What does a brake hose do?

A brake hose is designed to transport hydraulic pressure from the brake pipes of your vehicle to its wheel cylinders and brake calipers. They are usually made of hard-wearing, flexible rubber or stainless steel, making them far less prone to wear, expansion and other damage, keeping them working perfectly for longer. Due to the brake caliper being attached to the wheel, the hoses must be flexible in order to accommodate for the vehicle's suspension and wheel movement when turning and traveling over uneven surfaces.

As with any component of a braking system, brake hoses are absolutely vital to the safe operation of any vehicle using a hydraulic braking system – which is why you should have them replaced as soon as you notice any issues or damage.

Hyundai

The Hyundai Motor Company (or Hyundai Motors) is a South Korean multination automotive manufacturer, founded in 1967, with current divisions that include Kia Motors and Genesis Motor.

How popular is Hyundai in the United Kingdom?

Since arriving in the UK market, Hyundai has made a steady and consistent rise in sales, to the point where there are now over 850k of their cars on our roads today.

Well-priced luxury cars with a fantastic warranty

Predominantly producing an extensive range of smart looking hatchback cars of quality and price to compete with Ford, Vauxhall and Volkswagen, perhaps their rising sales figures can be partly put down to holding one of the best warranties for a new car in the business.

Their 5-year, unlimited-mileage warranty offers the peace of mind any new car owner would be thrilled to receive, given that most marques only offer 3 years with around 60k miles of cover.

Hyundai doesn’t solely offer a range of varying hatchback models; the current full line-up features tourers, coupes and of course, as the leading trend in today’s market, a selection of SUV models of varying sizes, trims and price tags.

Hyundai electric hybrid technology

Hyundai, as have most marques during the growth of new fuel technologies, has shown a strong entry into all electric and hybrid motoring. The brand’s Ioniq Hybrid model proved more efficient than Toyota’s Prius, the world’s first mainstream and possibly the most popular hybrid car on the road today.

Motorsport: Hyundai’s subcompact rally car

Entering motorsport in the late 1990s, Hyundai unveiled its Accent WRC (world rally car) to compete in the World Rally Championship. It achieved its first top-10 result in the 2000 Rally Argentina and continued to finish well throughout the season, but not quite well enough to compete with the top 3 or 4 teams.

In 2014, Hyundai made a return to world rallying after a 10-year absence, with the introduction of their i20 WRC; a rally car based on the i20 subcompact and was unveiled at the 2012 Paris Motor Show.

How often should a brake hose need replacing?

Brake hoses will usually last for at least 6 years, however this can vary depending on driving conditions, frequency of use and the quality of the hose. Mechanics recommend that brake hoses should definitely be replaced after 15 years. At this point they will most likely be very worn and the risk of them dangerously breaking is very high.

The law, vehicle regulations and your MOT

It goes without saying that your braking system is crucial to the safety of your vehicle, and is therefore thoroughly inspected during the annual MOT. If any of your brake hoses show signs of excessive wear, damage, twisting or chaffing this will result in an MOT failure. Less serious wear and tear will most likely be classed as a minor, but is still important to keep an eye on.

What causes a brake hose to break?

Brake hoses are constantly exposed to moisture, dirt and road grit, as well as high heat generated by braking. Therefore, over time brake hoses can become worn out and damaged.

What are the signs of a bad brake hose?

Usually, there a few signs you can look for:

• Spongy brake pedal

• Leaking brake fluid - usually a light brown colour

• Faulty or failing brakes

• Visible damage to the hose

How often should you replace your brake hose?

A basic rubber brake hose should last for up to six years depending on its quality. As with any car part, its lifespan will also depend on the amount of wear and tear that is experienced by your braking system. For example, if you regularly use your vehicle on rough terrain or in heavy traffic, it's likely that your brake hoses will need replacing earlier.

What happens during a brake hose replacement?

During the repair our certified mechanics will:

• Inspect the brake system to establish which brake hose needs to be replaced.

• Replace the damaged or faulty brake hose.

• They will then top-up the brake fluid.

• Bleed the brake system.

• Finally they will inspect the brake system and test drive the car to ensure it’s safe.

What is the average life of a brake hose?

Brake hoses will usually last for at least six years, however this can vary depending on driving conditions, frequency of use and the quality of the hose. Mechanics recommend that brake hoses should definitely be replaced after 15 years. At this point they will most likely be very worn and the risk of them dangerously breaking is very high.

Can you drive with a broken brake hose?

No, a car with damaged or faulty brakes is unsafe to drive. Because brake hoses are a part of the vehicle’s braking system, they inherently become an important component to the overall safety of the vehicle.

For this reason, if you suspect that there may be an issue with one of your brake hoses, it's important to have the brake system inspected by a professional technician, such as one from Fixter, to determine if your car needs a brake hose replacement.

Do brake hoses deteriorate with age?

Because brake hoses are constantly exposed to moisture, dirt and road grit, as well as high heat generated by braking, over time they can deteriorate becoming worn out and damaged.