Brake System Failure & Imobiliser Error

[Stone Free]

My XC60 failed to start yesterday with the "Brake System Failure & Imobiliser Error" being displayed.
The RAC attended & firstly checked the battery, which appeared to be OK, but as a failsafe tried out a new battery just incase, but this failed to start the vehicle either, we even tried my backup key fob, but alas this didn't work either.

So the only option left now is for the vehicle to be loaded onto a trailer & transported to either the Volvo dealership or local specialist for repair.
Question is now: how is the "electronic handbrake" released to enable the vehicle to move, as trying as much as he could the RAC mechanic could not find a means of overriding the "electronic handbrake" in it's current state ?

So the question is: Is it possible to manually switch off the handbrake, as I obviously need to ensure that no damage is caused to the vehicle when placing it on the trailer. so any advice anyone can offer, would be greatly appreciated.

For reference the XC60 is an AWD SE Lux Nav, first registered in September 2013.

Many thanks in advance

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Stone Free

My XC60 failed to start yesterday with the "Brake System Failure & Imobiliser Error" being displayed.
The RAC attended & firstly checked the battery, which appeared to be OK, but as a failsafe tried out a new battery just incase, but this failed to start the vehicle either, we even tried my backup key fob, but alas this didn't work either.

So the only option left now is for the vehicle to be loaded onto a trailer & transported to either the Volvo dealership or local specialist for repair.
Question is now: how is the "electronic handbrake" released to enable the vehicle to move, as trying as much as he could the RAC mechanic could not find a means of overriding the "electronic handbrake" in it's current state ?

So the question is: Is it possible to manually switch off the handbrake, as I obviously need to ensure that no damage is caused to the vehicle when placing it on the trailer. so any advice anyone can offer, would be greatly appreciated.

For reference the XC60 is an AWD SE Lux Nav, first registered in September 2013.

Many thanks in advance

The volvo dealer will have a special tool to plug in in place of the handbrake control unit , this will operate the motors manually . best just get volvo assist out they will recover it to the dealer who will be needed in the end for a successful diagnosis .. I would have thought the RAC would have devised a method by now 12 years after electric handbrakes were introduced introduced ..

[Stone Free]

Thanks for your response Clan.

I called Volvo Assist, but unfortunately the membership that came with the vehicle from new (which I wasn't aware of) expired in April 2018 & it's not possible to renew it to cover an existing breakdown, so I'm reliant on the RAC to recover the vehicle on Monday & take it to the Volvo dealership for repair, as I'm told there are no recommended independent Volvo garages local to where I now live in North Wales, & anyway I've been advised to take the XC60 to the dealership as they will have the most recent diagnostic tools, software & experience.

I agree, you would have thought that the RAC would have devised a method of releasing the electronic hand brake manually fitted to these motors,after all this time ?

I will say that the RAC roadside mechanic was extremely helpful & tried all he could to resolve the problem tho'.

I will now definitely be taking out the Volvo Assist membership, as seems the £119 per year is a good deal, based on this recent experience.

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Stone Free

Thanks for your response Clan.

I called Volvo Assist, but unfortunately the membership that came with the vehicle from new (which I wasn't aware of) expired in April 2018 & it's not possible to renew it to cover an existing breakdown, so I'm reliant on the RAC to recover the vehicle on Monday & take it to the Volvo dealership for repair, as I'm told there are no recommended independent Volvo garages local to where I now live in North Wales, & anyway I've been advised to take the XC60 to the dealership as they will have the most recent diagnostic tools, software & experience.

I agree, you would have thought that the RAC would have devised a method of releasing the electronic hand brake manually fitted to these motors,after all this time ?

I will say that the RAC roadside mechanic was extremely helpful & tried all he could to resolve the problem tho'.

I will now definitely be taking out the Volvo Assist membership, as seems the £119 per year is a good deal, based on this recent experience.

volvo assist is free when you have a volvo service . as are general software updates ...

[Zebster]

There is nothing special about Volvo assist. They send local recovery agents the same as any other breakdown recovery... when my EGR valve stuck open and made my car undriveable the recovery agent sent by Volvo came armed with simply a generic OBD2 code reader that could not even interpret Volvo-specific codes.

Someone is going to have to either unbolt the rear caliper motors or pull off the motor connectors and connect up a suitable battery to make the motors wind the pads back, same as those of us without VIDA have to do when replacing the brake pads. With such a severe electrical system failure it's hard to see how else handbrake release could be achieved (I doubt that even VIDA could not be used on a vehicle in this state).

[Clan]

Originally Posted by Zebster

There is nothing special about Volvo assist. They send local recovery agents the same as any other breakdown recovery... when my EGR valve stuck open and made my car undriveable the recovery agent sent by Volvo came armed with simply a generic OBD2 code reader that could not even interpret Volvo-specific codes.

Someone is going to have to either unbolt the rear caliper motors or pull off the motor connectors and connect up a suitable battery to make the motors wind the pads back, same as those of us without VIDA have to do when replacing the brake pads. With such a severe electrical system failure it's hard to see how else handbrake release could be achieved (I doubt that even VIDA could not be used on a vehicle in this state).

The volvo assist guys are volvo trained with VIDA .. although that would not help in this case ... unless they have the volvo special tool which will release it .

[Stone Free]

Thanks guy's.... all info very much appreciated.

All sounding rather precarious this manual releasing of the electronic handbrake, but other than using a HIAB to literally lift the motor onto a low loader, there appears to be no other options available.

I'll respond back on Monday with an update once the RAC have attended & have 'hopefully' manage to recover the vehicle.

Thank you once again.

[Stone Free]

The fault has been diagnosed & repaired, which transpired to be a blown diode, Volvo replaced the relay & hey presto my XC60 is now back in the land of the living.

By all accounts the problem was a very difficult one to crack & threw up countless error messages of which they had to consult Volvo technical, & undertake a process of elimination, until they pinpointed the issue.

Great service from the technicians at Tyn Lon Volvo in Anglesey.... really top guys

[Zebster]

So good news, but how did they manage to recover the vehicle?

[alf27]

As to the problem with not being able to release the electrically operated handbrake, I would have thought the obvious solution would be to jack the rear of the car up sufficiently to manoeuvre "spectacle" lifting gear under the wheels & then towing backwards ? Or would that damage the AWD system, but then again for placing on a flatbed or trailer I would have thought it would be possible.