[Martyn]

Hi Giulia experts. I need a little guidance.

I just replaced front and rear pads on my 2018 Guilia 2.0 Q4. I decided to do it myself as I've done brakes on other cars without issues. The car has 29,500 miles. Old pads were about 3mm rear and 6.5mm front. For the new pads used EBC "yellow stuff" pads. All rotors were inspected and measured and were still very close to the original thickness and looked fine, so I opted not to replace them this time.

The job seemed to go well, pads were replaced without any issues. However, after starting the car and driving it cautiously I noted:

1. Numerous faults are indicated on the cluster:
- Service Electronic Parking Brake
- Service Brake System
- AST Service Required
- ESC Service ESC System
- ESC Service Hill Hold Control
- FCW Limited Functionality Front Camera Service required
2. Car pulls to the right when braking. Anti-lock functionality not working.
3. Based on rotor temperature (just feeling by touch of hand), only the front right and rear left brakes are actually working. (Note_ After a drive with plenty of braking, the front right and rear left rotors were very hot to touch. The front left and rear right rotors both ice cold).

I did bleed out the fluid at each caliper when pushing the pistons in. I topped up the reservoir afterward to make up for the loss.

My cheap code reader isn't seeing any codes. And no - turning the steering wheel from lock to lock does not reset anything.

Any suggestions on what to do next? Taking it to the Stealership is an option of course!

Thanks,
Martyn

 

[chaiguy]

Check out this video

Assuming you didn't disconnect the negative lead from battery before beginning work?

 

[Martyn]

Thanks chaiguy. Your are right, I totally forgot to disconnect the battery, even though I knew that needed to be done! Indeed that video seems to describe the same exact error messages. So I'll get the MultiECUscan software and order a grey cable. In the meantime I'll have to take it slow as the braking is not close to correct.

 

[lockem]

Even if you disconnect the battery you can get that error if you push your pucks back too far. When you first push the brake pedal to seat the new pucks and turn off brake service mode if it takes too much fluid to seat the pucks you will get a brake fluid leak alert. Been there done that. I do not know if that fault will clear after multiple start-stop cycles; it is always good to have something like MES on hand before doing anything with this car.

 

[Martyn]

Yeah @lockem I should have known better! Well the MES hardware parts needed (adapter cable and interface) seem to be unobtainium right now. I might take to dealer and get fluid replaced as its due for that. At that time they can reset the codes.

 

[bhvrdr]

You can always try disconnecting the battery and pumping the brakes to get a hard oedal then reconnecting. Works for the c8 bbw setup if it errors on you.

 

[Martyn]

Just tried that @bhvrdr. No change but it added another fault which seemed to have cleared now (damper control I think)

 

[johnalfa]

Yeah @lockem I should have known better! Well the MES hardware parts needed (adapter cable and interface) seem to be unobtainium right now. I might take to dealer and get fluid replaced as its due for that. At that time they can reset the codes.

Just bought MES hardware from @Alfissimo last Friday. Shipped and awaiting delivery this week.

 

[Martyn]

Thanks @johnalfa. The Alfissimo website seemed to indicate that they are out of stock. I sent Jason a note.
Edit - I recheck and found a kit with the USB interface and two cables. Ordered!

 

[Engi_Nerd]

While I know it's not particularly helpful, I did the front pads and rotors last week without disconnecting the battery and had no issues. Retracted the pistons pretty much all the way, though I did pump them before starting the car.

I think I did disconnect the battery for the rear pads after engaging service mode.

 

[GottWhat]

After I changed my brakes (I did disconnect the battery), I had to pump the brakes first until solid pedal, start the car, turn wheel left to right and right to left from lock to lock a few times. Turn off the car and turn it back on a few times. Then the codes cleared. I'm not saying this will fix your situation but just a FYI.

 

[Martyn]

@GottWhat & @Engi_Nerd I think my mistake was not disconnecting the battery. I did depress the brake pedal before starting the car and I also tried the lock-to-lock steering wheel reset procedure a few times, but to no avail.

 

[kc07zrv]

@GottWhat & @Engi_Nerd I think my mistake was not disconnecting the battery. I did depress the brake pedal before starting the car and I also tried the lock-to-lock steering wheel reset procedure a few times, but to no avail.

I won’t be that mate.
You can keep the battery connected. That is tried and tested. Two important things to do……..keep the fob far away from the vehicle. Only squeeze the pistons back just enough so the caliper can be refitted. This reduces the fluid movement. On the 2.0 you should retract the ebrake using the ‘service brake function’ on the infotainment menu if replacing the rears.

once assembled pump the brake pedal by only a couple inches until the pedal is hard and then (if replacing the rears) go back into the menu to re set the ebrake.

most issues are due to the brake system detecting excess fluid movement which can be avoided by only squeezing the pistons back enough to enable the pads to be fitted, no more. And avoiding pumping the brake pedal to the floor to get the new pads flush with the disc.

 

[Martyn]

Thanks for the feedback @kc07zrv I finally cleared all the codes today after getting the MultiECUscan hardware and downloading the software for to enable me to read all the codes and erase them. I did discover (after spending a few hours fiddling with things that I needed the SGW bypass, which I was able to borrow from a local friend). I returned the bypass but its a bit of a task getting that thing in and out of there. I'll probably by an SGW bypass and just leave it wired in. I found the trick to getting better access to that SGW unit was to remove the knee air bag which is just below the steering column. A task that needs to be done with battery disconnected of course.

 

[Giuliano]

Thanks for the feedback @kc07zrv I finally cleared all the codes today after getting the MultiECUscan hardware and downloading the software for to enable me to read all the codes and erase them. I did discover (after spending a few hours fiddling with things that I needed the SGW bypass, which I was able to borrow from a local friend). I returned the bypass but its a bit of a task getting that thing in and out of there. I'll probably by an SGW bypass and just leave it wired in. I found the trick to getting better access to that SGW unit was to remove the knee air bag which is just below the steering column. A task that needs to be done with battery disconnected of course.

@Martyn, well done!. You have now successfully changed the all the brake pads and have no error codes. Search for SGW Harness or something similar. There is a long thread somewhere here about a harness developed and for sale that will make the installation of the SGW very easy, back and forth. You will leave the harness installed and the access will be easy, if I remember correctly.

 

[Alwaysdutch]

Thanks for the feedback @kc07zrv I finally cleared all the codes today after getting the MultiECUscan hardware and downloading the software for to enable me to read all the codes and erase them. I did discover (after spending a few hours fiddling with things that I needed the SGW bypass, which I was able to borrow from a local friend). I returned the bypass but its a bit of a task getting that thing in and out of there. I'll probably by an SGW bypass and just leave it wired in. I found the trick to getting better access to that SGW unit was to remove the knee air bag which is just below the steering column. A task that needs to be done with battery disconnected of course.

So you are saying that with MES, the USB interface and the gray cable #6 you were able to clear it all?

 

[Martyn]

So you are saying that with MES, the USB interface and the gray cable #6 you were able to clear it all?

Correct!

 

[Alwaysdutch]

Well, I was able to get the Christmas tree turned off with the MES and grey cable reset, but after a mile or so driving the BRAKE light came on again. I also seem to smell something hot on the passenger side front. However, brakes seem to work fine, or so it seems

 

[Martyn]

My brakes have been fine and no more fault lights. Perhaps you should inspect the rotor and pads on the wheel that got hot and check all is okay.

 

[Alwaysdutch]

I actually just did and it seems to be working when pushing the brake pedal. However, when running MES I get C104B-7A error code.