ostego Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Right... so had a service with Jez @ H-dev just over a month ago having driven 900 miles in the car and with no brake fluid problems. about 2 weeks after the service where they changed the brake fluid, and identified 2 nipples that were seized, the ESP, skid and handbrake light came on.... i looked and saw the fluid was half way between min and max, topped it up and thought it was sorted. 1 week ago the problem reared its head again as the handbrake light came on under hard braking, and then yesterday i start up my car to have the same 3 lights on again.... only to see the fluid level is half way between min and max yet again after just another 2 weeks! So i am pretty sure that this issue lies with something done in the service. I read online it could be one of the bolts they undo to bleed to brakes that may not be tightened enough, so the fluid could be leaking out there (figure it must be as that would have been the only thing that could be causing this)! Is there any quick way i can check to see if or where this leak would be coming from? Am paranoid as I've heard brake fluid strips paint.... and my wheels are painted, so don't want any corrosive liquid dripping down them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhackyWill Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Take it back to where you had it serviced and tell them "sort it".. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ostego Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 Take it back to where you had it serviced and tell them "sort it".. Yeah, probably the best idea really! Just have this week off as holiday so was hoping i could forget about car troubles and just travel about to visit friends! But will get in touch with jez and see if he can have a quick look if i stop off in Chievley! Was just wondering whether this could just be an easy fix i could do myself in a couple of minutes to save me the effort and fuel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Seems like you are losing fluid - I would consider a 'breakdown' journey back to jez given something might suddenly let go, but give him a ring to see what he suggests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ostego Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 Seems like you are losing fluid - I would consider a 'breakdown' journey back to jez given something might suddenly let go, but give him a ring to see what he suggests. Looks like I've got an early morning stop off on Thursday! Just hope the brakes don't fail me on the journey there!! Thanks for the advice guys! One of these days the posts about problems with the car should end.... fingers crossed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ostego Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 Just checked and having topped it up to max yesterday, it is already back down to the EXACT same spot as it has been the last 2 times i had to top it up, directly inbetween min and max. No lights yet under hard braking, so at least it doesnt seem to be deteriorating a lot quicker.... but seems for some reason each time i top it up it must quickly disappear to the mid-level, then slowly deteriorate after that! Hopefully Jez can shine some light on this mystery! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 I'd go easy on the hard braking tests until it's been looked at! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chubby Ninja Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 maybe they haven't bled the brakes properly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Mcgoo Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Have a look on the inside of your wheels, with the amount of fluid it sounds like your getting through I'd expect to see some tell tale signs of it if it was coming out anywhere near the calipers. I'd be very careful if your gonna drive it, if this is a leaky nipple it could pop out and your foot will go to the floor with no breaking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ostego Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 Have a look on the inside of your wheels, with the amount of fluid it sounds like your getting through I'd expect to see some tell tale signs of it if it was coming out anywhere near the calipers. I'd be very careful if your gonna drive it, if this is a leaky nipple it could pop out and your foot will go to the floor with no breaking! Have looked around the callipers and discs and cant see or feel any leakages, no sign of any residue from what i can tell. Felt the insides of the discs too and it was just black dirt that came off on my hands Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BulletMagnet Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Have you checked the inside bleed nipples too? The front calipers have two nipples each Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ostego Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 (edited) Have you checked the inside bleed nipples too? The front calipers have two nipples each didn't see the inside nipples but had a good feel around the callipers and discs on both sides and there was no liquid there that i could feel. With regards to Chubby Ninja's comment that they may not have bled the brakes properly.... they did note that 2 of the nipples were seized, so i can therefore assume they weren't bled "properly" in that sense (no detriment meant to H-dev, they knew i was on a tight time schedule so did what they could to have it done in time). Could them not bleeding these 2 nipples have resulted in air getting in the system, which is now slowly working it's way out, and hence resulting in the dropping fluid level? Edited February 11, 2014 by ostego Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Mcgoo Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 If you have air in the system your peddle with feel pretty spongy and travel a fair way before you get solid breaking. