Parking brake temorarily unavailable

[nu11eaf]

Originally Posted by Abhi

Hi nu11eaf,

Update:
I had the "auto hold service required" and "parking brake temporarlity unavailable" problem sorted out to with a software update, they tried to charge £99 for diagnostic check but after I complained about this excessive charge it was carried out free of charge.
I had a split power pulse pipe replaced at the same time, hoses are not covered by the extended warranty (which I knew about) but they rang Volvo UK who contributed to the cost.


I am currently having the exact same issue, what was the software update they had carried out? My dealer here updated the generic software update for the vehicle and also BCM(Brake control Module) software update. The issue still persists. My dealer here is suggesting me to replace the brake assembly, which, in my opinion is a steal, as the brakes are working. I reckon its a software bug. Your input will really be helpful.

I cannot tell you what software they updated, they just informed me that they carried out a software update to resolve the problem, it sorted it out and the problem has not returned.
Sorry I cannot be of more help, they gave me the impression that they had seen this error message several times before and knew how to sort it.

[AB-UK]

Originally Posted by nu11eaf

Thanks. It is now showing auto hold requires service as the message. Parking brake is working ok apart from auto hold. Looks like a visit to Stone acre to be robbed of £99 to plug it in. They say diagnostics is not covered by extended warranty.

My dealer tried this on when I had a problem with the dash readouts on my Mk1 such as avg.mpg etc.

I knew it was a bad contact on the stalk - the ring which had to be turned to change the various readouts only worked intermitently.

When the service manager told me the diagnostic cost I told him not to bother as the problem was only minor and I'd live with it.

He went away, but then returned and said they would replace the stalk under the extended warranty, and not charge for the diagnstics.

The Mk2 model is much more complex though, so I don't know if you could with certainty tell them exactly where the problem/solution lies.

[J99kom87]

Originally Posted by nu11eaf

Update:
I had the "auto hold service required" and "parking brake temporarlity unavailable" problem sorted out to with a software update, they tried to charge £99 for diagnostic check but after I complained about this excessive charge it was carried out free of charge.
I had a split power pulse pipe replaced at the same time, hoses are not covered by the extended warranty (which I knew about) but they rang Volvo UK who contributed to the cost.

Hi mines just had the same message, I can manually apply and disengage the park brake but still have the warning display, taken to Volvo today and they’ve rebooked it in for a diag at the cost of £95, it’s out of warranty by 3 months as well 😡

Was at Volvo 2 weeks ago for a service which adds to the pain 🤣

Could you still apply the park brake or did it completely fail?

I’m guessing it’s a software issue as surely if it was the harness then the park brake wouldn’t apply at all

[nu11eaf]

Originally Posted by J99kom87

Hi mines just had the same message, I can manually apply and disengage the park brake but still have the warning display, taken to Volvo today and they’ve rebooked it in for a diag at the cost of £95, it’s out of warranty by 3 months as well 😡

Was at Volvo 2 weeks ago for a service which adds to the pain 🤣

Could you still apply the park brake or did it completely fail?

I’m guessing it’s a software issue as surely if it was the harness then the park brake wouldn’t apply at all

Yes my parking brake still worked with the fault light on, I think auto hold did as well but certain about that.

[nu11eaf]

Should read "not certain" in last post

[tj282]

Originally Posted by nu11eaf

Yes my parking brake still worked with the fault light on, I think auto hold did as well but certain about that.

Having the same issue on my XC60 mk2 today and hoping it's a software update rather than the loom - I'm due for a service in a couple of weeks anyway so can hopefully get it sorted. Parking brake still applies but has the same error message and autohold service required.

[nu11eaf]

It should be easily sorted, very much doubt it will be wiring/hardware fault.

[JonathanD]

Late last Thursday evening, on my way home from this month's Portsmouth Section Meeting, a few minutes into the trip and completely out of the blue a number of warning messages came up on my approaching five years old in first registration terms as it is nearer five and a half years since it rolled off the Torslanda production line V90:

Parking brake Temporarily unavailable
ABS / ESC Temporarily off
Tyre pressure system Service required
Transmission Service required

The car continued to 'feel' ok, but I pulled in when I judged it safe to do so, ironically enough outside my nearest dealer Volvo Cars Havant/Cambridge Garage, I switched off the engine, and the parking brake automatically engaged as normal. I left it a couple of minutes, I switched the engine back on, the warning messages were still there, so I proceeded the rest of the way home with a modicum of caution, with the parking brake disengaging automatically as I pulled away.

Having left the car overnight and all morning, last Friday lunchtime I re-checked and the warning messages were still there.

I phoned the service/aftersales department at Volvo Cars Havant as the car was (and still is) booked in with them for annual service and MOT at the end of the month, I talked them through what had happened, they concurred with what I had read on here that it could be a software update required or a failed sensor or a failed wiring loom, and recommended I phone Volvo Assistance.

Around an hour and a half after phoning Volvo Assistance Calum/Callum arrived in his silver Ford Transit simply branded as Customer Service. He told me he works for Allianz who provide the breakdown assistance service for many car manufacturers, most of whom, Volvo included, do not want there to be any branding, with BMW being a key exception. He set to work, plugging in his laptop (so I now know where the laptop plug-in point is!) and he quickly saw the front nearside wheel speed sensor had failed. Apparently when they fail they either stick on 0 kmh or 255 kmh, and mine was stuck on 255kmh. They cost approximately £115 and he checked with the parts department at Volvo Cars Havant who confirmed having one in stock.

Now things got rather interesting. Until the end of this month I also have the Volvo Renewal Warranty, or Volvo New Car Extension Warranty as it had been called the previous year, which as it carries no claim excess made it a no brainer to claim on it, but Volvo Assistance could not do the work through the Volvo Renewal Warranty, but could have done the work if the car was still under the Volvo New Car Warranty! However, if Volvo Cars Havant would put through the Volvo Renewal Warranty claim Calum/Callum could drive over to them, pick up the part, return to me and swap out the new part for the failed one. Otherwise I would have to arrange a visit myself, which in all likelihood would have meant no workshop availability until the car is booked in for annual service and MOT anyway and three weeks of the pesky warning messages.

Fortunately for me Volvo Cars Havant are a switched-on bunch from whom I bought the car new and I have used for servicing and MOTs for nine years. They could see what the best outcome was for me, and very possibly for them too, so agreed to put through the claim, Calum/Callum waited for confirmation to come through that the claim had been accepted, then headed off to collect the new part, and returned to swap out the failed one for the new one which literally took a few minutes...and boy was I surprised when he showed me the small, innocuous looking object that had caused all the fuss! I then drove the car for no more than ten to fifteen seconds when, much to my relief, all the warning messages disappeared. He then plugged in his laptop to confirm all was ok, and that was that.

So all in all then a positive first experience of Volvo Assistance for me, and no cost to me in resolving the warning messages, so a happy me. Negative situations are unavoidable in the long run, so the crucial factor is how they are dealt with, and on this particular occasion Volvo lived up to my expectations.

So thank you from me to Calum/Callum of Volvo Assistance/Allianz, to Volvo Renewal Warranty and to Volvo Cars Havant for ensuring a negative situation was not needlessly made any worse than it had to be and keeping the inconvenience to me to the bare minimum.