How To Find a Bad Brake Hose

[@EarlSinclair97]

In trade school, my instructor said to always replace the brake hoses if replacing calipers. Eric confirmed that theory in this video. 👍

[@ericthecarguy]

I'm not saying that's a bad practice, but given that is is a very rare problem, I don't feel it's always necessary.

[@highlypolishedturd7947]

Maybe it's a bit overkill, but brake hoses are cheap. Because of that, I'll agree with your instructor, and just replace them with the caliper.

[@elmarko9051]

I have a 2008 Buick Lucerne, and have heard they have caliper problems as they age. Replaced one front and one rear...both got a new hose, too. Now, no more dragging. Doing the hose is cheap insurance.

[@kevinhaskins6619]

The cost of a brake hose on my last break job was $16 each for the fronts, and $12 each on the rear. The cost of parts has come down so much for most of these components (China) that I replace rather than reuse many more parts.

[@steveolive9991]

To keep customer costs down: if the car is having its first brake job and less than six years old, I would wait to replace the flex hose until the second brake job. At 150k miles, the car is probably six to 10 years old and would be wise to replace the flex hose as a precaution/normal maintenance at that time. But if you really wanted to replace the flex hose during the car's first brake job, I would not argue with you.....just realize that you have to charge the customer labor to replace the flex hoses besides the part, and that all adds up; perhaps adding at least another $100 to the customer's bill for the brake job.

[@bigrockk2980]

Couple of years ago I had a caliper sticking and grabbing on the left front wheel of my 3/4 ton. Turned out to be rust build up between the brake hose and the bracket that holds the hose in place, the rust was basically pinching the hose. I was 4 hours from home so just cleaned it all up and problem solved. The joys of living in the rust belt! Great video as usual!

[@razorsharpbt124]

I had the same issue on my 01 Silverado. I replaced both front hoses and the issue was solved. The mechanic replaced the caliper first thinking that was the issue. This can save people time, money and aggravation. Thanks, Eric!

[@CarlRMauri]

THIS VIDEO PROVES THAT ERIC MISSED HIS CALLING: HE WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT GREAT VASCULAR SURGEON!! thanks for another great one!!

[@NoWr2Run]

He would be good at DISSECTING SNAKES ? That's what it reminded me of.

[@BurlyNerdGetsTheWorm]

The opening up and showing the 'why' was super helpful and a good reminder of why this channel is one of the best!

[@jimthecarguy]

Nice diagnoses Eric. I've seen that often and usually it is due the some rusting under the bracket were it holds the hose.

[@throttlebottle5906]

rusting is the biggest issue, even on the open crimped mid-span brackets. if the caliper slide pins move free as does the piston push in(with bleeder open) and vehicle came in pulling left and right as brake are applied/released bad hose/s. IRL, I have loosened/uncrimped and cleaned the rust out, then driven them for many miles afterwards. non blew nor wrecked me( but I'm a cautious driver and I always stomp my brakes often just to make sure they'll work in a panic situation. I've had calipers fail, lines, hoses and wheel cylinders and calipers blow as well as pads suddenly de-bond and shoot out. (I guess in my 40's I've been round the block plenty of times) bashed my head much as a youngster, but learned fast hands on, mostly all pre-internet :))

[@rocketroy469]

Hi Eric. I also thought that one of my calipers was seized. One set of pads was worn way worse than the other side so I. Like you replace both calipers. But the problem persisted . I came here followed this video to the letter and you were 100%. On the money. So I replace both calipers the rotors and the pads. And this wasn’t even the problem. My 94 geo metro will be getting a rebuild kit for the old calipers. So thankyou very much indeed..seriously..bang on from Vancouver Canada.

[@reaper060670]

Brilliant video man.. My niece is spending too much money on her car and the MOT test failed her on Brake hoses for being rusted with sings of pitting. The guys she goes to seem to keep her coming back constantly. I want to check the brake hoses myself to put my mind at rest which is why I'm watching ur videos man. THANKS for the information on here. I'm going to jack the ca up in the morning and take a butchers hook at those Brake hoses..

[@willnicholas7918]

Great video. I too am diagnosing the same concern. Already put a caliper on last week and the problem is back. Brake hoses don’t often fail but learning how they fail helps my mechanical brain understand and retain why they fail. Thank you Eric!

[@rosewd2]

Usually for the cost of brake hoses I like to replace them with the caliper. All 4 hoses with a Qt of fluid for my 02 Mercedes e430 was only 30$ from fcp euro. Also they tend to rot over tine.

