NC94Vette

For anyone with a 1997 - 2013 Corvette that has installed stainless steel braided brake lines for better performance than the potentially spongy stock rubber ones, I am being told that they can cause interference via some sort of erratic static electrical impulse.

This freaky situation apparently causes the speed sensor(s) to malfunction which then causes the "Service Traction Control", "Service ABS", and "Service Active Control" messages to rotate through the driver information center and the two idiot lights to come on. Turn the car off and restart and the messages go away. Only to come back on sporadically.

How I had the SS brake lines on for over 18 months before any issue appeared on my 2007 Z06, no one knows. Now I am being told that they can not diagnose why the situation (messages and lights coming on) unless I return to stock rubber brake lines.

Has anyone else had this situation?

I have a copy of the bulletin that came out in September of 2010. It says that it normally occurs at speeds under 35 MPH. But even though mine have tripped four times when I was around 65 MPH (validated with the black box in my car), they will not accept doing any diagnosis unless I install stock rubber brake lines.

I am really curious to know if others have had this happen to them.

Thanks.

sperkins

travisnd

Years ago I had this issue on my old Z06 when I ran Goodridge SS lines using OEM-style banjo bolts. Every once in awhile the SERVICE ACTIVE HANDLING, TRACTION CONTROL, ABS message would come up. Restarting the car made it go away for awhile. The consensus on the forums was that the lines weren't grounding properly and a static charge would build up throwing off the wheel speed sensor and triggering the codes. I don't think anyone ever proved it or explained why the lines weren't grounding fully. I ended up switching the a new set of Goodridge lines that I purchased from DRM that used AN fittings vs. banjo bolts. The issue never came back after the swap.

On my current Z06 racecar I ran Stoptech lines when I ran OEM calipers. They're a high quality line with a nice plastic coating and they still use banjo bolts; no codes. When I upgraded to Wilwoods up front I ended up with Fragola lines from Gary @ Hardbar with AN fittings. I still have the Stoptech lines of the rear brakes; no codes.

Try getting a set of SS lines with AN fittings and see if that corrects the issue

NC94Vette

Do you think if I coated the current SS lines with some high-temp lubricant or somehow covered the lines with rubber or plastic, that it would solve the issue?

travisnd

No idea... I was lead to believe the AN fitting somehow grounded better than the banjo fitting and allowed any static charge to dissipate. That assumes it was a static charge to begin with and not just forum hearsay. I do know that I've never had a brake hose related code since that first go around with that original set of Goodridge lines on my old Z06.

SoDiezl350

This is valuable information. Thanks for the heads up. I did start receiving these messages shortly after installing a Wilwood brake kit with stainless lines. I have also noticed the line has rubbed on the control arm and caused a bit of wear on the line. Does anyone have this experience as well?

brkntrxn

I have Brian's old lines on my Z06 and have not encountered any issues.

travisnd

FYI those aren't the lines I'm referring to. You have the Stoptech fronts I had on the racecar before going to the Wilwoods. The lines I had issues with were back in '04-'05 time frame on my old Z06.

travisnd

Mine are close to the LCAs but they don't rub. I'm not using Wilwood supplied lines, but Fragolas from Gary @ Hardbar. The only time I've had a set of lines rub was when I got a set of SS lines from DRM and put the rears in the front. They spec the rears longer than stock and I confused them w/ fronts.

NC94Vette

Thanks. I just don't understand why it is showing up now. I have had the SS Brake lines on for over 18 months and have done a number of track events without issues.

Now in the last two months I am getting this static showing up and setting off the system alerts? Even had the brakes lock up on me. And the messages show up with just normal highway driving. Seemingly no rhyme or reason to it. Do you have a web link to the lines with the "AN" fittings?

sothpaw2

CHECK YOUR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WIRING. Have you done anything at all to change it from stock?

When I had my front brake cooling ducts professionally installed, the pro's method of attaching the connector coming off the sensors was sub-par. The factor had a bracket to hold them nice and firm. The wires are super FRAGILE and don't tolerate any kind of force on them. So what happened to me was that over a year after install, I started getting codes on my C5 like you. The story gets longer but in the end, once I supported the connector properly so that no force / vibration could affect those little wires, I get no more codes and no issues.

