Advice on Caliper / Spongy Brakes - Friend's Volvo
 

Hi Everyone,

A friend purchased a Volvo C30 a few weeks ago. It is in great shape, but the service history was unknown. I suggested we assume it had not had it's last major service and last weekend we changed the oil, filters, spark plugs, etc. However, when I bled the brakes the rear passenger side started to leak fluid from the caliper pistons.

They had it towed to a mechanic to work on it during the week, and the mechanic claimed it needed two new rear calipers, because they where both bad (again only one was leaking). When he got the car back today the mechanic said that the new calipers and pistons would take about a week to "self adjust" and the now spongy brakes would go away. Right now the brake pedal goes very far forward on the first press, and on the second press goes a normal distance, but is still soft. This mechanic only bled the rear brakes and also commented how the front calipers may need to be replaced too because they "looked like they had been messed with."

I have never heard of a self adjusting caliper piston, or that spongy brakes will just go away on their own. My immediate thought was that there is air in the system, and the mechanic is hoping the master cylinder gets destroyed so he can replace it. Anyone have any thoughts on this? Am I right to be suspicious? This is why I do all the maintenance on my 986 myself.

Thanks,
-Rick :cheers: