Ok so yesterday morning I start my car and release the Emergency brake (I have a stick.) I start driving away. It felt like I was driving with the e-brake still on. I think the cold weather had a lot to do with it. I drove the car to work (about 5 miles.). It seemed to loosen up a bit as I drove but when I parked there was smoke coming from my rear passenger wheel. AND it was HOT! Basically even though I released the E-Brake, it never released!

If I try to pull the Emergency brake up there's a lot of play in it. It's not giving me tension cause the tension uis alreday there. I did not pull it too hard because I thought that would make it even tighter and stick even worse.

I took it to Pep Boys. They are saying I need:
* Rear passenger Caliper (it's seized)
* 2 new Rotors for the rear
* New Brake pads
Total cost = $400
They also said the e-brake cable is fine.

What can I do to drive the car now? I wanna buy the Caliper on Rock Auto and have Pep Boys do the job. I assume if this happens again it should have nothing to do with NOT getting new pads and rotors?

I asked if he could just detach the e-brake on that side? The guy said "even if I detach the cable the caliper is still seized on the Rotor."

Can they lube the rotor?

I'm think if they release the cable on that side and I don't use the E-Brake that may work?

Thoughts?

I did not post to en existing thread because I did that on 2 prior threads (diffreent topics) and I received no responces in days. I did receive responses when I posted a new thread so I apologize!

4th gen rear calipers are junk, this is a very common issue.

You can release the parking brake at the caliper which may release enough of the tension to drive the car. Been there done that. I disconnected the cable and it got me by until I got new calipers.

Since everything needs to be replaced now you cannot do any more harm either way. But get it fixed ASAP, you need brakes.

As for buying parts online and bringing them to a chain store to be installed, that may bite you in the ***.

Rear caliper seized - common problem

Replace it yourself for like $70 bucks

Don't go to pep boys, find local mechanic to do it for cheap

It is also possible that you have a damaged e-brake cable. This happened to me a few years ago after a big snow. Water had crept into the cable and the cold weather froze the cable solid. You can check this by disconnecting the cable on the caliper and verify that the cable moves when you move the e-brake.

I just picked the car up. I lightly tried lifting the E-Brake and I felt some tension rather quickly so I stopped pulling up and let it back down. I can drive and there is no rubbing and the car will roll when in nuetral on a slight down grade.

Do you think I will be ok as long as I don't use the E-Brake?
Do you think the E-Brake may work better and/or the caliprs won't seize once it gets warmer outside?

I don't feel any rough patches on the ROTOR either. They feel smooth to me. I'm not sure what the guy was talking about. Do I HAVE to replace the pads and rotors? If I only need the caliper than that's all I'm gonna get!

I was told the E-Brake cable was fine. I'm being told just the Caliper needs replacement cause it seized up. However it's driving fine now. The brakes work fine. This cold weather had a lot to do with it. I never had any issues and all of a sudden we get hit with te coldest day of the winter yesterday!

OK the brakes work fine now but if I pull the E-Brake again I have a feeling it will stick again!? Why would this be? My point is if I use the Calipers for regular breaking and it is not sticking then why would the caliper stick when I pull the E-Brake? I know I won't pull the E-Brake again until it warms up outside!

I would think that if your calipers were seizing, it would happen with or without the use of your e-brake. You shouldn't have to change your rotor and pads just to change your caliper, if they are in good shape. If your pads are low, it would be a good time to replace them. It is recommended to have your rotors turned when replacing the brakes, but as cheap as they are, I just buy new rotors. Is it really cold where you are? If so, I am thinking that your e-brake cable is cut or the seals on the end are shot. Water will get in there and freeze your cable, not allowing it to release. If your cable is bad and you don't want to change it, you can just leave your car in gear when you stop.

It may be fine for now because if the caliper is seized, it just may have loosened itself slightly. Check the caliper and see if it is seized or not working properly. You need to turn the piston clockwise to get it to go back...if it does not turn easily, like with a pair of needle nose pliers, it is seized. Likewise, if it just spins and does not go back you also have problems. You, or a mechanic, need to take a look at the caliper instead of just wondering. The ebrake cable may be just fine but the caliper is likely causing your problems.

When my caliper was stuck, it drove fine, no dragging, but the ebrake did not work and i thought i may need a new cable. Once i replaced the caliper, all was well. The tension you describe, as soon as you pull up on the ebrake handle, was the same thing mine did when the caliper was frozen. There are not too many things that can be causing your problem...caliper or ebrake cable. Start with caliper since the brake cable is a bich to change.