[@hearttoengine9044]

I remember meeting Eric the car guy in Santa Monica Pier in 2017. His a great and humble person, I'm following in your footsteps.

[@therecessroom4478]

he's also handsome !

[@RandomYoutuber1023]

This is one of those things you would see 1 in 1000 times, but vigilance when inspecting the braking system is critical. Excellent video.

[@johnnyversaci7091]

Or half the time on chevy

[@JohnDoe-yv8fy]

I had this happen before, and I suspect it might have happened again. I'm going to replace the hose and out of curiousity cut the old one like Eric. The first time was a twenty year old domestic, this time it's close to a 20yo foreign. (Hose still says made in USA). Hopefully mechanics know, but when you pinch these rubber hoses during brake jobs, set the vise grips to have a good gap. Thise hose only needs to be pinched about 1/4 inch, anything more than that and your squishing it to the point of overkill. That may be why this happens sometimes.

[@brucexue]

Eric I've been watching a lot of your videos and never disappointed with anything whatsoever. Wish you and your loved ones stay strong and healthy during these hard times

[@bassman-mv2ry]

Thanks for the tip about pedal to the floor, no more fluid loss, never thought of that, Keep the good tips coming!

[@FrostyCoug]

Snow brush works well if you don’t have the specialty stick

[@paulccliu]

1qqqqqq0and and 0

[@FlakeBoss]

So, you said, "no more fluid loss". Does that mean with this trick we won't have to bleed the brakes?!!!

[@johnnyversaci7091]

I don't really understand the logic behind this

[@bassman-mv2ry]

@@johnnyversaci7091 WHEN THE PLUNGER IS FULLY DEPRESSED IT IS PAST BOTH PORTS SO THE FLUID CANT GET TO THE LINES

[@hobbyadventurer583]

Your a blessing here.You just gave me a great idea how to test one side of front brakes were it seems that the caliper is catching on and pulling on the one side, were there's a suspected/possible front collapsed brake flex line.Your test should give me a answer soon.Great video ! Thanks

[@Someguy35167]

I have a Chevrolet Captiva and the brakes overheated (talking red hot rotors) on the highway. Brought it back home and put new calipers, rotors and pads on the front. Guess what, the wheel on passenger side does not turn and the rotors heat up very badly. I thought it was a defective caliper until i researched online and found that brake hose could be bad. Your video confirms this to be the case. I am surprised that most people think the hose cannot be a problem. In my opinion, it should be the first thing to check since its the cheapest part. Anyway, i am going to be changing that hose and i hope that will fix it. Thanks for all your videos and for going a step further by determining the root cause i.e. taking apart that hose!

[@mds2465]

I noticed that problem as well on my brother’s 2006 Honda Pilot which has well over 200k. Upon replacing the parking brake shoes I noticed that one of the brake hoses was starting to leak. As a preventative measure I opted to replace all of the brake hoses at once, and let me tell you it made a world of a difference. I did get AC Delco hoses in that car, and I know that you always recommend Honda parts but they were on sale at the time and honestly the aftermarket hoses aren’t that bad. As long as you get a good reputable brand name it’s usually fine. So far my brother said that he hasn’t had any issues with them so that’s encouraging

[@SuperDd40]

I had a bad break hose once , i found out when i had to do an emergency stop on the highway and the pedal went straight to the floor . Fun times

[@jasonyoung6420]

I replace the soft lines in my braking system when vehicles become a certain age, usually at around 60k miles or 8 years of age (whichever comes first) being the way that I am, that usually means stainless lines. I've never come across a damaged soft line, but definitely come across lines that were cracked/dry rotted or appeared to have been swollen/stressed due to age and use. Good video, I personally feel replacing soft brake lines is a smart move as I consider them a wear item. hard lines I've definitely seen damaged, rotted & rusted out, depending on vehicle use (salt water boat haulers for instance).

[@leocarvajal6967]

With new SAE norms you can expect 300.000 miles or more of life expectancy.

[@fastinradfordable]

60k is way overkill. I have a 1981 vehicle with original brake hoses in good shape. No cracks. No leaks. No swelling. Firm pedal.

