Can the brake line on an multi decade old rx-7 rust up and fail? According to the youtube that's what happened in the recent fatal limousine accident. Even if the brake lines are aluminum they can corrode and fail. Need I worry about replacing them on my +35 year old car? Of the line portions that I can see, there isn't any corrosion. I replaced the rubber portions already because they were cracked.

 

The short answer is yes. I regularly inspect both fuel and brake lines.

It's not too hard to replace the lines if they are corroded. You can buy a roll of tubing and rent the tools to create the ends.

 

What accident do you refer to?

Any of these lines can rust up and fail. Just keep an eye on them or wait until the brake pedal goes to the floor when on bursts.

 

This one:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/14/n...pstate-ny.html


The hard lines?

I've been driving older cars my whole life and have never heard of a brake hard line rusting through and causing brake failure. How the Hell did that happen on a limo, which was a Ford Excursion that was probably less than 5 years old?

I dunno about that explanation for the crash. I think it will be more operator negligence once this is all sorted out.


A few years ago near my hometown, a limo was driving on the freeway when a door popped open and killed three people. After months of investigation, they found that the limo service had complaints about that door and ignored them. The Limo service owner went to the clinker.

 

My 93 Navaho did it in 2011. Walked out to it one morning, started it and saw all the brake fluid come out of the left front wheel well when I pressed the brakes. It lived a hard life in Pittsburgh PA and saw a lot of winters and snow and salt. Those lines were crispy when I fixed em. It happens and inspections should catch the worst. The Navaho was only 20 years old by then, oh and it was a rebranded Explorer. So coincidence?

 

I had this happen to my old 1992 ford F150. Luckily, it happened in a parking lot. Went to start truck and brake went to floor. Got out and noticed the puddle of brake fluid. Change the brake line in the parking lot with a crescent wrench.

The same truck had the oil pan rust through.

 

Chevy GMT800 trucks are notorious for this. I would check yours if you are worried

 

Schoharie County , NY limousine crash killed 20 people on Oct 6, 2018


The metal brake lines that I can see should corrode faster than the ones that I cannot since they're more exposed to the elements(?).

 

Just gonna say I stand corrected. I live in a place where they do not salt the roads and I don't know crap about undercarraige rust like these guys do. Seems like it's not that uncommon.

Good luck replacing the lines!