Brake Lines and Hose

Inspect the brake tubes and hoses under the vehicle for damage and proper routing. Check the brake hoses routed to the disc brake calipers (2B120) and/or to the rear wheel cylinders (2261) for any signs of damage. The tube and hose fittings must be tight without signs of leakage.

Brake Fluid Leakage

The wet appearance of the outer cover of rubber brake hoses is called "sweating." This is a normal condition for neoprene rayon braid hose. The sweating condition is not evidence of a brake fluid leak and will not result in a loss of pressure in the system.

Replace a flexible brake hose if it shows signs of softening, cracking or other damage.

When installing a new brake hose, position the hose to avoid contact with other vehicle parts.

If signs of leakage are not present but the brake fluid level is low, it is possible that evidence of brake fluid leakage may have been washed off by rain or snow because brake fluid is water soluble. To determine if a leak exists, proceed as follows:

1. Fill the system.
2. Bleed the system.
3. Apply the brakes several times.
4. Examine the system to verify that the brake fluid level is actually dropping.
5. Locate and correct the external leak.

Internal and external leaks are two problems that can affect a brake hydraulic system. The hydraulic brake system will not cause the vehicle to do any of the following:

• vibrate
• pull
• grab
• squeal
• allow the brake pedal (2455) to pulse

In most cases the hydraulic system will not cause the brakes to drag. The sources of these problems are found elsewhere in the brake system, but it is a good policy to first check the entire hydraulic system for leaks before continuing to diagnose any other brake problems.