electric parking brake on Volvo

I think that this is at least remotely related to automation even if it has nothing to do with the home.
 
I will be replacing the disk brakes on a 2008 Volvo that has electronic parking brake. The system uses an electric motor to compress the rear brake pads instead of a drum type mechanical parking brake. The electric motor drives a screw type mechanism that pushes the brake pads against the brake rotor.
 
In order to remove the rear brake caliper it is necessary to rotate the electric motor backwards releasing the pressure on the pads. The Volvo dealer uses an electronic device to signal the EPB (electric parking brake) to retract completely before disassembling the brakes. Rather than buy the electronic device I have read that I can simply unplug the electric motor from the wiring harness and connect a 12 volt battery to the motor to run it in reverse.
 
My question to the group - has anyone done this job on a Volvo? Can you confirm that it is simply a 12 volt DC motor and that it won't harm the motor to put current directly to it's leads? 
 
Mike.

Looks like a good electronic service tool/code reader can get to the menus to activate the EPB to reverse, might be able to borrow one from the auto parts store.

I own an Actron cp9185 and it doesn't have the function but you may be right that I can borrow one. It did occur to me to look at advanceauto but didn't find anything online that appeared to do it. Volvo makes an OBD reader called VIDA DICE that will do it but it is expensive and I don't want a second OBD reader.

I did a little reading and I doubt that I can borrow the VIDA because it relies on windows software to be installed. I doubt that an auto parts house is going to get involved in that sort of thing.

I googled, I saw some guys using an Autel EST201. Looks like it's been replaced by the 301? Might be common enough to be found and borrowed.
 
Otherwise, it looked like guys had luck backing the motor up/unscrewing the motor then resetting the unit once the pads were replaced.

Reading good things here about an ELM327 OBD-II Pro device here ==> Elm Electronics
 
Some guy on some forum tested it on his Volvo and Jaguar to work fine.
 
That said ask about it on Volvo forum.  Thinking you can buy one for less than $300.
 
I had to reset my airbag stuff (my fault) and purchased a custom single purpose ODBII device for around $30 a couple of years back.  It does the basics plus some other stuff.

DELInstallations said:

I googled, I saw some guys using an Autel EST201. Looks like it's been replaced by the 301? Might be common enough to be found and borrowed.
 
Otherwise, it looked like guys had luck backing the motor up/unscrewing the motor then resetting the unit once the pads were replaced.

Click to expand...

 
I have seen the procedure to remove the electric motor and manually back out the lead screw but I'd rather not open the unit up. The environment at the brake caliper is as nasty as it gets for a car and if you damage the seal you will create problems for the electric motor. It would just be easier and less invasive to not even upset the factory assembly if the thing can be backed out electrically. i will take it apart if necessary but think it's better not to.
 
I already own an OBD reader and can't justify buying another, especially when I can just remove the motor or spin it backwards with a battery. I can also disconnect the wire at the motor and test the voltage there when the parking brake is pressed.
 
I'm pretty sure that this is just a matter of connecting a 12 volt battery to the motor. Heck a common 9 volt cell might even do the trick.

pete_c said:

Reading good things here about an ELM327 OBD-II Pro device here ==> Elm Electronics
 
Some guy on some forum tested it on his Volvo and Jaguar to work fine.
 
That said ask about it on Volvo forum.  Thinking you can buy one for less than $300.
 
I had to reset my airbag stuff (my fault) and purchased a custom single purpose ODBII device for around $30 a couple of years back.  It does the basics plus some other stuff.

Click to expand...

 
Again, I can't justify buying a second diagnostic tool when the job can be done by other (free) means. If I can determine that this is a 12 vdc circuit then I can just connect a battery in reverse polarity to back the thing out. I have a nice little spare Elk  batt on my workbench that would work nicely.
 
It's hot and humid out there and I'm going to wait for it to cool off before I do the job so I'll be asking around. Maybe there is still someone here who has done the job in the past.

DELInstallations said:

I googled, I saw some guys using an Autel EST201. Looks like it's been replaced by the 301? Might be common enough to be found and borrowed.
 
