motopokep

I never thought this could happen. I didn't know brake lines could rust!!! Maybe this transmission fluid change project was a God-sent gift to save my life and lives of others. I was changing transmission fluid and holding down the brake pedal hard going through the gears (with car on jack stands), and BAM the brake pedal went to the floor. I didn't think much of it, left the car overnight, next morning tried again and got a low brake fluid message. Checked the reservoir, it's empty, checked under the driver's side of the car, the brake fluid leaked out. Took off the splash panel to find long parts of brake lines RUSTED to the point where the pressure burst one of them. I'm grateful this didn't happen in a hard braking situation on the road, leading to a major accident. This is an 04 530i with 235k miles, in the midwest, lots of salt in the winter. Check your brake lines beneath the splash guards! They won't rust next to the master cylinder where you can see them, but they will rust all underneath the car. This should be a top priority preventive maintenance project. I will be replacing all 4 of mine. This really sucks.

audiophool

I'm going to be looking at mine. We have 2 X5 and I've replaced sections of line on one of those due to rust. The odd thing is that the lines are rusted in locations that do not get any direct road spray, and on the X5 all I found when taking off the spash panel was a bit of dust.

Giubo

Awesome gloves. You're kind of a decorator, aren't you?

audiophool

Decorator? No, I just like to keep glycol and oil off my hands when I work. Costco golves, super cheap, and they somehow read my mind and expressed how I felt about having to replace the lines. I recently got some proper black ones that hide the dirt and grease better, plus are thicker and have a bit of texture on the fingertips. Killer hand sweat in this type of glove though.

Jaystyles

Same thing happen to me on my fiver. I was lucky and got the car to my mechanic on he installed all new copper brake lines. My car was a NJ car with tons of winters and salt.

audiophool

Thread bump for line location. All on driver's side plus crossover above the rear subframe? Any 'unobtainum' single-use clips get destroyed on disassembly?

X5 required removal of the running board attachment and fender lip trim which uses single-use plastic rivets which I replaced with ordinary push-pin ones.