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZMANALEX Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 You simply have a fluid leak and should be very easy to spot due to the volume of fluid that you have lost. Be very careful on your drive to Horsham and avoid as much braking as possible. Alex. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ostego Posted February 11, 2014 Author Share Posted February 11, 2014 If you have air in the system your peddle with feel pretty spongy and travel a fair way before you get solid breaking. Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk Hmm, wouldn't be that then as I noted earlier that the brake pedal felt quite firm and high up! Guess Zman alex is right, Hopefully this is just a quick little thing that needs tightening or something that was overlooked when doing the service and Jez can put it right in a flash! As I've just forked out £8k for the car... £350 on this service... £1k on tax & insurance... and have another £800 worth of repairs that need doing... so I'm literally broke! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ostego Posted February 12, 2014 Author Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) FFS! Seems its getting worse.... first time round it took 13 days.... last time was about 2 weeks.... topped it up on Monday, have handbrake and ESP & skid light popping up today! Felt around and found some clear oil-based liquid around the font drivers side calliper, so may have found the culprit! Are also puddles under that wheel where i parked last night... and because the wheels are painted.... ALL of the paintwork on the insides of the wheel is bubbled and looks pretty rough.... i am not happy Will top it up with dot4 to the max, and just pray the brakes don't fail me on my 50 mile journey back to Newbury tonight ready for a 9am trip to H-dev! Edited February 12, 2014 by ostego Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB-UK Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 I had a similar thing too, drivers rear outer bleed nipple was leaking a bit after fitting some braided lines. Garage tightened it up FOC and advised on some new bleed nipples when it went back in for the rear lines. Quick check on eBay and all bleed nipples replaced 2 days later by the same place for a bit of labour and another litre of brake fluid along with the rear lines. Here's the link, these fit the standard Brembos fine. http://bit.ly/19oCT91 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 FFS! Seems its getting worse.... first time round it took 13 days.... last time was about 2 weeks.... topped it up on Monday, have handbrake and ESP & skid light popping up today! Felt around and found some clear oil-based liquid around the font drivers side calliper, so may have found the culprit! Are also puddles under that wheel where i parked last night... and because the wheels are painted.... ALL of the paintwork on the insides of the wheel is bubbled and looks pretty rough.... i am not happy Will top it up with dot4 to the max, and just pray the brakes don't fail me on my 50 mile journey back to Newbury tonight ready for a 9am trip to H-dev! Do you not have breakdown cover? Seriously, you really ought not to risk driving now you have seen a front caliper leaking the fluid - think of the potential consequences should you have an accident because your brakes failed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richie-B Posted February 12, 2014 Share Posted February 12, 2014 (edited) not get a mate to press the pedal and you have a look about at the same time.... if it is a leak though you should be able to spot the leak on the floor after a good few pumps of the pedal yourself sorry just read the end of the thread Edited February 12, 2014 by Richie-B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ostego Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 To give this thread some closure, i made it back to Newbury fine and safe last night.... is amazing how little braking you need if you just drive more "predictively" and sensibly! Went to H-Dev this morning, and it ends up the inner nipple that Jez thought was seized was loose, so that has all been sorted now and fingers crossed there will be no more brake fluid leakages! Am going to keep a close eye on the fluid levels over the coming weeks. Jez was also kind enough to give me £50 towards the re-spraying of the wheel, and a half litre of brake fluid (which i hopefully wont be needing to use any time soon!) Now it's a matter of finding someone who can re-spray the wheel! Visited 2 body shops on the way home and they think it would be quite challenging.... as the colour isn't exactly a "stock" one and will be hard to match! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BulletMagnet Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 I called inner bleed nipple, what do I get? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ostego Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 I called inner bleed nipple, what do I get? Have a half litre bottle of brake fluid going as a prize if you'd like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BulletMagnet Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Sweeeeeeeet But keep it just in case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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