NC94Vette

Thanks for the suggestion, but I have completely stock brakes except for the SS lines. I do use do use different brack pads and rotors on the track, but I think I have had the issue occur with both the track rotors/pads as well as street (although it may have only occurred with the track set up ... I have to really think about that).

And I have checked the wiring connectors just to be sure that they are properly set and locked in place. All good on that front.

Tom.

sothpaw2

But are the connectors etc all in the stock locations and using the stock brackets? When in driving does this happen...mine at first was noticable if there was a bump in the road since the wire was wearing down. Any movement such as bump broke the connection for a milisecond.

davidfarmer

what codes are you setting???? Autozone should be able to pull them for you. I wouldn't do a thing until you can decifer the codes.

I'm still a fan of OEM brake lines on street cars. SS lines need constant inspection, and are easy to install incorrectly.

NC94Vette

Hey David ...

Thanks for weighing in. I do my own brakes ... and I inspect the lines every time I switch from street to track brakes (rotors and pads) and back again. I installed the SS lines myself over 18 months a go and have had no issues until now.

The dealer pulled to codes as I have an extended warranty and took it to them. The dealer mechanic's report is as follows (exactly as written): Scan for codes. No SIR codes. Had history code C0040 / RF Erattic Signal.

BTW, the right front hub/sensor was replaced just two months a go when the issue first popped up. Seemed to fix the problem ... but no ... it surfaced multiple times leading me back to the dealership. Now they say they will not go further until I go back to stock.

I don't really want to, but I guess I may have to go back to stock rubber brake lines ... although I threw the original ones away about six months a go ... got in a clean out mode and cleaned out the garage. Pitched them. Figures.

Tom.

sothpaw2

What is it you inspect the lines for--what do you look for? I flex them gently by hand looking for leaks and to shake loose any dirt.

dfinke23

Maybe not.
I had the same problems coming from the the right front. Everything looked good, but after further inspection I noticed the female pin was hogged out. I took the connector apart, adjusted the pin and the problem went away. I replaced them with SKF's a few months later though, so only had a few track events on them.

Bill Dearborn

Don't your lines have a thin transparent plastic coating on them now. I thought that is how stainless lines finally go a DOT approval since the uncoated lines were subject to failure due to dirt getting between the braid and the teflon inner tubing that is the actual brake line.

Have you pulled the connectors apart and inspected the pins and sockets for dirt/corrosion/tight fit between pin and socket?

Did he indicate what the sub code that follows the main code is? C0040 has three variations and erratic signal is one of them with the total code showing as C0040 0F.

The codes read this way:
DTC C0040 00 : Right Front Wheel Speed Sensor Circuit (this means open or shorted)
DTC C0040 0F : Right Front Wheel Speed Sensor Circuit Erratic Signal
DTC C0040 18 : Right Front Wheel Speed Sensor Circuit Signal Amplitude Less Than Minimum

Is it possible he wrote down the wrong variable?

When you check the connectors you should also check the connector at the EBCM to see if the pins for the right front wheel are clean and making contact.
Or put the stock hoses on and see if the problem goes away or if the mechanic is finally able to fix it.


Bill

NC94Vette

Thanks Bill. Since I have an extended warranty plan, I have decided that I am going to go back to the OEM rubber brake lines. Once it is back to stock, I will closely monitor and if any of the "service ABS" "service TC" or "service AH" messages reappear, it is going back to the dealership for them to diagnose and fix.

NC94Vette

I think I found my problem! I hope so anyway.

The right front wheel was always the one that threw a code. For 18 months absolutely no problem. Then it started with the "weird electrical ground or charge or whatever" that caused the Service ABS,AH.and TC messages.

Well the plastic covering that is on the frame-side of the line on that right-hand side was cracked. In fact, it completely separated into two pieces. This obviously would open up a span of the SS line to potentially come close or perhaps touch the control arm and maybe cause the issue.

Instead of going back to stock rubber lines, I have decided to thoroughly tape up the plastic guard portion of the line (in effect putting the two pieces back together). As a preventative measure, I have done the same thing to the left hand side line as well.

I hope this solves the issue a gets me back to the happy position I was in for the first 18 months I had the SS lines installed.

Photos below. BTW these are Russel SS Lines. I inspected the lines closely and they still look very good ... even the section that was under the cracked/separated plastic covering/guard.


1 by Blue C6 Z06, on Flickr


3 by Blue C6 Z06, on Flickr