250,000 miles c1253 c1256

Is the brake fluid reservoir filled to the max. mark?

 

Are you sure your engine is not low on oil? The symptoms you describe are more indicative of that than any problem with the braking system.

Edit: Ok, you did mention you have codes for your braking system, but it is easy to check your oil dipstick to rule that out as a cause of the intermittent red triangle.

 

If you are saying the oil level is still above the "Add" line, I don't think that's causing the red triangle. Some posters here have looked at the dipstick and not seen any oil on it at all. Certainly if that had been the case, one would expect to see the red triangle, not to mention serious engine damage. It seems your problem may be a little more involved. Do you hear the accumulator pump running every few seconds? That is usually the sign of a failing actuator/accumulator.

 

The way the dipstick snakes through the guide tube, it pulls oil up into the tube when you pull it out, and smears oil back onto the dipstick when you push it back in. To get an accurate reading, I always pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, and wait five to ten minutes before reinserting it.

 

There aren't many high mileage Gen 2's that don't burn oil. I think I can safely say that anyone driving one of these cars should be checking their oil level at every gas fill-up. I hope your engine didn't suffer serious damage, but it is certain to have endured some degree of shortened life from excess friction due to lack of oil.

 

There is a member of this forum who waits until he sees the red triangle before adding oil. Somehow, to everyone's surprise, at last report his engine has not blown up yet and is still running. I would link that thread but I would not want to give you the impression that doing what he does is somehow Ok. Every other member would recommend checking your oil frequently, maybe more than once per fill-up, if at each fill-up the crankcase is a quart low. Once these cars start burning oil, it only gets worse, unless you want to try some of the miracle cures that some have reported on this forum. I remain skeptical, but I suppose if our Gen 2 ever gets to the point where it is burning more than a quart every thousand miles, I might be willing to try one of them.