The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration is advising drivers who own vehicles in the model year 2007 and earlier to take a few extra precautions this spring after concluding an investigation into brake pipe corrosion.

The NHTSA says the older vehicles are more likely to have coated steel brake pipes instead of plastic-coated pipes, which manufacturers began installing in the late 1990s. The older pipes are more susceptible to corrosion, particularly in states where salt is used to melt ice on roads during the winter.

Failing to address corrosion issues increases the chance that a driver will be involved in an accident due to brake failure. In addition to cleaning the car to remove road salt after the winter, the NHTSA says drivers of vehicles in the model year of 2007 or older should look for indicators of brake problems.

Checking your car

The NHTSA says vehicles in 20 states, including Connecticut and the other New England states, are more prone to road salt corrosion. Drivers should have their vehicle thoroughly cleaned at the end of winter, including the undercarriage, to remove salt and other corrosive deicing chemicals. Regularly washing the undercarriage during the winter will also reduce the risk of corrosion.

Keep track of your brake performance to see if there are any causes for concern. If the brake pedal feels soft or requires more pressure to activate, you should get your brake pipes inspected. Having your vehicle inspected at least twice a year will let you know if there are any problems; the vehicle should be serviced more frequently if the inspection uncovers signs of corrosion.

If you receive a dashboard warning that your brake fluid level is low, it could indicate a leak in the brake pipes. Check underneath your vehicle to see if any fluid is dripping from the brake pipes. If you notice a brake fluid leak, you should not drive the vehicle.

In more severe cases of corrosion, parts of the brake assembly will be flaking or scaling off. The NHTSA says that when this occurs, the entire brake pipe assembly should be replaced, since other portions of the pipes will also have a greater chance of failure if one part is corroding.

Though it is possible to have the assembly partially repaired, the NHTSA says there will be an increased chance of multiple failures, often within a year after the first repair. It is more cost-effective to replace the entire assembly, and the manufacturer may have pre-fabricated brake pipe kits to aid in the installation.

NHTSA investigation

Investigators with the NHTSA recently finished an investigation into full-size pickup trucks and SUVs from General Motors between the model years of 1999 and 2003. The agency spent more than four years looking into corrosion-related brake failures in these vehicles.

The investigation was initiated in response to a petition by vehicle owners in 2010. It included an analysis of consumer complaints for brake line failures of all light vehicles, an examination of safety inspection data collected in Pennsylvania between 2008 and mid-2014, and a survey of about 2,000 owners of GM vehicles and similar models.

Investigators also randomly selected 71 vehicles in Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, and Ohio for inspection. The closing report indicates that brake pipe corrosion was not unique to GM vehicles, since models with similar brake pipes in states with snowy winters had comparable problems.

The investigation did not identify any defect that would require a recall of any vehicles, but it did prompt the NHTSA to make the general safety advisory.

"While NHTSA can't order a recall in this case, there is a safety issue that vehicle owners should address," NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind said. "Older model vehicles, often driven in harsh conditions, are subject to corrosion over long periods of time, and we need owners to be vigilant about ensuring they, their passengers, and others on the roads are safe."

Emergency situations

If your brake pipes fail while you are driving, the NHTSA recommends pressing down on the brake pedal and keeping constant pressure on it. Doing so will result in the best brake performance under the conditions, and you will also likely hear the antilock brakes activate.

Allow yourself more time to stop. You should also keep additional space between you and the vehicles in front of you.

Don't pump the brakes. This action will not help you stop any faster, and will actually increase the distance required to stop.