Brakes going bad? 02 V70 2.4T Topic is solved

Jonboy74 · Post by **Jonboy74** » 20 Oct 2019, 19:35

Hi all,

So I had not noticed this until my wife drove my car and said something, but then realized that my brakes don’t seem to have any power unless I pump them. If I get the car up to 40 and then SLAM on the brake pedal, the car doesn’t come to a screeching halt and the brakes don’t lock up, UNLESS I pump the brakes several times. If I just stand on the brake pedal, it will essentially go all the way to the floor.

Is my master cylinder going or is there something else? I have never done any work on the brake lines, but have replaced the pads a couple of times. I don’t see any evidence of leaking anywhere up top and no signs of leaks in the driveway.

Any/all advice appreciated.

Thanks!

Jonboy

Post by **RickHaleParker** » 22 Oct 2019, 22:09

First check the break fluid level. Low on fluid can cause the symptoms you listed.

ABS = Anti-lock Braking System. Locking the brakes use to get people in deep shit.

The coefficient of friction decreases when the tires are sliding. They start sliding and have a "Oh, Rob" moment at the worst possible time. ABS pretty much eliminated them "Oh, Rob" moments.

Jonboy74 · Post by **Jonboy74** » 29 Oct 2019, 16:10

Thanks Rick.

The fluid level was just fine. As for locking up, I guess that was a poor choice of wording on my part...but I digress.

HOWEVER, the fluid was a nasty color, and appeared to be brown-ish/rust colored. I took it into my local indy Volvo shop, and they fully expected to have to replace the master cylinder.

They sucked all of the fluid out of the reservoir, pulled the reservoir off, cleaned it, vacuum bled the brakes to get all the old fluid out, then power bled the brakes, and everything works now as it should. They said they had never seen anything like that before that simply worked after the brakes were bled.

Its like I have brand new brakes....

Anyone else here seen this happen before?

Thanks,

Jonboy

Post by **abscate** » 29 Oct 2019, 19:38

You got water in your brake fluid over the years , and that will boil at hard braking teem-erasures

The solution is in the owner manual, which says to replace brake fluid every 2 years as a maintenance item

You have done well to escape with just a fluid refresh, kudos!

Post by **RickHaleParker** » 29 Oct 2019, 19:48

Jonboy74 wrote: ↑29 Oct 2019, 16:10 HOWEVER, the fluid was a nasty color, and appeared to be brown-ish/rust colored.
Anyone else here seen this happen before?

Causes of Brown brake fluid:

Sludge from brake system parts.
Moisture that is sucked into the system.
Rubber or contaminants leaching out of brake lines.
Heat, Anytime you compress a gas or a fluid it heats up. The heat deepens the fluid's color.

The darkening process from heat usually takes years.

The fluid has not been changed for year OR something else is going on.

Possibilities for rapid darkening.

Rapidly deteriorating seal.
Moisture getting in to brake system.
A load of sludge getting dislodged.

Keep an eye in it.

Jonboy74 · Post by **Jonboy74** » 29 Oct 2019, 23:48

Thanks guys - the fluid had *NEVER* been changed to my knowledge. I'm @ 257k miles, and this is on an '02....

I asked the indy shop about changing the fluid years ago, and they espoused that doing so was "a waste of your hard earned money"...so I didn't do it....

maybe I should have....

Jonboy

Post by **abscate** » 30 Oct 2019, 05:57

I asked the indy shop about changing the fluid years ago, and they espoused that doing so was "a waste of your hard earned money"...so I didn't do it....

Ouch. Well, it is wasting your money when you buy other cool things instead of giving it to them for a full brake job every 5 years.

Seriously,the manual says every two years for a reason. It’s one of the most neglected areas of auto repair in the second most important system.