So called "Ice Mode" anyone experience it?

strengthrehab · Oct 25, 2019

From what I understand from my GM buddies, "Ice Mode" is related to the ABS system believing that the car is sliding on ice so it reduces brake pressure and efficiency accordingly. It presents with a rock hard pedal with minimal braking ability. I don't recall hearing much about this on the Mustang platform, however.

I've intermittently experienced the same on my car. It's baffling to me. I've read it is an ABS issue and I've read it is an issue related to driver inputs into the braking system.

Has anyone experienced this?

VoodooBoss · Oct 25, 2019

There have been members that have experienced ice mode on S197 cars but haven’t heard that on the S550. I’m sure it’s there and looks like you found it.

strengthrehab · Oct 25, 2019

VoodooBoss said:
There have been members that have experienced ice mode on S197 cars but haven’t heard that on the S550. I’m sure it’s there and looks like you found it.

That's my issue. I'm wondering how bad do I have to be to be the only one of thousands who put this car on track to experience it?

VoodooBoss · Oct 25, 2019

In the S197 cars you can upgrade the ABS to a Bosch or other brand but it was expensive. I might have the brand wrong there. @treynor changed it on his 302S.

OCPONY · Oct 26, 2019

strengthrehab said:
From what I understand from my GM buddies, "Ice Mode" is related to the ABS system believing that the car is sliding on ice so it reduces brake pressure and efficiency accordingly. It presents with a rock hard pedal with minimal braking ability. I don't recall hearing much about this on the Mustang platform, however.

I've intermittently experienced the same on my car. It's baffling to me. I've read it is an ABS issue and I've read it is an issue related to driver inputs into the braking system.

Has anyone experienced this?

I had it happen once last year during Optima event in an autoX session.. max breaking just as there was a hump in the pavement. Very rare for Fords...but lots of the GM cars were fighting it during that event. breaking reduced by at least 50 percent but still a solid pedal. Cones were killed during that run!!

JAJ · Oct 26, 2019

strengthrehab said:
From what I understand from my GM buddies, "Ice Mode" is related to the ABS system believing that the car is sliding on ice so it reduces brake pressure and efficiency accordingly. It presents with a rock hard pedal with minimal braking ability. I don't recall hearing much about this on the Mustang platform, however.

I've intermittently experienced the same on my car. It's baffling to me. I've read it is an ABS issue and I've read it is an issue related to driver inputs into the braking system.

Has anyone experienced this?

So, you've had that weird sideways kick at a track event - it's in your other thread - and I responded saying it was unusual to have more than one problem at a time, but that it sounded like you had two different issues. Now it's sounding like there's just one issue - your ABS/AdvanceTrak module is not working normally. Going into ice mode and randomly hammering the rear brakes on one side is not normal behavior. As you see in the posts above, it doesn't seem to happen on S550's, except for yours. Now, that could mean that the ABS controller is not working or it could be from somewhere else. For instance, the g-force and yaw meter in the car is actually in the airbag controller ("RCM"), and ABS uses CAN messages that originate there as part of figuring out how the car's moving. That module can be recalibrated using IDS or Forscan, but it's possible that module or the ABS module is just plain broken.

rgator · Nov 25, 2019

JAJ said:
So, you've had that weird sideways kick at a track event - it's in your other thread - and I responded saying it was unusual to have more than one problem at a time, but that it sounded like you had two different issues. Now it's sounding like there's just one issue - your ABS/AdvanceTrak module is not working normally. Going into ice mode and randomly hammering the rear brakes on one side is not normal behavior. As you see in the posts above, it doesn't seem to happen on S550's, except for yours. Now, that could mean that the ABS controller is not working or it could be from somewhere else. For instance, the g-force and yaw meter in the car is actually in the airbag controller ("RCM"), and ABS uses CAN messages that originate there as part of figuring out how the car's moving. That module can be recalibrated using IDS or Forscan, but it's possible that module or the ABS module is just plain broken.

