While driving North on us-57 in Illinois, we experienced a failure of our braking system, apparently from a severed brake line. While my wife was driving, we exited the highway at exit #283, gilman, Illinois. As we went up the ramp, my wife began braking, and the pedal went all the way to the floor, while barely slowing the vehicle. The brake warning light was not on before this point, but came on after several pumps of the pedal. She pumped the pedal a few times, and got some braking, and stopped at the stop sign at the end of the ramp. At this point we determined that we had enough braking ability to continue to the gas station which was about 50 yards from us. In the parking lot of the gas station I checked the brake master cylinder and found the fluid reservoir empty. I then checked under the vehicle for leaks, at which time I discovered the brake line, coming from the left side to the right, at the point at which it passes in front of and over the top of the square, tubular steel axle housing, to be severed. In this short span of the brake line, which has a spiral steel wire protector at this point, some object, (apparently),impacted the line and smashed it against the axle housing with enough force to not only flatten it, but also sever it, in the middle of the flattened area. I feel that some type of guard should be installed in front of the brake line at the point where it crosses in front of the steel axle housing.

- Augusta, MI, USA