Asbestos in Automotive Products: Risks, Regulations and Safety Measures

Automotive manufacturers applied asbestos to any parts that created or needed to withstand heat. Mechanics came into contact with asbestos during repair work.

While asbestos was valuable for decades, science now connects asbestos to several types of cancer. Mesothelioma, for example, is a rare cancer that’s caused only by exposure to asbestos fibers in the air.

Why Was Asbestos Used in Automotive and Transit Parts?

Manufacturers added asbestos to products ranging from building construction to automobile parts. Asbestos was chosen for automotive and transit parts because it is heat-resistant. This helps keep important vehicle parts from getting damaged by high temperatures.

Many brake pads, clutches and gaskets manufactured during the 20th century used asbestos. These parts often face extreme heat caused by friction. Asbestos fibers do not burn easily.

Another benefit of asbestos is its strength. Asbestos adds durability to materials, so parts last longer and break less often. This helps reduce repair costs.

The material is also lightweight, which is important for automobiles. A lighter part helps the vehicle perform better and use less fuel.

Affordability is another key factor. Asbestos at its peak during the 20th century was cheap to mine and produce – cheaper than many other heat-resistant materials.

All these reasons made asbestos a popular past choice for car, truck and bus parts.

Chrysotile asbestos, which is the most common type of asbestos, is banned from use in the United States. This decision from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency protects automobile manufacturers today from coming into contact with asbestos.

However, auto repair workers or people performing at-home repair on vehicles may come into contact with old asbestos in vintage vehicles manufactured before the 1980s.

Common Automotive Parts That Contained Asbestos

Asbestos was once used in many vehicle parts for its resistance to heat and chemicals. It is also durable and capable of outlasting general wear. These materials could be found in automotive parts that handled high temperatures and friction, such as brake pads and gaskets.

Most exposure to asbestos occurred during the 20th century, when the use of the mineral was at a peak. Automobile mechanics and manufacturers applied or replaced parts containing asbestos routinely while on the clock.

Today, the major risk is repairing vintage automobiles – either in professional shops or at home in do-it-yourself projects. Old vehicles manufactured during the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and early 1980s may still contain asbestos.

Any new vehicles – or those built in the 1990s or later – use alternatives, especially after the risks of asbestos exposure were revealed to the public.

Brake Pads and Linings

Brake pads and linings used asbestos because the mineral could handle the high heat needed in the process of stopping a vehicle. Workers found asbestos mixed into the friction material of these parts. This mixture helps the brakes last longer and makes them less likely to catch fire during friction.

Whenever brakes are serviced or replaced, asbestos dust could be released into the air. Mechanics, drivers, and bystanders near the work area could breathe in these tiny fibers.

Asbestos brake parts were common additions to cars, trucks, buses and even some motorcycles. Replacement parts containing asbestos were sold even after many automakers stopped using the mineral in new vehicles. Today, asbestos is only found in the aftermarket automobile repair industry, and its uses are decreasing.

Clutch Facings

Clutch facings experience constant friction when the car shifts gears, which makes them heat up quickly. Asbestos keeps the clutch cool by resisting heat.

Over time, the friction material on a clutch could break apart, disturbing and releasing loose fibers into the air. Mechanics who change or clean clutch parts could unknowingly breathe in dangerous dust. Automobile owners could also be exposed to asbestos from using the car or performing at-home maintenance.

Some imported vehicle clutches still contained asbestos after U.S. companies phased it out. Drivers and repair shops may have handled these parts for years without realizing the risks.

Gaskets and Heat Shields

Gaskets and heat shields were made with asbestos to stop leaks and hold up under hot engine conditions. Asbestos helps these parts seal engine joints and protect nearby surfaces.

Gaskets with asbestos could be found in cylinder heads, exhaust systems and intake manifolds. Removing or scraping old gaskets releases asbestos fibers, often in confined engine spaces.

Heat shields lined with asbestos were used around exhausts and manifolds to guard against heat damage. Repair and replacement tasks sometimes means disturbing the asbestos and spreading loose fibers in the air of the shop or garage, which is an enclosed space and creates a toxic environment.

