View Full Version : Brake caliper stuck in "closed" position...


Kirk
08-09-1999, 10:14 PM
Well, I searched the archives and couldn't find anything. I seem to recall reading about this once before in the last three years or so...

My 99 A4, at 16,000 miles +- had the right rear brake caliper seize in the closed position. I noticed it because I was driving slowly looking at homes for sale and I heard my familiar brake squeel. I wasn't utilizing the brakes at the time. I placed the tranny in neutral and let it roll backward to see if it was a trans. problem/noise and the same squeel appeared and got louder as the speed picked up. Upon close inspection, and after trying to rid the noise with some aggressive brake pedal at speed maneouvres, I noticed the the right rear caliper seemed to be pressed in on the disc more than the left. The disc also exhibited a different look to it like a "charring" for lack of a better word. The smell was distinctly stronger from that wheel than the other three as well. I wonder how long it has been this way. The car has seemed rather sluggish although I was just in for my 15000 mile service at around 15,300 miles or so, so it cannot have been for very long. But, perhaps long enough for my last trip to Seattle cruising at 75-80 MPH. YIKES.

Well, the dealer (small town) said they had never seen anything like that. They ordered every rear brake component for a complete overhaul on the rear end (both sides for symmetry I suppose) In the meantime, for the last 5 days, I have been driving the dealer's "emergency loaner" as in, we don't have any loan cars right now, but, there is this one, it isn't clean, it has some minor front end damage, but it drives... A crappy little 97 VW Jetta manual tranny missing the left front blinkers due to the damage (on order I was told). I swear, my 85 Jetta was hella better than this piece of crappola, oh well...it drives...

Kirk

Tony
08-10-1999, 07:56 AM
nt

Tony
08-10-1999, 07:57 AM
nt

mac
08-11-1999, 04:31 AM
and there was not enough spring force to return the cable to a neutral position. I tore that bugger apart and lubed it the best I could but it only worked for a few days before dragging again. I ended up adding a "helper" spring on the return arm of the disc brake. That solved the problem. Good Luck, at least you are under warranty. Mark

Kirk
08-13-1999, 12:20 AM
Anyway, the dealer had never seen that problem before and I think they fixed it, but the front calipers look like they approximate the disc
VERY closely. The back ones do not now...

We'll see. If I had not been under warranty, about a $1000 repair. The dealer charge was $700 to Audi and then they said that I would have paid another 40% as a "consumer." Yikes...

Kirk
back in the A4