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, 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.

 

Yes had this issue w/ C5 Vette.

If you are on warranty, then remove the lines so they can diagnose.
Could be wheel bearing/ hub asm which is a few hundred dollars.

The wiring from the main harness to the wheel hub speed sensor is notorious for causing a code. I think these pigtails are $20 each. Pay special attention to the connectors and the pins when installing.

 

Stoptech BBK and stainless lines on all four corners and no problems.

San

 

Find another dealer.

 

I've been running SS with no issues - hope that trend continues.

 

I had this issue on the track for a couple months. Once or twice per session, I just pulled into the pits, cycled the ignition and was on my way. I spoke to a few guys about it and one recommended putting about 4-6" of fuel line over the SS lines closest to the caliper. I tried it and got zero errors for 1.5 track days (lost my motor half way thru the last one). It appears to be working so far, knock on wood. I will keep running this way until I can prove that it didn't solve he problem.

It may be worth your time to try it - cheap and easy!

 

Maybe the Stoptech SS brake line's additional protective cover over the stainless weave has something to do with it...

 

Thanks for the tip/idea. I was wondering if some sort of high-temp lubricant spread over the lines or some sort of covering placed over the lines would eliminate the issue.

Does the fuel line that you installed fit tightly over the brake line? Did you just split the fuel line down the side and slip it over the brake line? Do you have any photos that you could share?

Thanks much.

Tom.

PS ... Sorry about your engine.

 

Possible.

San

 

Maybe try nylon spiral wrap over the lines?

 

The engine was an expensive day at the track, but that's the risk we take... Right?

I will have he wheels off in a couple days to put the track rotors and pads back on. I used 3/8" fuel line split down the middle and I also used a zip tie to keep in place just in case. And yes, it fit pretty snug. The zip tie was just for insurance.

I will post pics soon.

 

There have been situations where the brake lines actually cause the problem. Your stock lines are teflon tubes with a rubber cover so there is no electrical circuit through them. The lines that cause problems are ones that do not electrically isolate the brake caliper and the connector that attaches to it from the rest of the line. Lines that are properly built can still be shorted out during use since there are metal parts on both sides of the piece that isolates them. GM isn't going to pay for the mechanics to isolate the problem to your stainless steel lines so the mechanics will refuse to work on the car until it is stock. It is doubtful that stainless lines are really helping on a car that is still under warranty. The stock lines have to be pretty old before they expand under pressure.

Bill

 

Thanks Bill ...

Nice concise summation. I threw my stock lines away a long time a go. I put SS lines on my 1994 Corvette and my 2005 Corvette without any issues and put them on my 2007 when I got it about 2 years a go. The SS lines have caused no issues for over 18 months...now in the last two months I get this grief. Not sure why this issue would show up so long after installing the SS lines.

BTW, I am on an extended warranty bought through a dealership, not GM. But the tech goes through the same process and is requiring that original lines be re-installed to diagnose. My car is a 2007 Z06 and I bought it used about two years a go. If it still had the original lines, they would be about 5.5 years old and have had plenty of track time to heat them up.

I like the solid brake feel of the SS lines. But I am going to have to try something to get the issue resolved.

So far I am seeing three options:

1) Try going back to stock lines.
2) Try an outer covering over my current SS lines (see prior post).
3) Try SS lines with "AN" connector fittings versus the "banjo" fittings. I have heard a theory that "AN" fittings are grounded better than the banjo fitting and that allows any static charge to dissipate.

Appreciate thoughts anyone has on how to proceed.

Tom.

 

Thanks much. I would really like to see the photos. BTW, I had a 2005 Z51 DSMO Corvette prior to buying my current blue Z06 about two years a go. Had SS lines on the whole time I had the 2005 (well over two years) and never had a single issue with the SS lines on the street or on the track.

Tom.

 

I love the color of my DSOM. Looked for about 8 month to find this color.

I think I remember reading a while about guys running a ground wire from either their brake line or the caliper itself to the frame. That discussion spoke about a static buildup with repetitive brake use and the ground wire eliminated that. I don't remember where or when I saw it though...

It will be a week or two before the car goes back in the air for track conversion. I may have a pic in my phone I could post in the mean time. It's not rocket science - I just used some fuel line I had laying around and cut four 4" pieces and split them down the middle. I slid them over the base of the brake line (closest to the caliper) and secured with a single zip tie. I did make sure that the slit was facing rear so wind and road dirt don't get lodged in there.

Hope that explanation helps a bit more. Pics to follow.

Sean

 

Maybe try cutting out about a 1/4" section of the braid to break the circuit?

 

The mechanics are responsible for fixing the car to GM standards and warranting their work. They can't do that with aftermarket parts so will demand to have the car as it was built to make sure all of their tests work properly. That is one of the reasons you may have to return to stock hoses if you want them to repair the problem.

You also don't know whether the lines are causing the problem. The mechanic doesn't know that either. He just wants stock hoses on so he can eliminate a possible source of the problem.

If the problem is being caused by your brake lines I don't believe the issue is being grounded better. I believe it is due to the calipers being grounded through the lines. The only difference I can see between stock rubber hoses and some stainless lines is the hoses do not conduct electricity and are not grounded.

If you can read anything less than infinite ohms across the line from one end to the other (when one end isn't connected to the car) there isn't enough isolation. I am not sure why this is an issue but I think it has to do with a current loop being setup when the brake line conducts electricity. Under normal operation the grounding of the brakes and wheel bearing is through the control arms and tie rods. Throw in an extra current path and you could get some ground loop noise that interferes with the small wheel speed sensor signal coming from the wheel bearing.

Bill

 

I wouldn't consider that since the steel braiding supports the pressure felt by the hose under braking. This would be very dangerous with frayed steel wires puncturing the hose...

Please don't do this.

 

That's great info Bill!!!

 

Here a couple pics of the fuel line over my SS lines as promised.