Brake lines are the steel tubes that carry fluid from the master cylinder to each wheel, and in Michigan they rust from the outside in. When a line fails you lose pressure to part of the system and the pedal drops toward the floor. AutoTech Clinic inspects, repairs and replaces brake lines at 24100 Michigan Ave in Dearborn.
This is one of the few repairs where we will tell you not to drive the car home. A weeping line can let go completely under a hard stop.
- How Long
- From about 2 hours for one section to a full day for a complete line replacement.
- Same Day
- Time frame confirmed before you leave the car.
- Vehicles
- Foreign and domestic, cars through trucks.
Signs You Need Brake Line Repair
- The brake pedal sinks slowly while you hold it at a light
- You have to add brake fluid every few weeks
- A wet patch or drip under the car near a wheel or along the frame rail
- The brake warning light comes on when you brake hard
- Flaking rust or scale visible on the lines along the underbody
What We Do
- 01
Pressure Test and Locate
We find where the fluid is going, whether it is a hard line, a flex hose, a fitting or the master cylinder.
- 02
Inspect the Whole Run
Rust rarely attacks one inch of line. We look at the entire run, because replacing a short section next to more rusted tube is a false economy.
- 03
Fabricate or Fit
We bend and flare replacement line to match the original routing, using the correct flare type for your vehicle, or fit a pre-bent factory line where that is the better option.
- 04
Secure and Protect
New lines go back in the factory clips and away from heat and moving parts, because an unsupported line vibrates and work hardens until it cracks.
- 05
Bleed and Road Test
We bleed the full system, confirm a firm pedal with no sink, and road test under hard braking before the car leaves.
Why Brake Lines Fail Here and Not in Arizona
Michigan uses a great deal of road salt, and salt brine sprays directly onto the underbody where the brake lines run. The lines are steel with a thin coating, and once that coating is nicked by a stone the rust starts and works through the wall.
Most of the line failures we see are on vehicles ten years and older that have spent every winter here. If your car is in that group, ask us to look at the lines during your next oil change. It takes a few minutes, and it is far better to find it on a lift than at a red light.
Patch or Replace?
A short splice with a union is acceptable for an isolated damage point, such as a line crushed by a jack. It is not the right repair for general rust, because the rest of the run is the same age and condition.
When we see widespread scale we quote replacing the full run and explain why. You get the honest version, including which sections are still sound.
What Affects the Cost
We quote your vehicle specifically after inspecting it, because these are the things that move the number up or down:
- How much of the line run has to be replaced
- Whether we can reuse fittings or they shear off from rust
- Access, since some lines run above the fuel tank or inside the frame
- Whether the flex hoses and the ABS module ports are also corroded
- Vehicles with heavy underbody rust that fight every fitting
Call (313) 277-7200 with your year, make and model and we will tell you what to expect before you come in.
Why AutoTech Clinic
AAA Approved
An inspected facility that has to meet AAA standards for equipment and training.
Photos First
You see what we found and approve the price before anything is taken apart.
Same-Day Service
Parts on hand for the vehicles we see most, so you are not waiting on a delivery.