What is the caliper, which is a very important component of the brake system, and what is it for? What are the symptoms of brake caliper failure? How to recognize a brake caliper failure? We will briefly give detailed information about the brake caliper.
Brakes, which are the stop and decelerating system of vehicles, are a very sensitive system that works by combining many vital parts. If you think there is a problem with your vehicle’s brakes, never neglect it. Because no matter how high quality your car is, a malfunction in the braking system will be enough to endanger your life.
Brake moulds are an important part of the braking system. Because it is a part made of solid and thick iron that draws the braking force directly on it. Although the brake pads need to be changed constantly, caliper life is almost the same as the service life of a car. However, sometimes there may be a caliper failure.
What Does the Brake Caliper Do?
The weight of an average car is over 1 ton. Your muscle strength is not even enough to slow down the vehicle slightly, let alone stop when you hit the brakes. For this, the hydraulic brake system was invented. As much hydraulic oil as you press the pedal is sent by a pump through hoses to the molds. The bearings inside the brake caliper have pads. These pads tighten the disc and allow the vehicle to slow down. In other words, the brake caliper is the parts in which the pads are located and perform the actual compression process. They are made of thick metal, as they constantly work under high pressure.
There are also screws on top of the calipers to take the brake air. Since these screws will be loosened and the air in the system will be removed, the brake system will be more robust.
What are the Symptoms of Brake Caliper Failure?
Caliper failure and lining end give very similar symptoms. Now let’s look at how to understand the brake caliper failure, item by item.
1-Pulling Right and Left When Pressing the Brake
When the brake caliper fails, it cannot fully tighten the pads. In this case, one wheel of the vehicle slows down while the side that is stuck does not hold at all. This causes your vehicle to pull to one side when you press the brakes. In addition, sometimes the caliper is stuck in such a way as to tighten the brake. In this case, there may also be a pull on the road.
2- Brake Hydraulic Oil Leaks
As we mentioned in the previous parts of our article, pressurized oil comes directly into the caliper. Brake fluid leaks can be seen from the caliper piston or the air intake screw.
3- Excessive softening of the brake pedal and not holding it even though it comes to the bottom
If you feel that the pedal is too soft when you press the brake recently, this may be due to caliper failure. Even worse, the brake pedal may not be able to provide enough power to stop the vehicle even though it is pressed to the bottom. This is due to caliper failure due to excessive gap between the brake disc and the pads.
4- Lengthening of Braking Distance
The other most common symptom of the brakes not holding well is the longer stopping distance of the vehicle. If the braking distance has increased compared to before, this may be due to caliper failure.
5- Irregular Wear of Brake Pads
You wanted to change the brake pads of your vehicle. Your master has dismantled both casters, and one of the pads may be finished while the other is unfinished. Because due to caliper failure, one side holds it well while the other side does not get old at all when it cannot squeeze the disc. We can say that caliper failure is the best way to understand.
6- Self-Brake of the Car
If your vehicle has difficulty accelerating despite not having an engine or mechanical failure, the brakes may be tightening. Because a faulty brake caliper can cause the car to tighten the discs on its own, that is, to brake.
7- When Brake, Friction Sound
The last symptom of brake caliper failure is the sound of rubbing when the brake is pressed. Although it is usually indicative of a finished pad, trapped calipers can cause friction when pressing the brakes.
Source: What is a Brake Caliper
