Brake and PSM light with brake bleed

[PorschePRH]

Anybody have a check brake and PSM light after bleeding the brakes?

It went away after some brake pedal pumping and 2 restarts, but I still didn't expect it.

It was saying my brake fluid level was low (it was at the Max arrow).

I followed the DIY except for using my trusty suction bleeder (nice Griot's garage one man bleeder), and put probably 3 qts of brake fluid through the system.

BTW, the Mintex Red Box pads are on and the Wheel Wax is applied to the BBS mesh style wheels, so we'll see how that works out for clean-free wheels.

Edited August 5, 2005 by PorschePRH

[Loren]

Still, sounds like you have air in the lines. Try a pressure bleeder or have a friend operate the brake pedal while you bleed.

[joee]

May need to have a dealer do the bleeding and use their computer to turn on the psm pump. I got a small amount of air in our '02 and had to go to the dealer. Cost me an hour's labor, $ 98.

[PorschePRH]

I don't think I had air in the lines before the bleed. There were no signs of a previous bleed (paint perfect on the nipple covers, and less than 10K miles on a 2003 when I got it).

So I am not sure how air could get in. With the suction method, you don't have any way for the air to get in unless the reservoir runs dry. But I never let it get below the min line while bleeding.

I know pressure bleeding is popular around here, but suction is just as good if not better...

I did do some pumping of the brakes while bleeding. And I really flushed it well with 3 quarts (which is a way more than I needed to do, but what the heck).

The pedal feels fine and all the check lights have stayed off.

Joee, how did you get air in the system?

Edited August 6, 2005 by PorschePRH

[Dr. T]

Maybe the sensor in the reservoir got stuck for a time when the level was just below minimum during the bleed.

[joee]

The full story... I ran the car at the track without changing out two year old brake fluid. I had some real brake fade and was pumping things up too much going into turns. Packed everything up and headed home. Put the car on jack stands, took the wheels off, drained the brake fluid too much, and refilled and bled the brakes. Back to the track, after a lecture on the rules of what four hours means, ran for an hour and a half. Going into turns where psm would come on even with it turned off get a brake fluid warning light, audio alarm and message from the computer on the LCD. Acknowledging the message on the LCD with the computer stock got the lcd display to clear and the audio alarm to shut off. Car works really well, brakes were fine. Turing the ignition key off cleared everything. Went home and bled the brakes again, wife pumped the pedal and things looked fine. Drove to Parade and everything was fine. Did autox at Parade and the whole thing starts again. Again car works just fine. Drove to NJ. Made an appointment with S-N on route 35 in like Long Branch (?). Told the SM I wanted them to bleed things with the psm pump on. They did what I asked and said there was a very small amount of air in the system. Did an autox with the Northern NJ PCA group and things were fine, no lights-audio alarms-computer displays. Drove back to CO and haven't had a problem since.

You might also have problems with backing plates on the rear brakes. These are plates on the inside of the brake discs. I guess they keep things clean. Under hard braking the plates on our Carrera they wrapped and rubbed the discs. I bent them out of the way a couple of times and they have been good since....