to mention 360+)

 

[Mark S.]

Interesting. I probably tried out your procedure 30 times and was ready to throw in the towel and carefully drive to my local shop to have them disable maintenance mode. Then in a last minute google search I found the alternate procedure (with brake) and it worked the first time with no change to anything else I was doing but that. (I'll edit my post above to mention 360+)

I'll give another try on mine sometime today and see if it still works.

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