I've got a 1995 Volvo 850 wagon. When I hold the brake down I hear a hissing noice. It goes away when the pedal is not pressed. Seems to be no change in braking. I SHOULD ADD THAT THE AIR NOISE IS HEARD WHETHER THE CAR IS MOVING OR NOT AND IT IS NOT THE SOUND OF DRAGGING BRAKE PADS OR WORN PADS. SIMPLY PUSH THE PEDAL DOWN MAKES THE SOUND? ANY IDEAS OUT THERE?

Any ideas?

thanks, gary

 

Maybe a cat is ridding on your brake caliper and when you apply the brakes his tail gets caught in the pads. He hisses to let you know to get off the brakes.

 

I had my front brakes replaced at 22,000 miles service representative explained that the brakes are soft and Volvo wear more often! At 30,000 miles of service, was 8 mm left. At 36,000 miles, said service agent again, he should be replaced as they were at 3 mm. Only 16,000 miles! The same driver and same driving range. It seems too few miles for me, but the service representative insists it is "our fault for the way we manage" and not the car. I had problems with noise, and they had to replace bushings in front, look he said that the issue had nothing to do socket. Does anyone have the experience to know if the brakes wear out at 16,000 miles is normal and / or what I can take ?

 

Brake pads should last way longer than that. My guess would be that someone is riding the brakes (2 foot driver) or a claiper of 2 are dragging. My pads usually last about 50,000 miles in the front and about 70 on the rear. I usually get pads from ipd.

 

sound like u have a brake booster problem. does your brakes pedal seem hard everytime you left the car over night then when the first brake apply seem very hard??

 

Ok, another though on the brake hissing problem. Could be that the rubber gromet that plugs the hole in the firewall has torn or come out allowing you to hear engine bay noise when you have pressure on the cable.

 

when the car is running & u apply brakes, not only u r getting hydrolic assist, u r also using vacuum from the brake booster to assist u around 14-24 psi. ie, w/the engine not running try to pump the brakes a few times, u will find the brake pedal become hard since there is no vacuum from the engine to assist your braking. that's what i mean if it is hard in the morning cause the brake booster is suppose to hold vacuum for an emergency braking even w/the engine off. (only for a few brakes). in any case, that's a comment problem w/p2 volvo I suggest u get a tech to check it out, due to safety.