2002 Grand Caravan, Caliper Stuck?

Hey there. I just brought my 2002 Grand Caravan to the shop because a burning smell was coming from the front passenger wheel area. I also noticed today that when I put it in reverse, it didn't roll back like it normally does but it did roll forward in drive as usual. I had to push the gas pedal for it to even start backing up. The mechanic said right away that it was a stuck caliper, but he didn't do anything more then smell the burning and put the car in reverse and drive at this time. I left the car there for further examination. He just now called me and said that the caliper unstuck once it cooled down, they took it apart and wouldn't know anything until Monday. Does this sound like a stuck caliper problem? If so, since the caliper supposedly unstuck when it cooled down, does that mean it needs total replacement? If anyone has and ideas and advice I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

Yes. It's a pretty good bet the caliper piston was not retracting because the piston and/or the piston cylinder walls have gotten corroded. I would think though if they took the caliper appart they would see corrosion in the priston bore right away and tell you. If the corrosion is light enough they may just clean it but, if there's too much corrosion or the cylinder walls are scored or the piston is cracked they'll have to replace the caliper. I would bet the brake pads would have to be replaced as well if this has been going on for a while. Make sure they flush and replace the brake fluid too. Brake fluid traps moisture and if not changed every few years, your problem will happen. The brake rotor could also be warped so make sure they measure the runnout and confirm it's ok. If it's past spec you have the option of turning (resurfacing) the rotor if there is enough thickness left. Worse case scenerio if they have to replace all the parts mentioned it should cost about $400 with labor. Let us know how you make out.

Thank you so much for your reply. I will ask the mechanic on Monday if the corrosion is light enough to clean off. Hopefully they will be honest with me. I am pretty sure that these symptoms just started today, would that mean that the caliper first stuck today or do these symptoms usually occur when the problem is far along? I would just like to know so I will be prepared for having my pads changed as well. Also, what does a typical caliper replacement cost? Thank you so much for your help!

If you just noticed it today I'd bet the rotor and pads are ok. If you felt the van pull excessively to the right before today then yes, it may have been going on for a while.

You can get rebuilt calipers for around $50-70. New ones will cost more especially if you're dealing with a dealer. You might talk the shop into letting you supply the parts and save a few bucks. Shop around your local parts stores for the best price. If you can wait, the internet usually has the best prices.

Rotors run about $40-70. There's a slimmer chance the master cylinder could be the problem. They run about $100 - $150. Cheers!

Interesting, the mechanic told me that you cannot get rebuilt calipers anymore, seems like I was fed a line of bs. I will bring this up when I get the estimate. I did not notice any pulling to the right whatsoever, so hopefully I caught it in time. This caravan only has 34,000 miles and I was surprised to have such a problem already, is this the norm? Thank you so much for all the help!

The norm? Anything built by man will break. Just have to get use to it. I bought my 96 GC in 95 and had it back to the dealer 11 times during the warranty period. About half for cosmetic stuff but other times for more substantial repairs. The instrument cluster and wiper switch were the biggest. After the warranty was up I changed the radiator, starter, and several less significant things. Pushing 190K miles now and just can't get rid of it. It's so versatile and rides and runs great. Just hauled 7 people to San Diego and back. The week before I hauled 6 full sheets of plywood and 60 bricks. Can't think of many other vehicles you can do that with can you?

Not sure about parts stores but rebuilt calipers are all over the internet. Call a few stores and see what they have.