Hood Liners and Insulation Panels

Some vehicles used asbestos in hood liners to protect paint from engine heat. The fibers make these liners more fireproof and help keep the car’s hood cooler.

Insulation panels made from asbestos were placed inside doors, floors and firewalls. These panels help block noise and stop heat from entering the cabin.

When liners or insulation panels wear out, they sometimes crumble or become dusty. Anyone who repairs or removes these materials risks breathing in asbestos fibers that were released from the liners or panels deteriorating.

Airplanes and Train Components

Asbestos was not limited to cars and trucks. Trains and airplanes also used asbestos parts to handle heat and friction.

In trains:

• Brake shoes and gaskets could have asbestos.
• Repairs create dust in train yards and workshops.

In airplanes:

• Asbestos was used in brake pads, engine gaskets and insulation around hot spots.
• Mechanics and other workers servicing these planes could be exposed.

Workers in these industries face similar dangers from airborne asbestos, especially before safer alternatives emerged. These risks exist today in repairs on older equipment that may contain hidden asbestos applied decades ago in planes or trains.

Who Was at Risk of Asbestos Exposure?

People faced asbestos exposure when they worked with or around auto parts like brakes, clutches and gaskets. These jobs or settings involved handling asbestos materials or being near where the dust was created.

The groups of people facing the most risk were automobile mechanics, vehicle owners conducting at-home repairs, and anyone spending time and breathing air in an enclosed space near automobile mechanic work (business owners, customers, and managers, to name a few).

Auto Mechanics and DIY Repairers

Auto mechanics may work around brakes, clutches and gaskets that have asbestos in them. Even routine jobs like changing brake pads could release small asbestos fibers into the air. Mechanics use air hoses, sandpaper or grinding tools, which could stir up dust that collected from the grinding of vehicle parts.

Do-it-yourself, at-home automobile repair work carries similar risks. Many vehicle owners work on their cars or trucks in small, unventilated garages or driveways. They likely do not wear masks or use safety gear, which increases the chance of breathing in dust.

Mechanics and DIY repairers still face a risk when working on vintage vehicles built decades ago. Use of asbestos significantly declined after the 1980s. However, any vehicles built in the 1970s or earlier may still have asbestos hiding beneath the hood or behind the wheels, waiting for repair work to release them into the air.

Key Risk Factors:

• Handling and cleaning asbestos-containing parts
• Using compressed air or dry brushing
• Work in close quarters without good ventilation
• Lack of protective equipment

Long-term exposure puts mechanics and hobbyists at higher risk for serious health issues, including asbestosis and mesothelioma.

Factory and Assembly Line Workers

In automotive manufacturing factories many decades ago, workers made or installed parts with asbestos. Workers made brake pads, clutches and gaskets. During manufacturing, asbestos was mixed, pressed, or cut. These actions could discharge single sharp fibers from the larger material. Those stray fibers would float in the air for hours.

Assembly line workers put these parts into cars, trucks or other automobiles. Cutting, drilling or shaping these parts to fit the vehicles might spread dust. Many plants have little air control, the enclosed space keeps sharp fibers in the vicinity of workers, and workers sometimes have no proper masks.

Transit Workers and Engineers

Workers in bus, truck, and train maintenance handle the same types of asbestos parts as auto mechanics. Brake and engine repairs on large vehicles often create even more dust due to the size and wear of industrial parts.

Engineers and transit shop staff do routine repairs and overhauls. These jobs often take hours in tight, enclosed air spaces. Without strong ventilation, asbestos fibers stay in the air.

Examples of exposure:

• Changing brakes or clutches on buses
• Servicing train engines
• Working inside engine compartments
• Cleaning or sweeping shop floors

Secondary Exposure to Family Members

Family members could be at risk from asbestos dust brought home on work clothes, shoes or skin. This is called “take-home” or secondary asbestos exposure.

Mechanics and public transit workers often wear uniforms. If fibers stick to the shirts or pants, the risk of exposure increases for the worker. Wives, children or others often shake out or wash dusty uniforms, which could rattle the stuck fibers loose and propel them into the home’s air.

Even if the fibers settle on surfaces hours later, sweeping up, dusting surfaces, or vacuuming could kick up the fibers into the air again, repeating a dangerous cycle of exposure risk.

