Help: Think I cut into my E-brake line on my 2012....

Guys, I was installing the Firestone air suspension kit on my 12' DCSB today. I accidentally knicked into what Im pretty sure is the soft rubber E-brake hose running to the driver's side drum. When i flex the hose, i get just a tiny bit of fluid from the gash, but when I set the ebrake it doesnt drip anything, and the line stiffens up like it is holding like its supposed to.

I have always known the ebrake on my other vehicles to have a manual linkage, not a hydraulic fluid line. I didnt want to pop the drum off just to look, its been a long day. So my questions are these:

Does the tacoma have a brake fluid line just for the e-brake?
If so, is this fluid line tied into the closed system for my main brake lines? Ie, can I lose fluid from, or introduce air into my main brake lines because my ebrake line has been compromised?

Im guessing/hoping that this is not the case, any insight would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

The brake hose you hit is your main brake not your emergency brake.

Better get a new line and bleed it properly.

 

I'm suspecting you cut into the protective rubber sleeve around the park brake cable sheath, at the fluid you're seeing is water that's found its way in there. If my assumption is right, you'll be fine as long as you can't see the steel coil of the sheath in the bottom of the cut. If you see steel, it will soon corrode and seize the parking brake cable on that side, so you'll have to replace that cable.

If my assumption is wrong, and you did cut into the hydraulic brake hose to the wheel cylinder, then replace and bleed before driving the truck. No if's, and's, or but's about that.

 

I'd agree with this^^^ Post a pic up and we can tell you real quick what you cut.

 

The Tacoma " Hand, Emergency, Parking " Brake is all mechanical.

The hydraulics go into the drum from the top area and is metal.

The " Hand, Emergency, Parking " Brake cable goes into the drum from the front near the bottom, rubber coated cable.

 

Its still dark, I'll try to get a pic as soon as I can. Im fairly certain it is not my main brake line, but the parking brake. I see 3 things entering the back of the drum.

1: A hard brake line that originates at the rear differential, turns into a flexible line that enters the drum with a standard brake/flare fittings. Im assuming this is my main line.

2: A sensor

3: the described line that I cut into: line runs from the back of the drum, not a standard hydraulic line fitting, runs more along the outside of the truck until it terminates through the floorboard, under the area where roughly the center console would be. Im pretty sure its the parking brake cable.

 

This makes most sense, as I see no fluid escape from the hose as I excercise the parking brake pedal. It was only a tiny bit of fluid that came out, but it really threw me for a loop.

 

Based on what you wrote above you only hit the outer skin of the EM brake cable. You will probably be fine leaving it as is. It was likely condensation or water build up that leaked out.

 

Confirmed today this was the case. Thanks for the insight everyone, I def didnt want to drive it until I was sure what I was dealing with.