[@ItsJust2SXTs]

It depend where you live, where the car is parked, how you drive it... I live in Canada with salt, rock and other debris it's bad. I own an 08 magnum with 190k km and a 14 charger with 39k km they are basically the same other than engine, trans, some exterior panels and electronics. they doesnt brake the same, disc are the same diameter same as pad shape and area(oem pad on the charger are a little smaller in height swept in the front like a cm over the lenght of the pad). the charger brake way better! it's night and day. This spring I craked a rear caliper where the hose bolt in so I replace them with new hoses now I use less fuel and coast longer than before, just to do the front now. For me every 10-15years is a good base for 15$ea is not crazy for safety

[@SS-vp4eu]

Make sure you replace all other lines on vehicle also, wear items. New steering wheel at 65k how long do the floor mats get 9k? Windshield wipers each and every rain event and new rubber motor mounts after a tummy ache or hitting the rumble strip on the side of the highway

[@philiplombardi5057]

2001 Dodge 3500 van, same problem with the metal mounting bracket around the hose. The bracket filled up with rust and squeezed the hose 50% shut. I could hear the caliper releasing as the fluid tried to go back up the hose when I released the brakes. A+ video Eric!

[@LuisA1Million]

The brake hoses can also have a "balloon -ing" effect when pressure is applied... Great fix @EricTheCarGuy !!

[@MonoChorMe]

That ballooning effect (in its own right) is actually -legitimately- completely normal for a rubber based hose. Think of it as "by design". In hindsight, that is exactly the reason Eric choose to go for the steel braded hoses because that eliviates the balloning and thus spongey brake effect. Whereas the defect that happened (as in the video), well, that is something completely different; alas, the balloning is actually a "normal" thing.

[@killer2600]

@@MonoChorMe Spongy brakes (ballooning) is not normal. Brake hoses are reinforced to minimize line expansion as much as possible. Pressure wasted expanding (ballooning) a line is pressure that isn't braking a vehicle.

[@ChrisMueller-hj2ss]

I've been having a problem with a sticking break for some time now.And I bought new brick lines but I didn't know if that was gonna work well, you just answered my problem.You showed me just how I'm gonna fix it a new break line.Thank you

[@jims2507]

My rear Honda brakes (over 100k miles) were making a groan/pause/groan sound after parking. I noticed the rim was heated up, and smelled like burnt rubber. I left it overnight to cool down, took it all apart, didn't see any problems. If I had diagnosed like Eric, I should have found the problem. My shop said by policy they replace the brake hose when replacing a caliper, since hoses are cheap. Thank you for the video!!

[@teampontiac66]

Just a tip with the pedal to the floor thing.. All you really need to do is lock the pedal an inch or so in. As soon as the piston in the master starts moving from its resting position, it closes the port to the reservoir and the fluid will stay in the lines when disconnected.

[@ericthecarguy]

Good to know. Thanks!

[@socalRooster]

I’m confused on break pedal thing why hold pedal to floor once bleed valve is open.you’re taking line off how does this help

[@jacksmith2315]

If you only have the pedal down an inch or 2, once you crack a line or bleeder theres going to be no more pressure in the system so the pedal is going to go to the floor much easier, therefore if you have the pedal wedged like this, its going to go right to the floor and if whatever you're using isnt long enough its going to fall out and the pedal would come back up. Better off putting it to the floor so u know that wont happen.

[@jacksmith2315]

@@socalRooster i was wondering the same thing, but roberts first comment says why. It will bleed the lines but not the res for the master. Yes it will keep the res full, but seems like thats going to make a lot more air to have to bleed out, and once you bleed the air out, you're going to have to keep an eye on the res anyways to make sure it doesnt run dry when bleeding it. I guess it helps from the fluid constantly leakin out while making the repair so it makes less of a mess?

[@rayoliver6807]

What happens when the inside lineing goes bad the bad hose turns into a auto ck value not letting fluid to reverse flow to let pressure off piston and80% of the time the pedal is at the top! Ole school mechanics always CK the hose first!

[@NormasClips]

I had a front brake hose blow, BANG, on my 1974 260Z Datsun. Lucky I was going slow up hill to an intersection on a country road, cause the brakes failed completely..omg.. had time to use the hand brake. Im checking the hoses on my old cars each year now. Happy to be alive, hoses are cheap, body parts are expensive. Cheers.

Our Eric the Car Guy proves himself a haruspex! The entrails of the brake line predict new and fancy lines and the audience is most pleased!

[@jrorellana4865]

Thanks for your video, I wish I had watched before replacing my caliper on my 2011 F150. I was starting to think that it was the ABS pump, but I will start with the brake lines. Thanks again..

