Brake Calliper Seized

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- Glenn Morton
  
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posted
19 years ago

Thu, Oct 28, 2004 1:12 AM

I was driving my 93 Golf tonight and a really bad smell started to come in the car. I stopped, and sure enought the front right wheel was really hot and a smell of burning rubber was coming out of it. I assumed it was the brake calliper, and limped it about 5 km back home (where father in law will fix it).

When I got home, the rotor was literally glowing red.

I am right to assume the calliped is fully seized and needs changing? Not being terrribly mechanically inclined myself, the glowing red rotor didn't seem like a good thing. Will the rotor be potentially damaged as well?

I was driving to the autoparts store to look for something for my next question(see next post).....

Thanks Glenn

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- Nate Nagel
  
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posted
19 years ago

Thu, Oct 28, 2004 1:23 AM

I dunno about for an A3 but for an A1/A2 the rotors are so silly cheap it'd be a waste not to replace both of them "while you're in there." I would recommend thoroughly bleeding (i.e. change the brake fluid) the system as well as all that head can't possibly have been good for it. Needless to say, you need a new set of front pads as well.

Were it my car, I'd just get a pair of calipers, rotors, pads and maybe hoses as well (if they look dry rotted at all, now is a good time to replace them) and use a quality brake fluid like ATE Super Blue or Valvoline Synpower.

good luck

nate

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- Woodchuck
  
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posted
19 years ago

Thu, Oct 28, 2004 1:41 AM

1- caliper yes maybe 2-master cylinder 3-sticky brake pads in carrier. i.e corrosion/rust What you can do is drive the car until it starts to stick again. The you need to open the bleeder on the caliper. If the wheel spins normal then it's a master cylinder. If it's still sticky then figure a caliper. But figure doing pads and rotors since you already toasted them from the excessive heat.

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- jimbehning
  
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posted
19 years ago

Thu, Oct 28, 2004 4:20 AM

Jim B.

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- dave AKA vwdoc1
  
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posted
19 years ago

Sat, Oct 30, 2004 4:23 PM

Wouldn't the master cylinder affect both front calipers in the same way? At least it did on an 85 Audi 5000S. Both front wheels were locking up after driving about 4 miles. It also had new caliper and hoses on it before the master got changed.

The shotgun approach is to at least change calipers (both) hoses, pads and rotors. Master Cylinder would be the last thing to change unless you know for sure it is bad. Of course cleaning up the carrier and using the correct lube on the parts will help. ;-)

The below method is a good quick an inexpensive way to determine what could be wrong! I would suggest doing this first before just buying everything, unless you just have a pile of money to get rid of. lol It could possibly be the hose too, if the wheel spins freely after opening the bleeder on the offending caliper. Change both hoses if one is bad. I try to keep things balanced! ;-)

just thinking out loud! later, dave

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- Brian Running
  
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posted
19 years ago

Mon, Nov 1, 2004 4:15 PM

I agree completely, but my own opinion is to avoid rotors that are "silly cheap" because they're made in China. Even though Chinese products are gradually getting better in quality, one area in which they are still miserable is the quality of iron and steel. Get new rotors, but make sure they're from anywhere but China.