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Brake calipers will not need replacing very often, but when they do need replacing, they ought to be replaced as soon as possible. The reason for this is simple: calipers are an integral part of your vehicle’s braking system, and if they fail, it can lead to brake malfunction and potentially an accident.

To understand when it’s necessary to replace the brake calipers on your vehicle, it’s important to understand at least the basics of how the calipers function. So let’s dive right in!

What do my brake calipers do?

Your brake calipers in a nutshell 

The brake caliper is part of the disc braking system on most vehicles. Larger vehicles, like semi-trucks, use different braking systems, such as air brakes, instead.

Disc brakes are comprised of two basic parts, the disc or ‘rotor’, which is a large metal disc attached to the wheel hub assembly that allows your wheel to spin, and the brake calipers which house the brake pads and pistons. 

When you step on the brakes, the pistons press the brake pads into the front and back faces of the rotor disc. This creates pressure and friction against the disc, which in turn causes your vehicle to slow down. Both front wheels of vehicles equipped with disc brakes will have a set of brake calipers attached. 

When to replace your brake calipers 

In general, your brake calipers will not need replacing very often. They are built sturdy and robust in most vehicles and lack very many small moving parts that may wear out over time. Because of this, they are considered ‘not a maintenance part’. That is, if everything functions as designed, the calipers will last the entire lifetime of your vehicle.

It is more common to have to replace the brake pads within the calipers, as they wear out over time by being continually compressed against the spinning rotor. 

However, nothing lasts forever, and if your vehicle is older or you drive it a lot, there’s a fair chance you’ll have to replace your brake calipers at least once throughout the vehicle’s lifetime due to some form of damage or excessive wear. 

The heat generated from braking can cause the seals inside the calipers to weaken or crack, and rust can intrude and damage various pieces of the caliper as well. 

Let’s look at some of the signs that may indicate your calipers need replacing.

• Having to repeatedly pump your brakes to get them to work

The brake system is a hydraulic system that uses hydraulic pressure to activate the pistons and press the brake pads against the rotor. If it takes multiple pumps of the brake pedal to activate the brakes, it could be indicative of a leak in the brake line, which could be caused by weakened or cracked seals in the brake calipers. 

• Sudden jerks or swerves to the side when braking

Brake calipers are designed to work in pairs. When you apply the brakes on a vehicle, both sets of calipers are supposed to press the brake pads against the rotor in unison.

If your vehicle jerks or swerves during braking, this is a sign that brake pressure is being applied unevenly, which in turn suggests that something has gone very wrong within the hydraulic system, and one of the points of failure is the seals or piston within the brake calipers. 

Other symptoms of failing brake calipers follow similar lines. Below are several more warning signs that your brake calipers are failing and may need replacing. 

-Squealing, squeaking, or grinding noises when applying brakes

-The ABS warning light appears on your dashboard 

-Brakes are either too spongy or too hard when pumping them

-Leaking brake fluid around the front wheels

-Uneven brake pad wear

-Reduced stopping power 

What happens if I don’t replace my brake calipers? 

The simple answer to this is that you risk getting in an accident. As mentioned above, brake calipers are designed to function in pairs and apply synchronized pressure to the rotor discs to ensure uniform braking.

If one or both brake calipers are damaged or in need of replacement, it will cause uneven and unreliable braking. This may cause damage to the rotor or the hub assembly, and other parts of the vehicle depending on how severely the calipers are impaired. 

If the damage is severe enough, the brakes may even fail to function completely. All of these conditions increase the likelihood of an accident and possible injury to anyone in the vehicle. 

Brake calipers are one of those components of your vehicle that are designed to last the life of the vehicle, and are not intended to be replaced unless damaged or otherwise impaired. They are a critical component of your vehicle’s braking system and should be replaced immediately or as soon as possible when they start to fail. 

How much does it cost to replace brake calipers? 

There are always two basic expense categories when it comes to repairing or replacing anything on a vehicle: parts and labor. 

Parts 

Brake calipers in general can cost between $75-100 [CA $102.75-$137.00] for a single unit. This does not include replacement brake pads, which can run another $50 or so, depending on your vehicle. 

This price will of course be affected by the make, model, and year of your vehicle. Replacement calipers for a 2011 Hyundai Sonata will, quite naturally, cost less than similar parts on a 2022 Bentley Continental.

Labor 

Of the two main costs of replacing your brake calipers, labor will almost always present the greater out-of-pocket expense. This is especially true if you take your vehicle to be repaired at a dealership mechanic as opposed to a local mechanic’s shop, as dealership mechanics tend to charge much more than local shops. 

In general, you can expect to pay anywhere between $80-$100 for a qualified mechanic [CA $54.80-$137.00]. More, if you take your vehicle to a dealership. And, as with the cost of parts, those numbers may increase or decrease depending on where you live and what kind of vehicle you need serviced. 

Do I need to replace my brake calipers in pairs?

The answer to this is a little more complicated than a simple yes or no. 

Technically, you don’t have to replace both calipers if only one is showing signs of damage. However, as we mentioned above, calipers are designed to exert uniform force on the rotors in sync with each other. 

If you only replace a single caliper, there is the risk that the old caliper will not exert the same force as the new caliper, which will lead to uneven braking which can in turn cause damage to your vehicle and lead to unsafe driving conditions. 

Also, the conditions that caused the damage to the one caliper may also have damaged the other in some way, and you will discover you have to replace it soon anyway. 

In general, it is recommended that you replace both calipers at the same time if you are able. 

Save on brake caliper replacement through AutoShack 

We mentioned earlier that labor costs tend to be the largest expense in repairing a vehicle. These costs can actually be mitigated somewhat through the purchasing of aftermarket parts from a trusted supplier. 

Most mechanics will install parts purchased from aftermarket parts dealers such as AutoShack if you bring it to them, and aftermarket parts are almost always the cheaper option to ordering factory-new parts or allowing the mechanic to order parts on their own.

AutoShack also allows you to purchase parts in bundles to save money, so you can often order your brake calipers in pairs at a reduced cost. 

With fast, free shipping on most orders, you’ll have parts shipped within 5 business days. We also offer expedited shipping if you need parts fast. 

AutoShack makes it easy to find the right parts for your vehicle with our intuitive search process. Simply go to our website and enter the make, model, and year of your vehicle into the search bar, and start browsing for the right part for your vehicle.