No one here is going to be able to say what the definite problem is without looking at the car. All we can do is point you in the right direction. So, pull your wheel off, pull your caliper off and check that piston. Replace accordingly.

Sounds like your adjusting CAM or it's lever froze up. The E-brake hooks onto the adjusting CAM's lever that pushes out the piston when you pull the e-brake handle.

Save hundreds of dollars and replace the rear caliper yourself. If the seized caliper burnt the pads and discs then replace those also.


The only extra step in replacing your calipers is after loosening the brake hose bolt quickly swap the brake hose onto the new caliper using the new washers supplied with them. After mounting the new caliper you'll need to open the calipers bleeder valve to push in new fluid and bleed out the air.

I literally just did this job 2 weeks ago. (For the 3rd time)
Replaced passenger rear caliper, rotor, and pads (~$180).
Had I known I could have bought a spring I would have done that instead.

It's been to my observation that it's a combo of caliper and e-brake.
The e-brake system on our cars is stupid to begin with.
The cable from the handle goes to a union which splits left and right like a Y
Basically a 3 cable system taht should have been 2 cables direct to handle.
It seems as though prolonged E-brake usage (5spds) wears out the spring on the caliper
The tension the spring has is supposed to release the caliper when the ebrake is off.

That spring typically wears out not allowing the brake to free up.
This in turn drags the caliper causing premature pad wear and warping of the rotor.
So back to the e-brake design...
When that caliper isn't releasing, the tension of the ebrake is transferred via that union.
Since the spring is not returning as it should, the ebrake is held on the one side.
When releasing it from in the car, the union compensates for that drag.
Basically it allows it to get all uneven (hard to explain).

I'd say check out that return spring on top of the caliper and see if it comes off by hand
It should be really hard to take it off, mine was so flimsy it took ZERO effort to come off

My suggestion:
Replace the caliper with a SEMI-LOADED (make sure it has that spring on it).
Also check the e-brake cables for sticking (unhook cables then pull and release handle)

Sorry guys for the long post.
Will post pics if needed or desired.

My experience has been that road salt finds it way into the mechanism that controls the e-brake, and the best thing to do is replace the caliper. If the pads had been dragging for too long, they may be badly glazed and need replacement. Same with the rotor. As for the e-brake cable, inspection should show if there is any crimp in the jacket.. If not, it is probably not causing the problem. I am on my 4th caliper on the driver's side, but the passenger side is original... The rebuilt calipers are probably not as good as the originals.

Ok, so I havebeen experiencing something close to the OP. About two weeks ago the temperature dipped and when I released the ebrake, it didn't let go (passenger side). Removed the wheel and took the caliper off so I could remove the outer pad and limp over to the mechanic. I bought a "rebuilt" caliper from autozone. Changed brakes and rotors while I was there even though I changed the brakes in the summer. I also changed my ebrake cables earlier in the year with dealer parts. (only the 2 rear ones). Tuesday, the temperature dips again and my ebrake locks up again. Last night I took the wheel off and if I pull the handle it pulls and when I release the handle the cable does not release. I put a big screwdriver in and I am able to get the cable loose to release the tension on the caliper. I am thinking either
(1) I bought a bad caliper,
(2)the spring on the caliper is no good and not giving enough tension to pull the cable or
(3) my cable is binding in the jacket. and needs to be replaced.

It was really too cold outside to do any thorough testing. 20 minutes and my fingers were going numb. The problem seems to be related to the cold but I am not 100 percent on it yet.

I had the same issue last winter with my autozone rebuilt caliper. I had to force a large screw driver onto the lever of the adjusting cam to get it released. It was no doubt frozen.
Before I installed both rebuilt rear calipers I got after that incident I removed the large bolt on the lever. I sprayed lubricant down into the adjusting CAM, applied grease to both sides of the lever, antiseize onto the bolt, and sprayed lubricant down all 3 e-brake lines. Since then both calipers have held fine even though it was -10f when I released the e-brake this morning.

What kind of lubricant are you using?

To keep from disassembling the rebuilt caliper I sprayed WD-40 down into the adjusting cam after removing the lever. On the lever I threw on lithium grease.

Remaned calipers are hit or miss. I've had remans that didn't operate correctly so I ended up rebuilding the stock ones, stealing parts from the remaned ones.

I'm sure it's your E-brake cable corroded inside sheath....That reman'd caliper hit or miss is just that hit or miss and hardly ever the real problem...I've had reman rear caliper's last a long time, going on 10 yrs.....

Ok, if you say so. Too bad those were replaced at the same time.