I purchased a used 2004 XC90 T6 for my son and the person I bought it from drove it to my house. The next day I found the car had no brakes unless I pump the brake pedal. So I hooked up my vacuum bleeder and found that I couldn't get any fluid out of the front passenger caliper. Tracing back and checking fittings, I found where the line connects to ABS, that no fluid was getting through to that line. The others have plenty of flow. Is it possible to remove the ABS module and use air to back flow that port and see if I can clear the blockage or should I just replace it? The brake fluid was black so I figure it may just be a blockage or stuck valve.

 

I would not introduce air into the hydraulic system. If is very difficult to get back out sometimes. And bleeding the brakes is not going to fix anything permanently, unless someone somehow let air into the system. (fluid got low, leaked out for some reason) Black brake fluid means it's never been changed. And it's normally part of a 30k service, or done every few years. Can you get fluid out if you slightly loosen the brake line at the caliper? The car would be pulling when braking if there is no fluid getting to a front caliper. You did not mention that happening.

On a different note - are you aware of the common transmission problems with the general motors transmission used in the t-6? I leased a t-6 in 2004. The transmission lasted 22,000 miles. And replaced many in customer cars after that.

 

I'm getting fluid from the master cylinder to the ABS manifold. I get fluid from all calipers except passenger front wheel. disconnecting line for that caliper at the manifold, I get no fluid. Planning on pulling the ABS units to see if the valve is stuck or plugged.

 

Picked up a used manifold at a junk yard for $40 and installed using old ABS controller. Brakes working great, but no ABS. My next project.

 

now you have a working valve body, you still have the ABS pump and the controller to check out. sounds like a trip back to the junk yard is in order :-) Check out Xemodex and Midwest ABS's web sites for some common symptoms of a faulty ABS controller. Do you have the ABS light on or any fault codes? (keep in mind, not all scanners can read the ABS codes- you may need to rent a better one or get a shop to scan). I'd think a fault controller or pump would throw a code or two.

 

Getting a 0031, 0133, 0136 codes. I did get the controller, but Volvo will not change the code unless I buy a new one. I see I can change the eprom chip from the old to the new but with my stroke, it would be very hard. But I've at least got the car back on the road.

 

Volvo will not "erase" the code?