How the hell does one bleed brakes on a 2020 Escape?

I believe the electronic parking brake is somehow preventing me from bleeding a rear brake. Conventional bleeding (pump pedal, open bleeder) does nothing. I opened the brake line at the rubber hose and was able to gravity bleed the caliper with a syringe. Reinstall... and nothing.

Attempting to bleed the steel line also resulted in nothing. All of this with the car off, then on, parking brake on and off, etc.

Using a vacuum bleeder I was able to remove a few ounces of fluid then it stopped. I wonder if I simply evacuated the caliper of fluid.

Tonight I'm going to try the vacuum bleeder on the steel line, as well as unplugging the (caliper mounted) electronic parking brake actuator in hopes of somehow fixing this.

The car will also not go into parking brake service mode with the key/accelerator combonation. I got involved in the project too late.

ETA: first person accidentally hit the brake pedal with the caliper removed and blew the piston out. The piston was reassembled before I got to it and it appears to not be leaking. I'm unsure of the caliper and/or actuator is busted.

The parking brake actuator shouldn’t have anything to do with the hydraulic circuit. You can take ours off with 3 torx screws.

AllData says brake service mode is required to deactivate the booster and perform bleeding.

Good luck.

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Thank you!

I'll renew my Forscan license tonight and see if I can activate it.

In case anyone was wondering, @maslin02 is the man.

The brakes bled properly. Thank you!

No problem!