Technical Signs of brake hose failure

Brake hoses or soft hoses seldom fail but when they do often it’s misdiagnosed causing unnecessary and expensive repairs.
Commonly the failed soft line is not discovered until more expensive parts have been replaced and the problem persists.
Hopefully the following will help you in the future.

In automotive diagnostics try to be impartial and not go into it with preconceived notions. You can have an idea but remember that many things can give the same or similar symptom.
The bottom line is....
Let the car tell you what the problem is.

Here is a list of symptoms that proved to be a failed hose. This can be applicable to drum or disc systems front or rear.

1. Something is not right......
This can be very very subtle. You may notice a slight wander especially when braking. It can be so slight that it’s easily missed or ignored.
You may decide that nothing is wrong. On straight axle vehicle you see this as normal or slight wear. No biggie. On an older IFS car, the same thing, you may decide that it’s wear in the suspension or steering.
Hey, could be, but let the car tell you.
If you perceive a problem even ever so slight,
Check it out!
Something is not quite, it’s worth investigating.
Walk around the car and feel the wheels. Touch the the hubs. Feel for excessive and uneven heat.
If one wheel is hot, that’s a clue.
Get the wheels up. Spin the wheels. If one is dragging or both rears drag, another clue.

2.These issues do not heal themselves. They’ll only get worse.
Definitely the car has a problem. It could be pulling to one side.
Excessive heat at the wheel. Smells squeaks you can feel this through the pedal.
Maybe the car shows signs of dragging brakes.
You discover that one front or both rears are the culprit.
* ( your car may have 4 soft lines instead of 3, if so, it may be one rear)
Anyway, you have found the problem at one wheel.
Is it brakes bearings or gears?
Drums are more complicated.
It’s time to dive in.

4. You know it’s brakes. You know what wheel or wheels.
Do this first or incorporate this into your diagnostics.
Get the wheels up.
Spin the wheels. If one is dragging, open the bleeder.
If the wheel spins after opening the bleeder, this means that the caliper or cylinder has retracted. This may mean that that cylinder or caliper is good and the problem is not at the caliper or wheel cylinder.
Another diagnostic......
Bleed the brakes. As you go through the bleeding procedure, if you notice a pedal on the offending wheel when it should not have pedal resistance with the bleeder open, this can tell you there is restriction in the system for that wheel.
Fluid flow......
If the fluid comes out of the bleeder in an odd way. Either high pressure or a dribble, that’s a clue.
5. The offending wheel is identified.
The cylinder or caliper retracts with the bleeder open.
With the bleeder open there is pedal resistance.
The fluid discharge is unusual when the bleeder is open.
All of these above point to a restriction in the hard or soft line or hose.
Remove the brake hose.
** ( this may be more involved with drums)
If you can remove the line from caliper first and all you get is spill of fluid out of the caliper and very little or none from the hose....
That’s a clue.
The ultimate clue.....
You cannot blow through the brake hose with your mouth.
Age is not a factor. A crusty 80 year old hose can be clear.
A hose 6 months old can fail or have a defect.

Of course there can be other issues. Expect the drums, rotors and shoes to be damaged from excessive dragging.
Take the time to do these checks. Many many good calipers or cylinders have been replaced when it was the soft line all along.

Hopefully this helps.