I have experienced this on the Porsche Cayman R I had, it only happened on one turn of one track. As explained to me you need to quickly let go of the brake and re apply the brake pressure to get your full pressure back. It seems to happen under very rare instances to the car when it is unloaded in a particular way. Since I didn't like double pumping the brake I went in and hooked up simple on off switch to my yaw sensor wire when I was on track and not only did the problem go away I ended up with more brake bias to the rear which gave me more balanced braking. Yes you will get light on your dash and you lose that computer controlling your yaw rate but it made the car drive better.
I have not experienced it on the GT350.
Just my experience.

Junkyard Dog · Apr 15, 2026

Now that the S650 is out, has anybody experienced this with an S650 car or Dark Horse?

k_z · Apr 17, 2026

btw - conclusion I got to is that if you see ice mode on these cars, you have to much compression in front dampers and ABS freaks out. Soften dampers and it'll be gone.

steveespo · Apr 17, 2026

I find if I "spike" the brakes at higher speed, I get the wooden pedal. Release and reapply smoother input and it works better. Had this frequently into turn 7 at Sebring while trying to push the brake zone. Smoother initial hit followed by a ramp to higher brake pressure allowed a deeper and shorter brake event. The problem is of course fear. When your brain says you aren't going to make it, your foot hits the pedal too hard too fast. The overboosted OEM system doesn't help. Dark Horse R cars with the Bosch ABS system really address this. $11k solution. LOL

bnight · May 1, 2026

steveespo said:
I find if I "spike" the brakes at higher speed, I get the wooden pedal. Release and reapply smoother input and it works better. Had this frequently into turn 7 at Sebring while trying to push the brake zone. Smoother initial hit followed by a ramp to higher brake pressure allowed a deeper and shorter brake event. The problem is of course fear. When your brain says you aren't going to make it, your foot hits the pedal too hard too fast. The overboosted OEM system doesn't help. Dark Horse R cars with the Bosch ABS system really address this. $11k solution. LOL

I think the cheaper option is the FP350S ABS module for our cars:

https://www.cjponyparts.com/ford-performance-fp350s-abs-module-kit-bracket/p/M2353D/?srsltid=AfmBOoo8L1ePrr4IQcMw-Gdq7OypLCaZyvZZulD_enE_ak6-9QZfbE1o

Or even the Boss 302S version as well.

I had fought with ABS Ice mode for a while now and I can say it was mighty annoying the solution was actually getting back to OEM rear pads as looks like the rear ABS sensors is where the programing decides that you are on Ice this actually solved it for me and now it's working but a proper ABS module is the long term solution.

biggsy · May 1, 2026

The FP350 module isn’t a direct fit and the costs adds up quickly between additional parts and development. Quite a few posts on here with people trying to get it to work. I know one stating it may not be worth the hassle but I know “worth” depends on the driver’s use (HPDE vs W2W)

Junkyard Dog · May 1, 2026

biggsy said:
The FP350 module isn’t a direct fit and the costs adds up quickly between additional parts and development. Quite a few posts on here with people trying to get it to work. I know one stating it may not be worth the hassle but I know “worth” depends on the driver’s use (HPDE vs W2W)

ABS and AP Racing

Just curious to know if those of you that have switched to ap racing brakes also switched the abs module to the fp350s one.Thanks, Chris

trackmustangsonline.com

biggsy · May 1, 2026

Junkyard Dog said:
ABS and AP Racing
Just curious to know if those of you that have switched to ap racing brakes also switched the abs module to the fp350s one.Thanks, Chris
trackmustangsonline.com

Yea. That’s one of the posts/threads I was referring to. Not impossible but the cost would be up there.

bnight · May 1, 2026

biggsy said:
The FP350 module isn’t a direct fit and the costs adds up quickly between additional parts and development. Quite a few posts on here with people trying to get it to work. I know one stating it may not be worth the hassle but I know “worth” depends on the driver’s use (HPDE vs W2W)

I know it's not a direct fit you need a proper aftermarket ECU to use it properly and who knows what else. Which is why I solved that issue for me by going back to OEM rear pads.

biggsy · May 1, 2026

Gotcha. I have seen people complain about it but I’ve never experienced it personally.

Pagid RST3/GLOC R12 has worked great for me. Also squeezing the brake instead of stabbing it like Steve mentioned

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So called "Ice Mode" anyone experience it?

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