Word of Warning-Brake Servo Pipe

Hi
Yesterday I fitted some Daylight Running Lights into the front bumper of the Trident
After I'd finished I was nipping into town and got 5 yards up the road when I realised I had no brakes. The brake pedal would not depress. So lifted the bonnet found that the pipe that goes into the vacuum pump had come out- I must have caught it when wiring up the DRLs.
I found that the pipe was split (making it looser) at BOTH ends. Imaging the consequences if it had come out at speed. The day before my van had sailed through it's MOT.
Went straight down to TPS and ordered a new pipe- 42 quid ! but worth it for peace of mind cos we're driving down through France next week.
Is it common for these hoses to split and become loose? I suppose I could have taped the pipe up and secured it with jubilee clips but still would have felt vulnerable.
Cheers
Stevomar

Not pleasant, anyway better found here than in France

Spooky discovery that- someone up there is looking out for you!

Hi there,

I had a similar "brake failure" experience many years ago in a car on my way to work.

I failed to carry out ANY of the alternative ways of stopping the car (e.g. pulling on the hand-brake, dropping into first gear, turning off the ignition or running up on to the grass verge) and just kept pumping away at the brake pedal as the turn-off I was aiming at swept by!

About fifty metres past the turn-off I finally remembered my hand-brake and made it to where I was going using this control; luckily still alive in spite of my demonstrated lack of skill!

Since this time I always practise a "brake failure" on a deserted road with every new vehicle I get. I am very conscious that if it ever happens again I may have less than a second to hit the hand-brake, drop it into first gear and kill the ignition; whilst looking for a decent place to crash if all this fails to stop or slow the vehicle to a safe speed!

Hope this helps the next person that has the experience.

Best regards,

Dutto