[@curtislivingston2812]

this video has just saved me from many more hours of overthinking this freaking caliper freezing up on me issue..its been a nightmare and this seems like an affordable fix to a massive headache

[@chocolate_squiggle]

Hey man, thanks will be keeping this in mind. I just put 2 new rotors and pads on front of my '02 Corolla yesterday and one side wasn't turning freely while still up on the stands. It's my first time doing that, I took my time cleaning everything and was very careful. I figured maybe just because they were brand new, I hadn't put the wheels back on yet, maybe it'd come right once I drove and things settled into their place. The first few times I rolled back and forth on my drive it creaked a bit setting off, like something was sticking. It cleared up fast though and no issues once on the road. But after seeing this I'll jack the front again and just check they're rolling freely now. It's an old car for sure. Thanks again.

[@dandeleona4760]

I just did a four wheel brake/caliper/rotor/system bleed with e-brake adjustment. Rear brakes are locked up now. I suspected old brake hoses because they were hard to clamp and left dimples when it was done. Good explanation that fluid goes to the piston but can't get back again, which explains why the brake pedal never recovers either. Time to replace those hoses back there on my 15+ y/o Honda Accord with [possible] rear end damage with previous owner. I was pleased to find brakes hoses were affordable (all four under $50 for most basic OEM) and reasonably accessible. While I was back there, I decided to clean the ABS sensors and sprocket too. An automotive writer described the sensor as a "a precision instrument in the crudest environment" so it was covered with metal shavings and mud so cleaning while the wheels were off anyway didn't seem like much of a stretch.

[@chadbush4413]

If you press the bake pad down 1 to 1.5 inches with your rod this engages the master cylinder and thus allowing you to stop brake fluid from draining out. No need for crimping brake hoses and risking internal damaged. I changed all for of my callipers this way with no mess. Super awesome tip.

[@Ken-1]

Excellent video. Last customer had no brakes on one side and an extremely pitted/fractured caliper piston! Replaced pads, rotors and the suspect caliper. Test drove it hard, and the new caliper and rotor were overheating to the point of smoking -- yikes! Also had that thudding sound when flooring the brakes. Brake hose fixed it. In hindsight, it makes sense that the caliper piston and pads were shattered to hell -- they were overheating daily, catalyzing the corrosion. Never seen a piston that brittle.

[@LEF1RST]

About the pedal to the floor trick: I would advise against it on older or high mileage (200k+) cars. If there's a lip from wear or rust in the master cylinder after the normal pedal travel, it will likely damage a seal. You might say to replace the master cylinder regardless if it's in that condition but it's not always possible to find them for very old or rare cars

[@Carlostype]

Got stung twice pumping pedals to the floor on cars about 90k! you then get a brake pedal that sinks under pressure, very annoying!

[@jamesb.9155]

@@Carlostype . . . which then HAS to be dealt with !

[@jerrytjohnson2263]

after removing the tires I always just had my helper hit the brake repeatedly while I inspected the brake caliper looking for movement mostly looking to see if they released or not most of the time it'd be a dry slide pin. then look at the houses sometimes old hoses will stretch & crack inside & create a flap valve inside the line thus not allowing the fluid to backflow releasing the caliper, telltale signs are an external ring on the hose or the hose clamp corroded. seen all kinds of shit like that in my 40 yrs with FedEx. but they did love Ford motor co. so there's that.

[@CXensation]

I keep a calibrated length of board in my shop corner for the purpose of holding down the brake pedal. The pedal just have to be pushed down firmly an inch or so to close the reservoir inlet valve in the master cylinder. No need to use excessive forces to bottom out the pedal. I always do this when servicing the brakes. Makes for a much cleaner job. Besides - it reduces the risk of air getting into the ABS valve block, which is a dunk to bleed out afterwards, using test equipment etc.

[@ROJODIX]

Thanks!

[@6586nitehawk]

Thanks for the great timing on this video. Replaced a "stuck" caliper over the weekend and after bleeding it's still behaving as if it is stuck... but only sometimes. I'm going to inspect hoses tonight!

[@CrazyPetez]

Good call on the braided stainless brake hoses. I was mentally suggesting you do that, and viola, you showed us the perfect cure. I’ll bet you have a firmer, more responsive brake pedal now.

[@ericthecarguy]

It's a little firmer, but pedal travel increased slightly.

[@ingbertschleicher5200]

EricTheCarGuy Why is the travel time increasing?

[@GleepGlop2]

@@ingbertschleicher5200 3 years late but still relevant for people watching, I bet the repeated deep presses of the brake pedal for demonstration damaged the master cylinder seals. You aren't supposed to press the pedal deep when bleeding, nor do you need to press it in that far to stop the fluid draining out. Just a bad idea to do that and master cylinder could easily have been damaged causing further pedal travel to brake properly.