Sources of secondary exposure:

• Washing work clothes
• Physical contact after shifts
• Sharing cars with dusty surfaces

Even low levels of contact to asbestos could affect a person’s health. One fiber inhaled or swallowed can lead to cancer if the body is unable to flush the asbestos out. Children and others exposed to asbestos sometimes developed asbestos-related illnesses decades later.

How Asbestos Exposure Occurred in Automotive Work

Automotive workers faced asbestos exposure during routine repairs and maintenance. Key tasks like changing brakes and working on engines – while not following safety measures – can lead to inhalation of dangerous fibers.

Dust From Brake and Clutch Replacement

Many car brakes and clutches used asbestos for heat resistance. Grinding of parts causes friction and could lead to asbestos build-up in wheel wells or other areas of the vehicle.

When mechanics replace these parts, they often scrape, sand, or blow out brake dust with compressed air. This process releases tiny asbestos fibers into the air.

Common sources of asbestos dust:

• Worn brake pads or shoes
• Old clutch facings

Airborne fibers settle on work surfaces, clothing and even people’s skin. Mechanics could breathe them in, swallow them, or carry them home. Vehicle owners performing maintenance at home could also release fibers into their garage or driveway area.

Shops or home garages without good ventilation have higher risk. Cleaning methods like dry sweeping or using air hoses make the dust spread further. Even short tasks could expose workers or vehicle owners to asbestos, especially before the risks were widely known.

Engine and Exhaust Work

Gaskets and heat shields in engines and exhaust systems may contain asbestos. Cutting, scraping, or removing these parts creates dust. Fine asbestos fibers can be released whenever workers grab and remove gaskets or disturb seals made with asbestos.

Automotive tasks exposing workers included:

• Replacing head gaskets
• Repairing exhaust manifolds
• Removing insulation from pipes

Part of automobile mechanic work includes tapping or hammering engine or exhaust parts, a disturbance causing fibers to enter the air. Unlike brakes, the asbestos in engines and exhausts might be less visible. Fibers could rest on work clothes or tools and be inhaled throughout the day. Often, workers do not know the parts may contain asbestos.

Lack of Protective Equipment and Warnings

Before the hazards of asbestos were known, shops rarely provided proper safety gear. Workers and do-it-yourself home mechanics usually wore street clothes and no respiratory protection. Gloves, masks and disposable coveralls were not common for this line of work.

Safety information was limited or absent:

• Boxes and replacement parts often lacked warning labels.
• Training in safe handling was uncommon.

Even today, many workers may not be cognizant of asbestos in the workspace. Many workers use regular brooms or air hoses for clean-up, which spreads asbestos dust that settles on surfaces (floors, walls, tables, chairs and more). There is often little guidance on washing work clothes separately or keeping dirty tools away from break areas.

Health Risks From Automotive Asbestos Exposure

Exposure to asbestos in automotive parts can lead to serious health problems. The risk of these health problems was high for people who worked on brakes, clutches and gaskets in repair shops during the 20th century.

Asbestos fibers can be inhaled or swallowed and get trapped in the body. If they are not expelled, they can be stuck in linings of cells. The fibers are sharp and capable of causing genetic changes in the cells, which can lead to cancer.

The most common asbestos diseases are mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis. Symptoms of these diseases first appear 20-50 years after asbestos fibers get trapped in the body.

Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer

Mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive cancer caused only by asbestos. Mesothelioma cancer starts in the lining of the lungs, abdominal cavity and heart.

Automotive workers who worked in shops during the 20th century – when asbestos fibers were key additions to many automobile brands – face a high risk of developing this disease. Numerous studies report that automobile work is one of the top occupations for cases of mesothelioma.

Lung cancer is also linked to asbestos exposure, although it’s one of multiple causes. Risk increases with more exposure and with habits like smoking. Early symptoms such as cough, chest pain, or shortness of breath may not appear for decades after initial contact.

Asbestosis and Chronic Pulmonary Disease

Asbestosis is a long-term lung disease caused by breathing in or swallowing asbestos fibers. The fibers damage lung tissue, causing scarring and making it hard to breathe. People may develop a dry cough and chest tightness.

