C5 Brake System Failure - Flexible Hose Rupture
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C5 Brake System Failure - Flexible Hose Rupture After 5+ years in the dark, I have finally seen the light. I hope I can offer as much Corvette/LS1 knowledge as I hope to gain on this great forum.
The impetus for my recent registration is the topic for this thread. As I write, my 2000 C5 6spd hardtop (pre-Z06) is at the body shop getting a new front fascia, hood, and passenger-side headlight cover. The damage was caused by a low-speed impact between the Corvette's front end and the rear bumper of a 2002 Ford F150. The impact occurred during a panic stop by the F150 and myself after just beginning to accelerate from a green light.
As I saw him stop, I put the clutch to the floor and full force on the brake pedal with complete confidence that the Corvette's braking capabilities would prevent an accident. I was confident because these same wonderful brakes have saved me before. This time, however, I felt a pop under my foot and the brake pedal went straight to the floor. Before I could accept the reality that I had lost brake pressure and use the clutch or e-brake to slow the car, the front end had engaged the Ford's rear bumper. Luckily, the speeds were no more than 10-20mph throughout the entire event, the damage to either vehicle was relatively minor, and nobody was injured.
At home, I took many pictures and some video of the brake failure. The flexible hose that failed is one of two on the driver's side of the engine, along the frame rail, connecting the hard steel brakes lines from the master cylinder to those of the ABS controller.
At this point, you might be asking, "how many miles on that car?" ... just less than 36k. The real question to ask is, "does mileage really matter?" because this is not a "wear" item like rotors, calipers, clutch, etc. Plus, this is a safety related item much like the air bags and seat belts.
The objective for this post was simply to ask if anyone, not just Corvette owners, has even heard of a vehicle, not just the C5, that has ever ruptured a brake hose. I have to clarify that I do refer to relatively new vehicles, not a 1950 work truck that has been rotting out in a field for the past few decades.
Finally, I am open to suggestions on how to proceed following a component failure such as this - notify NHTSA, march up to GM headquarters and demand a new 2006 Z06 for compensation, drive the C5 off a cliff and go buy a Subaru Impreza WRX STI, etc. All joking aside, I'm just glad the brake failure didn't happen at highway speeds, total the car, and severely hurt myself or anyone else.
The impetus for my recent registration is the topic for this thread. As I write, my 2000 C5 6spd hardtop (pre-Z06) is at the body shop getting a new front fascia, hood, and passenger-side headlight cover. The damage was caused by a low-speed impact between the Corvette's front end and the rear bumper of a 2002 Ford F150. The impact occurred during a panic stop by the F150 and myself after just beginning to accelerate from a green light.
As I saw him stop, I put the clutch to the floor and full force on the brake pedal with complete confidence that the Corvette's braking capabilities would prevent an accident. I was confident because these same wonderful brakes have saved me before. This time, however, I felt a pop under my foot and the brake pedal went straight to the floor. Before I could accept the reality that I had lost brake pressure and use the clutch or e-brake to slow the car, the front end had engaged the Ford's rear bumper. Luckily, the speeds were no more than 10-20mph throughout the entire event, the damage to either vehicle was relatively minor, and nobody was injured.
At home, I took many pictures and some video of the brake failure. The flexible hose that failed is one of two on the driver's side of the engine, along the frame rail, connecting the hard steel brakes lines from the master cylinder to those of the ABS controller.
At this point, you might be asking, "how many miles on that car?" ... just less than 36k. The real question to ask is, "does mileage really matter?" because this is not a "wear" item like rotors, calipers, clutch, etc. Plus, this is a safety related item much like the air bags and seat belts.
The objective for this post was simply to ask if anyone, not just Corvette owners, has even heard of a vehicle, not just the C5, that has ever ruptured a brake hose. I have to clarify that I do refer to relatively new vehicles, not a 1950 work truck that has been rotting out in a field for the past few decades.
Finally, I am open to suggestions on how to proceed following a component failure such as this - notify NHTSA, march up to GM headquarters and demand a new 2006 Z06 for compensation, drive the C5 off a cliff and go buy a Subaru Impreza WRX STI, etc. All joking aside, I'm just glad the brake failure didn't happen at highway speeds, total the car, and severely hurt myself or anyone else.
