Is it true that Ford stops making parts such as "brake lines" a couple years after the model came out?

Question

I know, I know, FORD="Fix or Repair Daily" or "Found on Road Dead"---but that's the thing. I lost my brakes the other day, on a major highway's construction zone. Scariest thing to ever happen to me. Somehow, "glided" my way to the repair shop near my work where I usually take my car, and they told me that my brake lines were all rotted out, excpept for the one by the front passenger wheel. I could have been killed!! This is a 96 Ford Taurus GL, originally bought brand new from my dad who kept up the maintenance like clockwork. He practically gave it to me, as I was having tons of trouble with my previous car and had to sell it to unsuspecting Carmax. Anyway, this place told me that they had to MAKE the brake lines, and the labor alone would be about $640 at $80 an hour. (I live near NYC-everything is much more expensive here.) They told me Ford doesn't make them anymore since it was a 10 year old car. Does this sound right?

I know most of you mean well about telling me to get estimates elsewhere, but the truth is they would really have to SEE the car to give me an accurate estimate, right? And I don't know about you, but I wasn't going to be driving around town looking for another shop to work on my car (I mean, how would I STOP to get into the parking lot???) And towing charges alone would probably not make it worth it. Guess now it not a good time to tell you I also had the Real Proportional Valve replaced at another shop earlier, like a month ago. Why they never noticed the brake lines is beyond me. I serioulsy could have been killed. It is with God's grace that I didn't get into an accident.

Answer 1

I am a fleet mechanic on ford trucks from vans to larger trucks and I run into your problem daily. Yes, brake lines DO rot out due to age, and being exposed to rock salt for years being driven in winter. You should only need to replace the lines that rusted out not all of them. Its no problem getting the rubber hoses that go to the wheels, But you can't get the pre shaped brake lines at ford dealers anymore, you or a mechanic have to buy straight brake lines (the proper diameter for your car) and cut to proper length and bend accordingly to old lines shapes, then double flare the ends and assemble, bleed system out and your all set. good luck. mechanic for 30 yrs.

Answer 2

Some parts are NEVER made by the manufacturer. Certain bolts and lines are called "hardware" and/or "Stock" Items.

Examples of this are heater hoses, vacuum lines, fuel lines, and, yes, metal brake lines. The rubber flex lines are available both from the dealer and parts stores.

When you find a car with bad metal brake lines, often the original line cannot be removed in one piece. That would especially be true of the long line that leads from the front of the car (master cylinder) and the rear brake system. When they put the lines in at the factory the frame is bare: no engine, transmission, etc. in place yet.

Brake lines have a special fitting on them: it's called a double flare. Replacement metal lines come in various lengths.
A good shop will have a double flaring tool so they can make the lines exactly the right length.

Since this is "craftsman-like" work, it is hard to estimate: a shop can basically charge whatever for it. The price you get will be mostly labor: a 6 foot length of brake line costs about $5, and there can't be more than 30 to 40 feet of brake line on your car!

Finding someone to do this job right and take the time might be a trick. It might not be the service station guy, or it might be him.

Ask if he has the tool to make double flares. If he does, he's got the right stuff to do a good job.

One other note on the amount of work involved: often you have to remove stuff like motor mounts, crossmembers, etc. to get to the brake lines. They can be a pain! At $80 per hour that's only 8 hours labor: That's probably about right if they do all the lines and do them properly. In Florida we only charge $50 per hour, but I'm sure things are higher there.

Answer 3

That sounds a bit high to me, but it is not MY shop.
He is right, however. Many parts for older vehicles are discontinued after 10 years. It is a Federal requirement that the manufacturers maintain a level or replacement and repair parts for the vehicles they manufacture so that the customer doesn't get hung with an expensive unusable liability.
Keep in mind, Ford (and all the others as well) are in the business of making money, not manufacturing cars. They choose to make the money manufacturing cars. They won't waste much of it warehousing parts for cars they are not sure that are even still on the road.
Many shops can fabricate new brake lines from straight steel tube, and bend them to the required shape. But it shouldn't take more than 2 hours at most to do. There will be added time to bleed and road-test for leaks etc.
If the rubber flex lines fail and must be replaced, they can be obtained (though sometimes by special order) from most jobber parts houses and some discount parts stores.

Good Luck

Answer 4

For each model they make 5 to 7 years of replacement parts then quit making them. This is the warranty time. However it might only take them 1 year to make the parts. So the statement is NOT correct of about two years of production on repair parts for each model. They make a new model every year so they have to make the replacement parts for 7 years in 1 years time because time to start on the next years model.

And Auto Zone or any other parts house will have the brakes for your car. You have to remember the same brake shoes fit on other models too. If it was the tubeing that went out which it sounds like these tubes are at auto zone aswell and if they are not you can buy the tube and fittings and even the flaring tool for under 100 dollars and even the wrenches to change the old one out with.

Take your car to the Ford dealer and get it fixed. Will only take them maybe 30 minutes repair time. Bet under 200 bucks total cost.

Don't let them bull sh!t you. They can clip the line and replace just the bad part of the lines if needed. I would think only one place in one line was rotted out. So with a tubbing cutter cut back a little from each side of the bad spot and put in a foot of new line with new fittings.

You are getting rapped here.

Answer 5

"FORD""GM"CHRYSLER"
None of the auto manufacturers have made a part for years. Their suppliers do. the manufacturers are only assemblers. Go to a parts store and see if one aftermarket is available. A brake system on a '63 may be rotted out, not yours. There is no MAGIC # of years a manufacturer HAS to make a replacement part, this is what autozone and Oriellys, NAPA are all about they have the part...
Brake lines are steel or in your case stainless steel. The flexible wheel line may be brittle. or the cylinders/calipers leaking. To replace those would be cheap. I know for a fact that these lines ARE available from the dealer and parts stores. The price is however not out of line what I would charge to replace all 4 wheels flex lines and brake parts. A full brake job at my shop for your car including all needed parts is 850.00 that includes replacing all flex lines pads and rebuilding all wheel cylinders, I also give a 12 month warranty on a big job like that.

Get a second opinion from a AAA rated auto shop. You may be getting hosed.....A lot of mechanics don't understand that even though you may not understand what they are telling you, you should be told the facts up front and then be educated on the what the heck did they just tell me. I am not like a doctor where you pay your money and the doc walks in says hi your sick and walks out....GEEZ I HATE THAT!

Answer 6

I am skeptical about the claim that your brake lines are literally rotted away. I've got a 30 year old car that still has original metal brake lines! Did they SHOW you the actual problem? How could they let you drive the car out of there with only one working brake?
IF your brakes lines were rotted, I'm surprised you had any brakes at all for any amount of time since all the break fluid would have leaked out.

Answer 7

If you are on the east coast, brake lines will rust out- plain and simple. Some of the brake lines are difficult to access and thus the $640. to replace. You may want to ask if there is a 'cheaper' alternative, as in, replacing only the steel lines that are leaking. This will keep the car working until the next rotted line starts to leak.

Answer 8

I think manufactures only have to supply parts for 6 or 7 years legally.
A brake house can make lines cheap :)

You dad must have been parking it near the ocean, thats the only way they can rust that fast. I had a motorhome that did that.

Answer 9

This does happen. It happens a lot b/c these parts are not used all the time. If the repair shop can not find used ones than they will do what they can do to help you. This does not happen a lot though. Usually used ones can be found. Meaing parts can usually be found, but it happens.

Answer 10

What they'er telling you is true. The cost is because of the way the lines run. Some of them run through the frame.