2014 Chrysler Town & Country left rear rotor getting hot.

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Jun 19, 2020
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Iowa
Guys I could use a little help... I believe my wife's van has what appears to be a brake problem. I drove her van to work the other day and it was so hot it was smoking when I parked! I had to drive about 4 of the 10 miles on the interstate so I wasn't aware or able to see any smoke until I parked. I work just off the interstate. I seriously thought the van was having an electrical fire. The drag is light enough you can't really feel it and I can move the rotor by hand... I investigated and that's when I figured the caliper was hung up, the tire was hot, the rim was very hot and the brakes, well... they sizzled when I spit on the rotor.

I have changed the caliper, pads and brake hose. The caliper seized on in 2018 so I figured that was the problem again but clearly it is not!
I changed the brake fluid several months ago, and flushed about 25 ounces when changing the caliper this last time.

The situation is this, the left rear rotor is getting hot, like driving 3 miles and the rotor is 200F. The passenger side is only 110F after the same drive. I am checking the rotor with an infrared temperature gun. The other 3 rotors are no hot like the left rear.

I'm not sure what else to check. I think I am going to disconnect the parking brake cable just for sh!t's and grins to see if that helps. Anyone got any other ideas? As I stated the other 3 rotors are fine and no issues.

Thanks in advance
Todd


*** update disconnecting the parking brake cable made no difference in the temperature. I am perplexed. Maybe it is the master cylinder but how can only 1 caliper hang up then?
 
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If it's rear wheel drive....put it up on stands with the wheels off and inspect the brake function while someone applys the brakes.
 
Did you use a Cardone "rebuilt" caliper? :unsure:

Does your car use a separate parking brake shoes inside the disc? Maybe the parking brake shoes are stuck? Do you actually use the parking brake?
 
If it's rear wheel drive....put it up on stands with the wheels off and inspect the brake function while someone applys the brakes.

It's a front wheel drive Town & Country. I can turn the wheel by hand on the jack. I need to try it when the van is running to see if there is a difference...
 
Did you use a Cardone "rebuilt" caliper? :unsure:

Does your car use a separate parking brake shoes inside the disc? Maybe the parking brake shoes are stuck? Do you actually use the parking brake?

It is an Autozone Duralast (neverlast???) caliper.

The brake pads in the caliper are the parking brake pads. It does not have the internal drum shoes like many vehicles.
 
Rear caliper failure is common where the parking brake is run off the rear pads, and those calipers likely are Cardone.

The good news is that Rock Auto does carry Raybestos all-NEW calipers for your car :)
 
It could be the emergency brake. You might have to loosen it off or replace the cable. Also it may just need the caliper piston loosened. There is a very long thread on the subject at DodgeTalk.com.

I had a similar issue, same van. It was a seized caliper. It looked fine upon inspection but was actually sticking.
 
Rear caliper failure is common where the parking brake is run off the rear pads, and those calipers likely are Cardone.

The good news is that Rock Auto does carry Raybestos all-NEW calipers for your car :)

so I just replaced the caliper, pads and hose this week. Do you think a “new” caliper is hung up like the old one I took off? It just seems odd…. I can turn the rotor by hand when the van is off. I need to try turning the rotor with the van running.
 
It could be the emergency brake. You might have to loosen it off or replace the cable. Also it may just need the caliper piston loosened. There is a very long thread on the subject at DodgeTalk.com.

I had a similar issue, same van. It was a seized caliper. It looked fine upon inspection but was actually sticking.

I disconnected the cable last night with no improvement. The rotor was still hot after a few miles of driving.

A “new” caliper was installed this week with pads and hose. I’ll keep investigating.
 
If it was a reject cardone its possible. Was the sticking exactly the same before the caliper replacement?
How loose are the pads in their slot?
 
That's what I was thinking. And were the pad ears and slide pins lubed.. Can you tell if it's the inner or outer pad that is dragging.

pads are able to move freely. The caliper came with a new bracket so the slides were lubed and move freely. I checked that before installing the assembly.

I am not totally sure which pads are dragging. I can't seem to get the piston to retract back into the caliper after having my wife pump the brakes a few times with the caliper removed. It turns with channel locks but not the retraction tool. Seems like a junk caliper maybe but man, 2 in a row!

Thanks for the help guys.
 
Well I ordered a new Raybestos FRC12588N caliper. Hopefully that will fix the problem. If not, the wife might be getting a new to her vehicle... :sick:
 
Don't do that. The piston will come out too far. On a front brake without parking mechanism it would usually blow out entirely.
Yeah I had a 2x4 in there to prevent too much movement. It was also with the vehicle off. This piston wasn’t out as much as the old caliper with the wear on the brake pads.
 
Well an update to the situation…

brand new Raybestos caliper installed, fluid bled and no difference. I’ve put enough fluid through the system now it’s clear coming out. I’m perplexed! The wife wants to take it in but I’m not sure what the garage will do other than throw parts at it.
🤬
 
ABS system might have a blockage preventing fluid from flowing back after you take your foot off the brake.
Like your thinking, when you push the piston back, you force dirty moisture-laden brake fluid into ABS. ASE master certified, loosen bleed valve and capture dirty fluid. BTW drivers front wheel, tire brakes etc on FWD has the most load.
 
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