B
13

That wheel bearing job from hell on a 2012 Focus last Tuesday

I was changing the rear wheel bearing on a 2012 Ford Focus at my shop in Austin. Got the hub off fine but the damn sensor wire was seized into the bracket. Spent 45 minutes with a pick and PB Blaster trying not to snap it. Ended up having to cut the old wire and splice in a new one anyway. Has anyone figured out a trick for getting those stuck wheel speed sensors out without destroying them?
2 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In
2 Comments
faith_thomas
Oh man, that seized sensor wire is the worst. I spent a whole afternoon on a Subaru once using heat and vice grips before giving up and splicing, so I feel your pain.
2
price.gavin
Did you ever try using a pick tool or a small screwdriver to gently pry the connector apart before resorting to heat? I've had some luck with that on older Subaru sensors where the plastic lock tab breaks off, but the wire itself gets brittle from engine heat over time. Usually I end up carefully cutting the old wire and soldering a new connector on, which is more work but saves the sensor. It's a common problem with these cars, especially if they've seen a lot of salt or moisture.
2