My '95 850 recently felt like the brakes weren't grabbing, or attempted to grab then slipped with a rhythmic feel on the brake pedal. ABS light has never come on. Pads on the front are new, on the rear are at about 30%. Rotors do have a lip. The brake warning light came on for a short time but then went out and never came back on -- it's been a full week. A few months back the brake light came on so I added brake fluid which made the light go out. My brake fluid reservoir is mounted at an angel so it's hard to tell the level. I added more fluid again with this latest occurrence and have had no further issues with the brakes. Do I need to have something replaced or is it OK to keep adding brake fluid as needed? The owner's manual sounds like this is a dire safety issue. Thanks for your help.

 

I don't know how to say this nicely, it damn sure is a dire safety issue as in running over and killing the little kid who darts out in front of you or your foot going to the floor and you glide into an intersection and kill people.

If you need to add a little fluid once (once) it's normal. As the pads or shoes wear down it's the fluid in the master that makes up for the pads or shoes having to move in closer to the rotor or drum. As the pads and or shoes get closer to the end of their life it may take enough fluid to make up that difference that the brake light comes on and you do "top off" the master once and only once. I say that because it just doesn't take that much fluid to make up for that wear.

BUT you should NEVER have to add a second time and you should never see the brake light come on again as the pads would need to be replaced long before you'd go low again. If you had to add again and you saw the light come on again you have a leak and a leak can turn your Volvo into something fatal to you or someone else.

Immediately find out where the leak is and fix it. There is no such thing as a small leak in the brake system. Any leak is a critical condition needing immediate remedy. Please inspect it now or have someone do it for you before it's too late.

 

Well, I guess someone down the line reading this might need your strong words, but for me, a calmly stated "yes, it is as dire as it implies" would have been enough. Thanks for your reply, I will get it checked. Do you, or does anyone else, know how difficult this repair might be, as in hard/easy-to-get-to parts, etc?

 

It could just be that your brake lines have a small crack and that's not a crazy fix, but definitely very important. I used to have a 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado and one day I was backing out of the driveway, put my foot on the brake pedal and it went to the floor. I could see the brake fluid in a nice trail in front of me. I'm sure your lines aren't dry rotted as those were, but definitely get those fixed and don't drive until you do. The same thing happened to me with a 1994 2500 GMC Diesel Suburban going into an intersection in DC several years ago, and lets say its not a good feeling hitting the brakes and the pedal going to the floor and pumping them millions of times so you don't rear end anyone. It shouldn't be a terribly expensive fix, but even if it is its completely worth it. You should be able to find hoses and everything you need online once when you figure out the problem. However if you need to drive this car asap, give your local auto supplier a call; they might have what you need in stock so you can get a hold of your parts quickly. I have found its cheaper to shop around online patiently, but it's usually not the fastest means of fixing an issue.

 

Sounds like you have a small leak. Brake system leaks tend to get worse as time goes by. Some leaks are REAL hard to find because of so much road travel. It could also be a caliper.

Another thing to check is the condition of your brake line hoses near the calipers. When they get old they crack, expand when brakes are applied and do need to be replaced as well. Some people go with the steel wire hoses.

I'd try to find the leak, bleed the calipers, and replace rotors next time pads are due for replacement. You should see what it takes to get your brake res level. Here is a pic of what mine looked like (to the right of the yellow circle).

 

I'm sorry, I've just had too many guys think it's ok to just vice grip the line and wait a pay day or two to getting around to fixing it.
Fighting with someone who's sure I'm screwing them because I won't sell them a compression fitting to splice a brake line back together or the one guy who came in with a ventilated brake rotor with one surface missing, it was down to the fin and wanted me to machine the "good" side !!
I'm touchy about brakes because I'm always worried one of those guys is behind me

That, and some people really don't get it without hitting them with a 2X4.
Again, sorry.

 

Was he only going to install one brake pad?

 

I couldn't tell you. He did intend on putting it back on until he was ganged up on and humiliated into buying a rotor. Still doesn't insure he actually put it on. It's just scary what some people will do.

Had a co-worker with a beater and that's coming from me and my 300 dollar 850 !! The floor pan was so badly rusted there wasn't anything holding the drivers seat anymore and he actually bolted the seat to two, two by fours and set the seat in there over the hole.

He didn't bolt the two by fours to the floor. I really do get nervous at stop signs as I see a car coming up behind me because I know what nightmares are out there and then there's the ones I don't !!

It's people like this that scare me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjUdMmnf0ko

And in slow motion:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufy0PgZRIao

 

No problem, Kiss4aFrog. I left out some information (too new to know what all to add). My 850 is manual shift. I'd already had the brakes inspected, and there was nothing wrong other than normal wear. But .... I took it back to my repair guy and said it was apparently leaking brake fluid (initially I'd said it was brakes grabbing intermittently, just like I said on this forum). My repair guy said it could be the clutch which also relies on brake fluid. Sure enough, there's seepage out of the master cylinder. Part's ordered, will be replaced next week, earliest opportunity. Next question -- anyone have any tips on the process of replacing the master cylinder? My repair guy is now self-employed and most of his experience has been jaguars. He's never done one of these.