[@ivanvuk7989]

Had exactly the same problem with my Opel Astra 2002, disk was even smoking after driving once. No visible damage on the hose, it was obviously peeling on the inside from the old age. Me and my mechanic diagnosed it exactly as you showed, and he did a "blow test" afterwards, blowing through the hose from one side would let air through, from the other it was blocked, like check valve, as you described. We also narrowed it down to the part of the hose pinched in the bracket.

[@loleyan879]

Eric is my favorite car guy dude is so honest and genuine

[@andyolsensovereignbeing.6211]

Very helpful thanks! I've had many calipers replaced by garages over the years and gave up with them and fitting a new hose next week

[@jakeschroeder1553]

5:15 South Main Auto: "There's your problem, lady!"

[@mailmanjoe]

Glad it wasn't just me thinking that!

[@kimogsus]

I was literally writing this as I saw your post ;-)

[@killer2600]

If only Eric was a lady.

[@saeedhossain6099]

nailed it!

[@Dave52732]

Same scenario for me last year on my 87 Caravan. Had replaced both front calipers several years back for one seizing caliper. Last year over heating brakes, smells like a burning fluorescent ballast, lead me to warranty replace the driver side caliper. Problem did not go away so I got to replace the brake hose. Surprise,, 33 year old fittings needed some torch work to come apart....

[@michaelblacktree]

This is a common problem for brake hoses that have a metal bracket crimped onto the hose. The metal "puffs up" when it corrodes, causing it to pinch the hose. I'm also a big fan of braided Teflon brake hoses.

[@stephenhagen234]

When I worked as a ramp agent loading bags at Southwest Airlines, we would inspect the wheel wells where the landing gear was stowed while in flight, looking for hydraulic leaks in the lines and actuators that did the retraction and deployment of those landing gear. We would also inspect the wings where the leading edge and trailing edge flaps were actuated looking for hydraulic fluid on the exterior sheet metal. We did not find any but once in a while we observed a MLG tire that was worn down pretty badly. We notified the Captain before pushoff from the gate. It was his call whether or not the tire would be changed then, or at the next domicile.

[@Dubiels]

Same issue on my Acura! Intermittently my caliper is not releasing. Thanks for the vid! My was doing the same thing as your car making the thumping noise. I replaced the hoses with braided ones too

[@arth.4196]

Excellent video. I had a problem like this on a vw bug. I just couldn't pass a tapered end of a copper wire to pass through the brake hose front.

[@Callixtus14]

Thanks for the great explanation as always! I'm on my third caliper on my Accord, its been consistently wearing pads on one side more than the other. Someone mentioned brake hose to me recently and I thought that seemed silly considering it wasn't leaking so I didn't think anything else could be wrong with it. Your "check valve" explanation makes perfect sense and when I was bleeding the new calipers I did notice that the offending wheel was harder to rotate but thought nothing of it in the moment. I've got a hose on order and we'll see if that solves the issue once and for all after all these years.

[@lecahier]

Did it solve the issue for you?

[@PapaPekker]

Great video! Got right to the point, great explanation, very informative. This is how all “Car How-To’s” should be, so I have time to look for that 10mm socket.

[@chrisingram7277]

Thanks again Eric, I saw this video two years ago and this week after rebuilding the caliper (ETG inspired) again the rotor is heating up. This video came to mind last night... It also occurred to me how little fluid dripped out of the hose and it was impossible to vacuum bleed the brake might also be clues.

[@flasheart49]

Thanks again for a well presented informative video. Removing the master cylinder resevoir cap and placing some polethene (plastic bag) over the opening and then screwing the cap back on will prevent air venting into the resevoir and considerably reduce fluid loss.

[@nathanmatzen2452]

im gonna try this and report back next week

[@jamesb.9155]

Always nice to see a little how to do it, break free the brake flared connections. I always like using the actual brake like wrench tool that grabs 3/4 way around the nut for sure grip.

[@alward9901]

Hi Eric great info the lesson here for me is brakes are not just callipers pads & rotors , check the hole cystem suspect the problem elsewhere good one thanks .

[@VeryMuchSaab]

"so right where it was pinched, it was sort of smooshed together" Thanks for the video! very informative.

[@justin1977]

Great video....but it raises a question in my mind. Would you recommend NOT using a brake hose clamp when changing calipers? Could too much pressure on an older brake hose cause similar damage ?

