Dash Brake light

malador · Post by **malador** » 17 Jan 2010, 18:05

I used a turkey baster (clean and new) today to change the brake fluid on my wifes 2000 V40. Now the dash brake light is on. any thoughts?

Thanks,

Post by **billofdurham** » 18 Jan 2010, 16:04

Welcome to Matthew's Volvo Site.

I have never heard of this method for changing brake fluid. Did you remove all the fluid from the master cylinder and then refill it? You could well have let air into the system.

Bill.

malador · Post by **malador** » 18 Jan 2010, 19:47

I've always changed the fluid this way in my cars whenever i do a brake job. I wasn't doing a brake job though, i just had some dot4(fresh) left over from another car so i figured i might as well use it...... I don't think i took enough out to let air in the system.

I'll try bleeding the brakes when i get back in town on Friday. I'll keep my fingers crossed and hope this the problem, they don't feel spongy though.

thanks for the help!

Post by **jblackburn** » 18 Jan 2010, 19:49

Check to see if you knocked off one of the sensor wires on the reservoir. I'm thinking it's just trying to tell you that it's low on fluid (or at least that's what older cars turn it on for

)

malador · Post by **malador** » 19 Jan 2010, 10:16

I looked to see if the connector was loose, but no luck there. Is this light something i can take to auto-parts store, and have the code scanned?

Post by **jblackburn** » 19 Jan 2010, 10:19

Is this light something i can take to auto-parts store, and have the code scanned?

Yes. Worth a shot anyway!

malador · Post by **malador** » 21 Jan 2010, 19:36

OK so i bleed the brakes, lights still on.

Went by the autoparts store and had in scanned for codes. I guess the brakes not something that throws a code, because its clean.

Anyone other thoughts? These volvos seem to be a lot quarkier than the subarus and toyotas i'm used too.

Post by **jblackburn** » 21 Jan 2010, 19:56

I still think it's gotta have something to do with the brake reservoir sensor. Is there a seperate 'parking brake' light on an S40? It could also be a bad sensor for that if it thinks it's pulled up.

malador · Post by **malador** » 21 Jan 2010, 20:48

jablackburn wrote:I still think it's gotta have something to do with the brake reservoir sensor. Is there a seperate 'parking brake' light on an S40? It could also be a bad sensor for that if it thinks it's pulled up.

yeah there is a parking break light as well. I'll try taking the plug off and check the sensor for continuity tomorrow.

I guess i'm going to learn a little bit more about how Volvo does breaks..

malador · Post by **malador** » 24 Jan 2010, 01:26

PROBLEM SOLVED

So I determined I could make the light go out by jumpering the plug to level float. After that I just drained and throughly cleaned the reservoir and refilled. No light now! Thanks for your guy's help.