France in Focus

Now the Cmax is going bad, 2019 model less than 25k and the ABS pump is playing up. Driving along and suddenly it's as if someone has tied a tractor to your back bumper, very little power. Turns out the front passenger and rear driver wheels are red hot caused by the friction generated, tried pulling fuses associated with the ABS but doesn't seem to make any difference, albeit you apply the brakes and it seems to free up a couple of seconds after you take your foot off. phoned a mate in the UK with a garage, straight away he said the ABS pump, he has had 2 in for the same thing this month. Went to a local repairer, they don't want to touch it, seems a bit technical for them, but he did show me the price of just a new pump at 1300€ HT, so God knows what this is going to come to. I suspect they will try and change the discs, pads and calipers at the same time telling me they have overheated and caused damage. Even more galling as when I bought the car the salesman told us, and handwrote it on the sales invoice that it had a seven year guarantee, something they now deny.

Mr BishyB here.

There is a company in the UK that specialises in repairing ABS units including the Cmax.

https://controlunits.co.uk/ford-c-max-i ... mp-ecu/#t3

They also state on their website that they have a presence in Germany avoiding the cross-channel and back customs nonsense.

I suggest you either look for them in Germany, or ask them for the details of their german operation.

Best of luck - let everybody know what ensues

It seems to be a common problem https://www.60millions-mag.com/forum/au ... 03420.html If you search, you will find there are quite a few companies offering repairs. It is possible to get the pump repaired for about 400€

Unfortunately my car repairing days are long gone, and most of these companies, will not fit parts that you are supplying. I still have a load sensor for my truck that I can't get anyone to fit. Looks as though it's bite the bullet and cough up.

I feel your pain.
I have just coughed up €230 to have a set of pre-heat plugs fitted.
I could have bought a set for £20 and done it myself.
A shame I couldn't charge today's prices when I was working on cars for neighbours years ago.

I have just saved a pile of cash by fitting a new alternator myself. A straightforward job normally, but this was a fiat sedici/suzuki 4x4 with the alternator at the back of the engine. I do not recommend that anybody does this job unless they have tiny hands and are an experienced gynecologist.

The original Mini was also best left to people with tiny hands, with very thick skin, because of all the sharp edges. They were originally built dropping the body over the engine & subframe. Never giving a thought to anyone having to replace things from the top down.

Not sure that my OH would agree with that, HR. He built the Mini that we toured France in a few times and he swears that there was more room to bricole under it's bonnet than there is under my 206's! Mostly because there were so few frills back in the 80s

elsie wrote: ↑Tue Apr 23, 2024 4:24 pm It seems to be a common problem

That is an excellent site elsie .. reading the many tales of woe about the poor quality of the ABS unit in a Ford C Max was eye-opening.
It talks of there being excellent workshops which specialise in repairing such units here in France which also reinforce them so the problem doesn't reoccur. If you use a Ford garage the replacement unit will be the same as the original with the same defect.

suein56 wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 7:33 am If you use a Ford garage the replacement unit will be the same as the original with the same defect.

That is a very valid point Sue and not one I had thought about, as usual manufacturers turn a blind eye to these faulty component problems.