[@thomasmartin571]

Man what an awesome video!!! I’ve replaced the caliper, the brake booster, and the slave cylinder on my 2002 Harley F150 and the truck still pulls to the left hard! I hope this fixes it! Going to swap out the drivers side brake line after dinner!

[@dtm8073]

Will be checking that on my car tonight since I have the same symptoms as described here. 2014 Honda Civic with 489 000 kms.

[@jasons6573]

If I am changing a caliper in the future I will most likely go ahead and change the hose also. This was a very helpful video. Thanks

[@red380zzz]

Perfect video Eric! Thanks so much for schooling the DIYér that can't or don't want to spend the cash for a mechanic for the install.

[@thewoodsmandrew]

Thank you iv been bambozeled and you helped me out. my line on my GMC was cracked and was also in a collision . it was shaking and everyone wanted me to do a complete brake job.

[@Ken-1]

Also, a tip: If the piston seems seized and doesn't compress, open the bleeder and try. Usually if it doesn't compress here, folks call in a caliper -- NO! Take the caliper completely off the car (i.e remove brake hose). If the caliper piston compresses OFF THE CAR, you have a blocked hose/line.

[@JoshuaBrennan57]

Thanks so much for this video. I rebuilt my 297k mile caliper, bled the brakes, and the scraping noise which sounded like the caliper went away then came back. I’ve been suspicious of the brake hose and will replace next

[@thelifeandtimesofyoboislim8967]

Thanks. My Ram Promaster 3500 V6 had this issue. They replaced the caliper and it happened again. So now I'm making them replace the hoses on both front. My driver side is the one that was making the noises

[@NoWr2Run]

I'm just going through this on my 97 Jeep Grand 186,543 miles, still has original calipers & hoses. I had to hit my brakes hard when a deer ran in front of me in town ? I went to stop at next stop sign & the Jeep SEVERELY PULLED TO THE LEFT, WTF ? When I got home the left front smelled HOT, COULD NOT EVEN TOUCH THE WHEEL. I like you thought caliper ? So I ordered both front calipers & hoses, actually just got them YEST. Now this weekend I have a job ahead of me, might even get brake pads ? TAXES ARE DUE THIS MONTH SO MONEY IS TIIIIIIGHT FOR ME AT THE MOMENT. THANKS FOR THE VID. SIR ERIC.

[@labradormcgraw]

Great advice here. I seem to recall trying a similar technique to diagnose a brake issue on my Ford. The problem is that after only three or four presses on the pedal, the vacuum in the servo runs out and you can't press down anymore - not until you cycle the ignition. I was surprised at how much leverage Eric got on this. I'm actually thinking about changing to braided lines myself now. Great video - still the best on KZbin.

[@ericthecarguy]

I really like the 'feel' of steel braided lines. Just know that about all brake hoses are steel braided on the inside anyway. They just have a rubber coating on the outside. So in a way, it's more of a 'marketing' thing. kzbin.info/www/bejne/a5nae4qJmpebq8U

[@labradormcgraw]

@@ericthecarguy Thank you for the link; that video makes me think that I still want to go ahead with braided lines - even though you weren't completely happy with them yourself. I had no idea that regular lines expand under pressure - thanks for a great tutorial. Long live ETCG!

[@rusty6666]

Yep the good collapsed brake hose had that happen a long time ago went threw two calipers before finding out it was bad but i fixed and was good to go again thanks Eric great tips on how to look for that...

[@DiYSpanner]

Thank you for your videos sir, it really helps a lot.

[@MsGgq]

Thank you so much. Your video was very helpful. I had a front left bearing replaced and when I got it back it made a squeaky/creaky noise which I have come to learn was the caliper sticking. I took it back to the shop, they told me it was the caliper but then the mechanic took a screwdriver and pried the metal clamp open. The squeak was fixed and the brakes are much looser now. My question is, how does a flex hose get pinched from changing a bearing?

[@kylemurr5251]

I gotta 96 obs and my brakes will super lock up. watching your video pointed me In The right direction

[@cutl00senc]

I sell auto parts and I always recommend new hoses with every caliper purchase. I also recommend bleeding out all of the old fluid. Not doing this is will often result in more issues down the road.

[@robbyddurham1624]

I wish I'd bought parts from you earlier this year.

[@daves_not_here_mannn]

I sell propane and propane accessories.

[@spelunkerd]

Nice to see this, it is so uncommon most of us will never get a chance. Too bad it is so hard to diagnose.

