W A R N I N G

[emeryrichmond]

I am not posting this to ask for help in repairing the car.

I am posting this hoping that some unsuspecting Caddy owner doesn't have an accident.

My wife was driving our 96 SLS to work yesterday morning and when she tried to stop at the end of the high way off ramp the pedal went to the floor.

She ended up going through the stop sign and off the road into a grassy area.

She didn't think to use the emergency brake, but I don't think that would have been all that effective. After she stopped, by putting the tranny into reverse (GULP), she called me and since she was just a block from work, I told her to drive with the emergency flashers on and use the e-brake the rest of the way.

When I got to the car three hours later there was a rather large puddle under the drivers side from the rear wheel to the front door. I checked to see where the fluid was coming from and the fuel filter (located behinde the rocker under the back door) was soaked with brake fluid.

When I got the car home I pulled down the fuel and brake lines. The plastic clip that goes around the fuel filter, and holds the fuel return line and the brake lines had trapped dirt and moisture and rotted the brake lines through. I was shocked to see this much rot on a 10 year old Caddy.

If you have a 96-ish Seville, please check this area of your vehicle. I hate to think what would have happened if someone had pulled out in front of her, or if a kid ran out into the street.

By the way, I repaired the two brake likes by cutting roughly 20 inch sections of the original lines and installing replacement lines with a double flairing tool.

The repair was less than $35.00.

Good luck with your inspections.

[BodybyFisher]

Not surprising in a ten year old car, right now my 96 Deville has a badly rusted brake line that runs between the rear wheels and I need to replace it very soon.

When I spoke to my local machine shop that makes custom brake lines and asked how common it was for a brake line to be rusted in a ten year old car he said, you're kidding, its very common for brake lines to rust out very quickly lately, he specifically mentioned the Lincoln Town Car as affected by this condition, he was not surprised I had a rusted brake line. He said I was lucky because you need to raise the body on the Town Car to replace it.... (ford always had a better idea, LOL).

He said they are using cheaper steel lately and road salt corrodes them. I also think that the rear tubing that runs between the rear wheels is subjected to exposure as it is located facing forward on the frame and near the wind/water stream, because other lines don't appear too bad..

Anyway, brake lines and hoses USED TO be checked during state inspections, I say used to, because I have not seen it happen in the last 20 years...How stupid we fail cars for a PCM code and allow them to drive out of the inspection station with potentially dangerous brakes! Sounds like the **** have negatively influenced the mandatory inspection process worrying more about atmospheric emissions rather than vehicle safety, just think how many people could be killed when cars lose their brakes. Imagine how many vehicles are out there with rusted brake lines.... Let a car loose its brakes from rusted lines and crash through a Starbucks and kill 25 people and they will wake up... and the usual mud throwing at the car manufacturer will be non stop.. Someone's passing the buck.

Thanks for the heads up, definitely check your steel brake lines and hoses a couple times a year.. replacing that line is on my list of major projects coming up along with the parking brake cables.. This car is a sink hole for money, very lucky I do the work..time to buy another and start over

Keep your eyes in the rear view mirror, sorry for the rant, but this is a pet peeve, safety inspections in most states are non-existent

[JohnnyG]

How about states which don't have a mandantory safety inspection of ANY kind! Ohio is one such state, and though most of the cars I see aren't too bad, you sometimes see a real beauty! You don't even need fenders if you don't want to bother, nor a hood, wheels sticking out past the wheelwells are considered cool. Brake lights are generally optional, as well as headlights. Headlight adjustments (my pet peave) are out of the question.

The good news is, driving a car in this condition makes you more likely to get a "Courtesy Check" from the Highway Patrol!

[adallak]

Since usually rear brake lines blow up, there is a way to fix the problem to get home safely (to not be towed). I would disconnect the both rear lines from the hydraulic modulator unit of the ABS, put rubber plugs made of a piece of rubber sheet into the unit, and put the lines back. It will block access of the fluid to the damaged parts, and will allow you to drive home safely with fully functional front brakes. At least you will be much safer than when you were driving with brake lines ready to blow. I keep a bottle of DOT3 in my trunk together with emergency supply of tools.

[Patrick7997]

That's good advice.... I'll be checking mine momentarily.... thanks.