P38A Brake fluid level

Recently purchased a 2.5 DSE and noticed that the brake fluid level was above the max. Drained off about 200ml excess to maximum on reservoir. Started engine and noticed that level had gone down to below the minimum. Put back exactly what had been siphoned off, but level only returned to minimum. Took car for drive on quiet country road to test and no problem with brakes. Before I touched the fluid the brake pedal felt very high, in that there was little travel between no brakes and stopping on a sixpence. Now the brakes feel much more progressive. Can't see any obvious signs of a leak, just puzzled as to why the fluid didn't return to previous level. Car is going for full service this week.

Have you downloaded RAVE from the technical section yet? If not, do so ASAP! It will tell you everything.

The brake fluid is under pressure in normal use and the level will drop. As the pressure drops (hopefully over a few days of the car standing) the level will creep above the max. Follow the instructions in RAVE to set the level correctly. Hope no air got in. No ticking noises? Pump runs for maybe 6 seconds on startup? Doesn't run again until more than 3 pedal pushes?

The Brake fluid level on the P38 should be checked once the system is pressurizes. If you turn the key in the ignition to position II and wait for the ABS pump to shut off, the level should then be checked and topped up to 'MAX'. As the pressure bleeds down with the pump off, it will slowly creep up above the 'MAX' level, which is normal.

As Grrrr says - download a copy of RAVE, and have a peek in there - the BRAKES section of the workshop manual has a really good write up and description of how the system works - with filling/checking the level, and also the all important bleeding process if you ever need to do that!