[@bassplayer61]

Thank You SO MUCH for this video! I was having the exact same problem with my 2010 Mariner, and it continued even after I replaced the pads and the caliper. This really helps - I'll be off tomorrow to the auto parts store to get a new flex line :)

[@blazingverde]

Yup you're right pinched mine off now im thinking i damaged them because they're barely bleeding at all. thanx for the info.

[@johnkaplanian]

Dear Mr. Eric, not necessarily the brake line damage is caused by collision as much as it is caused by a pinching tool or age as most brake line manufacturers suggest replacing brake lines every 14 years to eliminate what is called check valve effect that causes partial locking and some sort of hard brake pedal feel. On another instances the rubber material with age became more elastic where part of the fluid pressure is lost in rubber elasticity which will affect braking power , therefore nice of you to use metal braided hoses to keep hold the rubber from expanding under pressure. Thanks for your wonderful videos and Enjoy Your Heaven. John Jack Kaplanian.

[@alecsbiggestfan]

I wish you were the author of the textbooks used in my auto tech course. The auto repair books I've had experience with thus far are horribly edited, horribly explained, horribly outdated, or most of the time all three. I've been using your videos as a thoughtful, detailed, intelligent, and necessary supplement.

[@nicolastremblay6719]

While replacing caliper always change the hose with it. Trust me it saves a lot of time and hassle. Litte tricks I do all the times. They are not expensive

[@davidostring1289]

Thank you for showing how to check for bad break hoses.

[@gplusgplus2286]

Eric, brake hoses rot from the inside so the rubber may look fine but the inside could be rusty and destroyed, especially if fluid isn't changed regularly or the car has sat for a few years. That's why its recommended by classic car people to replace rubber brake hoses every 15 years or so. And rubber brake hoses are cheap enough to replace, gonna do mine next service on my 2001 Audi.

[@russellstephan6844]

Years ago I was known as the Honda ST1100 (motorcycle) expert in the area. Another bike owner was having a friend (also an ST1100 rider) visit. They were planning on leaving for multi-day tour. However, the visiting rider was having front brake problems -- a dragging caliper. A local shop couldn't figure it out so they brought it to me. Eventually, after numerous tests, it *had* to be a faulty brake line. Now what to do? ST1100 parts aren't available over-the-counter. But, the local riding buddy did have a set of SS lines back at his place for a future upgrade. Well, his buddy got the line upgrade... Two and a half hours of down time but they still managed to leave on the trip with a minimal alteration of itinerary.

[@publicmail2]

This can happen to old lines undamaged from outside causing check valve issue from peeling inside of hoses.

[@bogotabro]

So had a caliper hanging up. Inspected the hose, looks good. Cracked the bleeder valve, only dribbled out. Calipers were cheap Autozone refurbs, so thinking that's the culprit. They look like shit anyway so if nothing else it will be an aesthetic upgrade. Thanks for the tips. 😎👍

[@mattbickford2640]

sometimes the way i end up figuring this out is when im doing a brake flush to something(happened 2 times to me on the 09-14 pilot model year) and when i open the bleeder on one caliper, it comes out good, then i move into the back caliper and its not coming out very good at all.. even with the bleeder off, ill have to try this next time i run into that, thanks for the tip!

[@keepcalmandfarmon5401]

I didn't know that a brake hose could go bad like this...thanks for showing and, once again, doing the autopsy. I appreciate your honesty when you said you diagnosed it wrong by blaming the old caliper and then the replacement caliper - I have been there/done that too many times to count!!!

[@Leddemo]

I had an issue with my passenger front wheel on my Subaru Outback. Went through 2 calipers, when it happened a third time, I replaced the caliper AND hose and it happened AGAIN (yes, a fourth time). Finally out of desperation I swapped out the ABS valve/controller/unit/thing, and it hasn't came back. Which was frustrating finding one since everywhere I went I was told that those things never go bad.

[@psav1520]

I've found that pushing the brake pedal enough times beyond it's normal stroke can damage the master cylinder. To determine where my problem is Brake hose, or caliper) I usually open the bleeder and push the piston in. If there is too much resistance, the caliper is bad, little resistance, the hose is bad.

[@wingerrrrrrrrr]

This is particularly true with old cars that haven't been regularly flushed with brake fluid changes, a ridge of corrosion develops and pushing the piston seal past it rips up the seal, necessitating immediate replacement. Probably due anyway, but it makes it a right now replacement.

