XC70 Brake Fluid Low Spongy Pedal

XC70 owner here too. Low brake fluid AND spongy pedal? Yeah, sounds familiar. Brake fluid doesn't just vanish, so you're either leaking somewhere or your brake pads are getting seriously worn down. As the pads wear, the pistons in the calipers have to extend further to contact the rotors, which uses more fluid from the reservoir. How many kilometers on your current pads? When was the last time you inspected the system?

Hmm, that makes sense about the pads. I'm not sure exactly when they were last done, to be honest, but the car has around 88046 km on it. I haven't noticed any obvious leaks under the car, though. Should I just top off the fluid and see what happens, or is that a bad idea?

I wouldn't just top it off. If it IS worn pads, topping off just puts you back in the same situation soon, and you're potentially masking a bigger issue. Plus, if you DO end up needing new pads and rotors, when they push the pistons back in the calipers, that extra fluid is going to overflow everywhere! Seriously, bite the bullet and get a brake inspection. It's better than risking your safety or messing something else up.

You're totally right, I was being lazy. Dropped it off at the shop today. Turns out it WAS the brake pads, worn down to almost nothing! New pads, rotors, and a fluid flush set me back 480€, but at least it's fixed. Thanks for the kick in the pants!