Your family’s safety and well-being come first. If you have failed brake calipers, you need to sort this problem right away. Brake calipers play a crucial role in the disk-brake system. There are two functions –
- It acts as a bracket to offer support to the brake pads or the caliper bracket
- It uses pistons to transform pressure on the brake fluid.
A brake caliper’s job is to squeeze brake pads against the car’s rotor. This is how the car stops!
Now, there are two types of calipers. The first is the single-piston and the other is the dual piston.
Rotors and brake pads wear out sooner or later and require replacement more than calipers. A damaged caliper results from driving the vehicle on damaged or worn-out rotors and brake pads.
If you feel the caliper has gotten damaged, you would get to know. How? Here’s a quick post that will shed light on the subject, ‘how do you know your caliper has failed?’
Let’s dive in!
When your Brake Calipers Aren’t Functioning Smoothly
If the brake pads have failed to insulate the brake caliper due to excess heat, the piston may be damaged. Perhaps the heat may have passed through the piston towards the brake fluid which led to full degradation. In fact, the latter can cause brake failure.
A corroded or damaged piston might get stuck in one particular position. If it’s in a retracted position, the car wheel will lose its braking capability. In case it’s in an engaged position, the wheel might brake in a continuous flow.
How do you know your caliper has failed?
If the piston is retracted, the car might pull towards the side. You might figure out that braking distance increases when this happens. Please remember that a stuck caliper causes pulling, but there could be other reasons too.
Another sign could be leaking brake fluid. A damaged piston may not be able to seal completely. If fluid has escaped the car system, you will see a warning light right on the car’s dashboard.
Excessive brake dust on one particular wheel is another sign of a damaged caliper. There are rare cases when the caliper bracket snaps. It would make a clunking sound when you try to engage the brakes. In case you are hearing this, move away from the vehicle and do not operate it.
If you have chosen to ignore these problems, there will be serious issues later on. In case you need brake caliper replacement or a new one, Crossed Drilled Rotors can help.
Don’t ignore the signs and get a replacement immediately.
