BRAKE FAILURE!!

[OverHillAndDale]

Fortunately I think it was a ruse.

After a long ryde Saturday, I was parking the byke (open the garage door, move out my wyfe's car, back in my byke, pull her car back in). I set the parking brake and got a "Brake Failure" notification on my dashboard. The brake seemed to be holding so I went on through the process of getting my byke in the garage, but I got this failure message everything I used the brakes or set the parking brake.

Took a ryde on Sunday and had no issue at all. The brakes worked fine, and the parking brake worked and I never got the message.

Thoughts? Suggestions? I'm fairly convinced this was an extraneous alarm but I don't want to take chances with the brakes. The fluid is where it's supposed to be, all the plumbing, brake spring, etc are as they should be.

[Chupaca]

Sometimes refered to as glitches they do occur quite often. To many reporting sensor and too much information messes with the reporting end of these techy machines. I always recommend a quick check then ryde on and if it does not come back your good to go. When you next get service or it is hooked up to buds it will show and you can mention it.

[Bob Denman]

Have you checked your brake fluid levels?

[Kinderhook]

Check your brake fluid level. Very sensitive, even a tablespoon low will cause intermittent warning.

[Bob Denman]

I think that I stepped on you, and your response...
I hope that at least ONE of us is right...

[tbhlaw]

I bought a medicine dropper at the local Walgreens and keep it on my bike on our long trips. It is ideal for adding brake fluid without spilling and ruining the paint finish or over filling. I also keep one to remove excess oil if I overfill.

[OverHillAndDale]

[QUOTE= The fluid is where it's supposed to be, all the plumbing, brake spring, etc are as they should be.[/QUOTE]

Yup, fluid is at its proper level. I'm going with the "Glitch" theory until a) the byke heads to the shop for something or b) the brakes actually fail.

[lizmcg]

This thread reminded me of something I meant to ask about. !!Dumb Question Alert!!! IIRC, the manual says not to use brake fluid from an open container. It sounds like you guys make small additions when required and apparently carry it on long trips for that purpose, which makes sense. So, is it literally true that you shouldn't use fluid from an already opened container? I haven't tampered with the fluid, because everything is working and I have real trouble seeing the level in the two reservoirs (same with the coolant). They look like they did when the bike came from the dealer (used 2012 RTS) on April 26, but I can't really see a clear level, even with a small flashlight pressed to the top to try to illuminate the inside. I don't want to open the reservoirs if I don't have to. You can tell I'm not a mechanic.

[jthspace]

This thread reminded me of something I meant to ask about. !!Dumb Question Alert!!! IIRC, the manual says not to use brake fluid from an open container. It sounds like you guys make small additions when required and apparently carry it on long trips for that purpose, which makes sense. So, is it literally true that you shouldn't use fluid from an already opened container? I haven't tampered with the fluid, because everything is working and I have real trouble seeing the level in the two reservoirs (same with the coolant). They look like they did when the bike came from the dealer (used 2012 RTS) on April 26, but I can't really see a clear level, even with a small flashlight pressed to the top to try to illuminate the inside. I don't want to open the reservoirs if I don't have to. You can tell I'm not a mechanic.

It is because brake fluid is hygroscopic and readily absorbs water. A typical high performance DOT 4 fluid in a high humidityenvironment will absorb as much as 4.5-5.0% moisture in as short a period as 2 weeks ifnot kept in a tightly sealed container. Therefore, if you buy a bottle, make sure that after topping up, the lid is put back on tightly.

The recommendation for most car systems here in the U.K. is that the brake fluid is changed every 24 months as part of the 2 year service schedule. A lot of cars here are 24 month / 20,000 mile service intervals with a "intermediate" check at 12 months.

Jeff

[Cruzr Joe]

I find it very hard to get the brake fluid out unless i have an open container.


Cruzr Joe

Just be sure to reseal the container good after you use it, and buy the smallest container that you can find, be sure to use DOT 40 Brake Fluid.

[lizmcg]

I find it very hard to get the brake fluid out unless i have an open container.

I KNEW somebody would say that (almost said it myself)!

[lizmcg]

According to the maintenance schedule, a Spyder is expected to have a brake fluid flush and refill each 2 years. I accomplished this on our 2014 a month or so before the 24 months and the stuff that came out was pretty nasty.

I wouldn't even think of doing that myself. I was just wondering what to do if it needed topping off, which I hope it doesn't before my 18K service (2K from now).

[finless]

I do not know about your year Spyder but my 2011 RT when you hit the parking brake switch you can feel the peddle come up. I have in some cases parked on a hill and hit the parking brake while holding my foot on the peddle and this has caused a brake failure light.

Just something to know that it appears you can stall the parking brake motor if you hold your foot on the peddle too hard.

Bob

[OverHillAndDale]

I do not know about your year Spyder but my 2011 RT when you hit the parking brake switch you can feel the peddle come up. I have in some cases parked on a hill and hit the parking brake while holding my foot on the peddle and this has caused a brake failure light.

Just something to know that it appears you can stall the parking brake motor if you hold your foot on the peddle too hard.

Bob

Wow - you may have just hit the nail on the head.

Mine is a 2014, but the characteristic of the parking brake's interaction with the brake pedal is true on the 2014s. I stopped coming down my moderately steep driveway and was braking hard, and I hit the parking brake switch just before I stopped. If this is what triggered the light I'm surprised that it didn't happen before now.
Thanks - on this forum, SOMEONE will always know the answer!

[Bfromla]

Parking on steep angle will also trigger the sensor is HYPER sensitive & takes some time for it to get comfortable again. You will more than likely need some fluid soon & or pads


I wasn't there but I still care!
POW MIA VETS

[derrill]

I had the same thing happen on my 2014 RT . Coming down hill at Soco Gap in Maggie Valley. Steep grade must have triggered it. Got on flat land and removed key for about 15 minutes and got back on with no problems.


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[OverHillAndDale]

My last comment on this post I started....

The warning started showing up more so I checked the brake fluid levels again, this time more carefully. Not only is the reservoir somewhat hard to get at but it's buried deeply enough that the level isn't easy to read.

I cleaned off the reservoir then put a flashlight beam in the reservoir opening and I was able to see it was right at the "Min" limit. I used the eyedropper suggestion that tbhlaw suggested (it even came from WalGreens!) and put about 4 eyedroppers full in each side. Problem solved.

As always, the advice from this forum saves us all a fortune in trips to the dealer.

[Bob Denman]

Glad to hear that you found and fixed the problem!