Toms river schools vehicle maint. Dept maintains 17 Ford E-350 MINIschool buses, 1995 and 1998 model years. This brake hose failure was due to a rusted portion of the hose assembly. The area that rusted away is the crimped connection which joins the rubber hose to the steel fitting end of the hose assembly. This rust is not visible while doing a routine inspection of the brake system because it is covered by a rubber sleeve!. apparantly water/moisture is collecting under this rubber sleeve and corroding the steel crimped area of the fitting until there is no more of a secure connection of the rubber hose to the steel, then when the brakes are applied and the fluid is pressurized in the brake system the rubber hose will blow away from the steel fitting!...I believe this is a serious problem as it is sudden brake loss, multiplied by the fact that a routine prevetive maintenance check of the brake hoses does not reveal the rusted/faulty connection because of the rubber sleeve covering it.

- Toms River, NJ, USA

Left front brake locked up upon hard braking, causing vehicle to pull to left. Replaced front brake line hoses.

- National C, CA, USA