Otherwise, it looked like guys had luck backing the motor up/unscrewing the motor then resetting the unit once the pads were replaced.

Click to expand...

Correction
 
I see now that the Autel est201 is not an OBD reader. It is a brake service tool so I take back what I said earler. I'll have to see if I can find one on Ebay.
 
Mike.

pete_c said:

Reading good things here about an ELM327 OBD-II Pro device here ==> Elm Electronics
 
Some guy on some forum tested it on his Volvo and Jaguar to work fine.

Click to expand...

 
I just checked out the Elk ELM device and it looks like a handy little OBD reader but it does not appear to release the electronic parking brake.

pete_c said:

That said ask about it on Volvo forum.  Thinking you can buy one for less than $300.
 
I had to reset my airbag stuff (my fault) and purchased a custom single purpose ODBII device for around $30 a couple of years back.  It does the basics plus some other stuff.

Click to expand...

 
I would pay the dealer to do the brake job before spending a couple of hundred dollars on the tool. I might not ever need the tool again and i don't think that even the dealer would charge more than $300 labor to do rear brakes.

Yes I the Autel MaxiService EBS301 is a tad over $100 and does use the ODB connector. 
 
The tools needed are around $100 and $50.
 
Found another similiar tool for $50 on Ebay called EPB EP31 (with an ODB connector) which works with Volvo brakes.
 
Yeah here I had the automobile partially disassembled along with one door.  I disconnected the airbag while the battery was still connected.  I looked up BMW service to correct the error code and it was a bit over $200; such that I just ordered the tool for $30 and did it myself.  It really did sit for a while as I didn't need to drive it.
 
Rather than buy the electronic device I have read that I can simply unplug the electric motor from the wiring harness and connect a 12 volt battery to the motor to run it in reverse.
 
If you can do this without a tool that is even better.  The step by step is probably documented on a Volvo forum by a Volvo mechanic or a Volvo  DIYer.

I would assume the motor most likely doesn't have a lot of protection on it (diodes or similar) and it doesn't make sense for them to change the operating voltages and parameters (why add another item into a troubleshooting mix) so I wouldn't doubt that you can reverse the motor, the only thing I'd be wary of is the lack of control or ability to automatically stop the unit before it bottoms out, which would be my only concern (damaging the unit or knocking out of alignment). I'd probably read everything on the net available on the subject first.

Here's a video that clearly shows that the parking brake uses a simple 12 volt motor but this is on a VW rather than a Volvo. Chances are that they are the same.
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-q68JIUils

Googling here first hit was pictures using the Autel tool on a Volvo.  Underneath was the following verbiage
 
While the MaxiEST is a nice tool to have, you don’t need it at all. The electric parking brake motor is easily removed from the rear of the caliper; two small torx bolts, an easy tug, and the motor drops away. This will expose the parking brake splined shaft. Using a T-40 torx bit, turn that shaft clockwise until it comes to a stop. You’ll find the caliper piston can be compressed easily.
When your done, put some clean lubricant on the motor’s o-ring and reinstall. It’s very easy.
Source; the installation instructions that come with Volvo’s brake pads.
 
You can just hook a 9 volt battery to the terminals on the actuator. its a lot cheaper than the tool. if you do enough of them to justify buying the tool do it, but for those of you who rarely see a Volvo let alone work on one this is a much more reasonable approach.
 
For a Volvo you do not even need this tool. Just disconnect the wires to the electronic parking brake, be careful not to break the connection. Than apply 12 volts to the terminals going to the electric motor and see if the brakes tighten or loosen the pads to the rotor. If they tighen, just reverse the connections and go until the brakes bottom out. Then stop applying the 12 volts, push the piston back into the caliper using a screwdriver for leverage, remove the bolts from the caliper replace the disc pads reinstall the caliper, apply voltage again to tighten the parking brake reverse the connect for just a second to release the brakes again and do the same to the other side. Next get into your car start it apply the parking brake and release, apply the service brake and release, check your brake fluid and add if needed and you are done. I just did this and it took 35 minutes to do both sides.

thx