[Editorial Sample] How To Spot a Faulty Brake Caliper (and what you can do about it!)

In our last post, we talked about the essential part of a car braking system called a brake caliper and what it’s used for. To recap, a brake caliper is the clamp that holds the pistons and brake pads used to squeeze the rotor, slowing down the wheels and pulling the car to a stop. Brake calipers also help dissipate heat from the friction that comes from squeezing on the rotors. It’s important to have these on your car’s wheels. Otherwise, there are essentially no brakes to your car. Now that you know what they’re all about, you might be wondering, is it possible for brake calipers to be broken or spoilt? How can I tell if they are, and what can I do about it? Let’s dive into it.

Before getting to know what symptoms to look out for when detecting a faulty brake caliper, you need to know the factors that lead to the brake calipers spoiling in the first place. One of the factors that make brake calipers faulty is worn out brake pads or warped rotors. These prevent proper heat dissipation which can lead to damage on the caliper itself. Should the brake pads fail to insulate heat from the caliper, this can lead to either the piston being damaged or brake fluid degrading due to heat being passed through the piston into the brake lines. Brake fluid degradation is bad as it can result in brake failure. As for a damaged or corroded piston, it may end up being stuck in one position - either stuck retracted or engaged. If the piston is stuck in a retracted position, that wheel loses its braking ability; if the piston is stuck in an engaged position, it will be continuously braked until it’s freed.

Now that we’ve gotten to know what makes a brake caliper faulty, now let’s look at what symptoms to look out for to assess the damage. Firstly, you will notice your car pulling toward the side of the car with functional brakes when you engage the brakes. In that case, you can tell which brakes are retracted and which are engaged when you brake your car. The engaged brakes likely generate excess heat and the brake pads would wear down more quickly.

Secondly, you may also notice leaking brake fluid. When pistons are damaged, they lose their ability to seal completely which allows pressure from the brake fluid in the master cylinder to push the piston, squeezing the brake pads on the rotor. Leaked brake fluids lead to brake failure. If enough of the fluid gets leaked, your car may have a warning light on your dashboard that should alert you of it.

Lastly, a rare case that would happen is the caliper actually snapping into two. When the brakes are engaged, you may hear a clunking sound which indicates that the caliper has snapped. When this happens, you have to stop driving the car.

So, what should you do about it? Firstly, don’t ignore the symptoms. Ignoring them can magnify the damage that’s done to the caliper. Not only that, but the cost and effort that’s needed to fix the problem increases directly. The first step is to make it a point to have a look at it as soon as possible, or have the brake caliper assessed by a qualified technician. After that, get your brake calipers fixed or replaced accordingly. Looking for car brake calipers that can replace and outperform your old ones? Look no further, we have the solution for you. Drop us a message on Facebook, log on to http://www.svrbrakesystems.com/ or contact us now at 012-329 5059, or via email at info@svrbrakesystems.com.