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V40 brake line burst!
maartenromijn - 18/1/11 at 07:45 PM

Today during firmly braking suddenly the brake pressure dropped. Pedal went to the floor. Luckily the car in front of me just accellerated, so no accident happened. I stopped at the nearest parking place to find out that brake fluid was all over the front left driveshaft. I assume the flexible hose has burst.

The stupid thing is, I had expected that my Volvo V40 (2001) had a dual brake system (diagonally divided). How amazed I was to lose all the pressure!

Afterwards, I feel very unsafe in my VOLVO!

Does anyone know whether I have a dual brake system? Isn't it obligatory to have this????

Ninehigh - 18/1/11 at 08:05 PM

I'd imagine it was standard by then, but you would lose 50% of your braking efficiency... No idea if it's required now though

I guess it's the difference between sh**e brakes and no brakes. The rear ones on missus's pug have gone and the pedal has the same effect but it does stop evenutally (no it's not on the road atm)

MikeRJ - 18/1/11 at 09:44 PM

It will definitely have a split braking system, but in the event one one circuit failing pedal travel is significantly increased!

quote:
Originally posted by Ninehigh
I'd imagine it was standard by then, but you would lose 50% of your braking efficiency...


Probably more in reality as it will make the car pull to one side quite a bit, so you have to apply some steering effort at the same time.

[Edited on 18/1/11 by MikeRJ]

russbost - 18/1/11 at 10:22 PM

It most certainly will be split, but probably front to rear, if the front has gone, the rear only does about 20% of the work so you'll have brakes, but really cr*p ones & only at the bottom of the pedal travel - unless of course the rears had actually ceased to work ages ago & you hadn't noticed, in which case you'd now have none!

Liam - 18/1/11 at 10:29 PM

The fact you could stop at all suggests you had some brakes left - or did you use the handbrake? Maybe the circuit that didn't fail had some air in it hence the pedal going to the floor? When was the last time it had a good bleed? You may have been able to get more braking effort by pumping a few times if that actually occured to you during the brown trouser moment! Glad nobody is hurt.

Ninehigh - 19/1/11 at 08:49 AM

They're split diagonally now, because if they're front/rear then you'll have a tendency to spin/very little force, or if they're left/right you'll swerve harshly. So what you'd have is front right and back left..

maartenromijn - 19/1/11 at 10:47 AM

I was driving maybe 20 mph, but had to brake firmly because of not paying attention to the car in front of me (trying to get bluetooth connection with my phone to my parrot handsfree system.

Pedal went to the floor. I had some braking left, I assume that it was becase even though leaking, some pressure could be built up in the hydraulic system. Right front did not brake for sure.

Car did not pull to one side.