2009 Cadillac DTS - Brake line damaage during other repair

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

Took my car in to have the rac and pinion replace brakes were fine now I go back and brakes are flat guy tells me my brake line was rusty and it snapped. Could he have damaged it putting the rack in? I really do think he mistakenly broke it

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It’s possible he broke it, but it’s more likely on a 12 year old car it broke due to corrosion.

6 Likes
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Replacing the rack and pinion has nothing to do with the brake lines.

I’d like to know how it happened.

Tester

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DTS is fwd. job usually requires lowering rear of subframe.
Caddy brake lines run over/under/along subframe.
Line bundle under driver seat jogs up in firewall area and GM has plastic shroud to prevent road spray damage and it traps mud so lines rust right at the jog. Thanks GM.

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Rack and pinion assembly replacement on a 2009 DTS.

2009 Cadillac DTS Rack and Pinion Replacement

The mechanic will start the repair by ensuring the wheels are straight and the steering column is locked. A belt may be used to ensure the wheel isn’t moved during the repair
The front tires will be removed, and the universal joint coupler will be removed from the pinion shaft
The power steering lines will be disconnected from the rack, and the tie rod ends will be separated
The bolts will be removed from the rack and pinion brushing brackets, and the assembly will be removed through the wheel well
The new unit will then be installed, with the mechanic reversing the removal steps
The air will be bled from the power steering system, and the fluid will be topped up as required
The mechanic will then test the installation, turning the wheel from lock to lock to ensure it’s functioning as expected
An alignment will then be performed to ensure all the alignment angles are correct

Again, I’d like to know how the brake line got damaged.

Tester

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Was the brake failure immediately after repair? Did they work at all when you picked up your car? If they failed while you were still at the mechanics getting your car, then I agree, it is very likely that the mechanic accidently damaged a brake line. If they worked for even a day, then that is just bad luck.

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Both could be true. Line was rusty so breaks easily if disturbed. Mechanic might could have prevented it by being more careful, but that would only have delayed the brake line from leaking later, possibly causing an accident. So you may well be ahead of the game by knowing about it.

Is you car driven in an area where they salt the roads in the winter? If so, safety says best to just replace the broken brake line and inspect the rest of them for rust beyond acceptable limits. Your car probably was built using steel brake lines. There’s some brake line materials available now that are supposedly more rust resistant, might want to ask your mechanic about using one of those for the replacement line(s).

1 Like