[@ericthecarguy]

I agree if you're pushing the pedal farther than normal travel, say when bleeding brakes, that can get into the 'corroded' area of the master cylinder bore and damage the seal, but if it's only going the normal drop, I don't see how there would be an issue with the master cylinder. If it is an issue, then the master cylinder should have been replaced anyway because it would fail the first time someone does a panic stop. Thanks for the comment.

[@NewfieXbox66-ju4qb]

Hi Eric I have 4 flex hoses on my vehicle i had 2 of the flex hoses replaced in the front but i did not know that there were 2 flex hoses in the rear until last week when i was getting a trailer hitch installed. I know they're Original as i bought the SUV New in 2006, and it's 18 years old but when i come to a stop feels like a flutter on the Brake peddle then it's ok it happens 3 or 4 times a day when coming to a stop. I had all new Brakes replaced and Drums and Rotors and Calibers.

[@lunstee]

About depressing the pedal to hold back brake fluid, I've never had a stick of an appropriate length at hand to do it, but what's worked for me has been to take off the brake reservoir lid, top off the fluid, seal the opening with saran wrap, and then put the lid back on. This doesn't necessarily work for all lids, but has been fine for the cars I've worked on. Sometimes there's a slit diaphragm in the lid: I'll take that out and put it on the reservoir opening, then saran wrap over that, and reinstall the lid over all that. A little fluid comes out until a slight vacuum forms under the saran wrap, then the flow stops. As mentioned, I've never done the stick on brake pedal method, but in my minds eye, I'm always afraid that some time after I open the bleeder, the loss of pressure at the brake pedal might let the stick slip, release the pedal and then not hold back the brake fluid.

[@Grnademaster]

I replaced my caliper on the right side of my 2009 Focus because it was sticking intermittently. The whole wheel was super heated 3 times from the brakes locking up. After about 2 weeks of working fine, I thought the problem was solved. Then it happened again, worse this time. Super heated in about 5 minutes. Now I changed the brake hose, and It's been fine for a week now, but I'm not going to celebrate yet, lol. The hose did not look damaged at all on the outside, but I forgot to cut it open and check the inside. I suspect it was damaged inside from being super hot at least 4 times, and who knows how many times heated above normal.

[@user-mr3ww5gy4j]

Tysm! You are extremely smart and honest! My brakes work and sound great, however, my break fluid is extremely low with brake service light coming on and my technician told me to replace the brakes....could he be bullshiting me to get $600 and maybe it is just the hoses leaking???

[@toddmccarter45]

This is one of the best videos I think you've done!

[@Brainbaskit]

Nice one, spun the wheels while jacked up and thought everything good, did not now about pumping pedal first, it's that damn hose! 😊😉😃

[@CalkoLouie]

Hi Eric I watched your Brake hose video and I thought I would ask you a question about my 2016 Accent at which I replace the rear Pads & rotors . When I turn the calliper piston in was very deficult ,but did not check the hose I shall do that soon.. thanks for the video. LC

[@robbyddurham1624]

I had this problem a month ago. Wish I'd known. I wasted a lot of time learning about this.

[@505197]

If it pulls to one side when you first hit the brakes, then pulls to the opposite side when you release the pedal, you most likely have a restricted hose.The fluid is slow going in and slow coming out.

[@dd___dc]

I get a lot of pulling to the right side I keep what's causing it

[@AntonioClaudioMichael]

Great minds think alike Eric I use the soda bottle with hose all the time lol just easy and cheap @EricTheCarGuy

[@jamesglenn6461]

Excellent, life saving video.

[@michaelw6277]

I appreciate your superior, thorough method..... but, when in doubt, just buy a set of Goodridge stainless steel lines and call it a day.

[@chrisgonzales4246]

Ask always thanks for the video and always for the knowledge! Just one question. What type of steel braided lines do you prefer?

[@Dnasty1]

Great video. Just wondering what you did exactly when you held the brake pedal down? What does the master cylinder bleeding out mean? I have these little silicone plugs i bought that I use to stop fluid hoses on my car when i'm doing work and I was going to plug the brake hose so I didn't have to pinch it with clamps (i'm afraid of damaging it like that).

[@consaka1]

I bought an old used 1993 dually crewcab Chevy truck a number of years ago. It had an interesting problem. When you would push the brake it would pull to one side and then stop pulling as you were braking. When you would let your foot off the brake it would pull to the other side. Using a bit of logic I figured out which side was bad and replaced it. Of course not before not thinking too hard and throwing a caliper at it. Of course that didn't fix the problem.