Chronic pulmonary diseases from asbestos include scarring of the lungs. This lowers lung function and makes daily tasks harder. Symptoms may show up years after exposure and can last for life.

Legal Rights For Victims Of Automotive Asbestos Exposure

People who have been exposed to asbestos in automotive jobs or at-home automobile repair tasks may have legal options if they become sick with mesothelioma, lung cancer or asbestosis. These legal options include mesothelioma lawsuits against the companies that manufactured car parts containing asbestos.

Types of Claims

People affected by asbestos in automotive work can file different types of claims:

• Workers’ Compensation Claims – For employees exposed while on the job
• Personal Injury Lawsuits – Filed against companies that made or sold asbestos products
• Wrongful Death Claims – Filed by the family if the worker or vehicle owner has died from an asbestos illness
• Trust Fund Claims – Some companies set up trusts after filing for bankruptcy to pay victims

Lawyers with asbestos experience can help victims choose which claim fits their situation. Required documents may include medical records, proof of work with car parts, and work history. Each claim type has different rules and possible payments.

What to Do if You Suspect You Were Exposed

Taking prompt action after asbestos exposure can help protect a person’s health and legal rights. Steps focus on medical care and understanding possible legal options.

Get a Medical Evaluation

Asbestos exposure does not lead to an illness immediately. Most of the diseases take at least 20 years to begin forming and causing symptoms.

Anyone who thinks they were exposed to asbestos can see a doctor, but they likely will not be diagnosed until symptoms form. Be honest with the doctor about when, where, and how the exposure happened. Specific details, such as the type of product or job task, can help the doctor understand the risk.

Doctors may order a chest X-ray or CT scan. These tests can look for early signs of problems. Blood tests and lung function tests may also be used.

Records from the visit should be kept in a safe place. The doctor may also recommend regular check-ups to watch for changes over time. Early diagnosis is important for treating asbestos-related diseases.

Speak With an Asbestos Attorney

People who were exposed to asbestos at work, home or in any other automotive repair settings should talk to an attorney if they developed an asbestos disease. Asbestos lawyers know how to handle cases where companies may be responsible for exposure – and responsible for the victim’s cancer or asbestosis.

An attorney can help review work history, exposure details, and medical records.

Here are some reasons to contact an asbestos attorney:

• Learn about legal options for compensation.
• Find out if others have been exposed at the same site.
• Get help filing claims for medical costs or lost wages.

Most asbestos attorneys offer free consultations and do not charge their clients unless they win the case and receive compensation. These attorneys call this “contingency basis”, and it avoids the victims needing to pay up front for legal help when they already likely are struggling with medical bills and lost income from being too sick to work. Asbestos lawyers can also explain time limits for filing claims, which vary by state. Having legal support ensures a person understands their rights after exposure.

Final Thoughts: Auto Work Shouldn’t Cost a Life

Workers in the auto industry often face unique health risks. Asbestos was once used in brakes, clutches, and gaskets. While prized for durability and resistance to heat, asbestos can lead to serious diseases, including types of cancer.

These risks are preventable. The companies that manufactured asbestos for automobile products often knew of the risks and continued using the substance. They prioritized their profits over the health of workers or others performing at-home repairs on their vehicles.

Modern safety rules and better materials help reduce exposure in shops and garages. Chrysotile asbestos, which is the most common type of asbestos, is now banned from use in the United States.

Key Safety Tips:

• Use protective gear, like masks and gloves.
• Wet surfaces before cleaning to keep fibers from becoming airborne.
• Never use compressed air or dry sweeping where asbestos might be present.
• Always follow workplace safety guidelines.

Frequently Asked Questions

Asbestos was once used in many car parts, but modern rules and safer materials have changed this. Some older vehicles may still have parts with asbestos, which can be dangerous if the fibers become airborne during repairs.

Sources & Author

About the Writer, David Statman

David Statman is a Content Writer for Mesothelioma Guide. He received both his bachelor's and master's in journalism from West Virginia University, and has been in medical publishing since January 2022. He previously worked in sports journalism, primarily reporting on West Virginia sports for a number of publications.

He lives in Delaware with his wife, dog and two cats, and avidly competes as a professional wrestler in the Philadelphia area.