Why Do Brake Calipers Leak?

Brake calipers are vital to your disc-brake system. Without them, you wouldn’t be able to stop your rotors from spinning, and thus wouldn’t be able to stop your car. That’s why it’s so concerning when you notice a leak coming from them. Why exactly do brake calipers leak and what can you do about it? 

Brake calipers leak because something has gone wrong between them and the parts they interact with like the rotor or the brake pads, are creating too much friction. The friction that’s generated is spreading excess heat to the caliper seal, exposing brake fluid. This can cause serious braking problems. 

If your brake calipers are leaking and you’re not sure why or what to do about it, we’ve got you covered. In the following few sections, we’ll lay out the most common causes for Brake Calipers leaking. Then we will move on to discuss potential costs for both repairing the problem, or replacing the caliper all together. 

Common Causes for Brake Caliper’s Leaking

Calipers tend to go bad after other associated parts fail. Usually as a result of those failures themselves. 

Below we’ve outlined the parts that tend to fail before calipers go bad and start to leak: 

• Damaged rotors: With enough wear your rotors can warp over time. This puts uneven pressure and heat on the calipers and ruins the brake pads. In turn the heat can be transferred to the caliper seal, causing brake fluid to leak out.
• Bad Brake Pads: Brake pads are also important for dispersing the heat generated by the friction of the caliper and the rotor. If they go bad the same effect can happen that happens with damaged rotors. 

With any kind of automobile problem it’s a good idea to double check anything connected to whatever part malfunctions. Often there is a causal link somewhere that also needs to be addressed. 

How Do You Stop a Brake Caliper From Leaking?

It’s best to have leaks like this fixed by someone with prior knowledge and experience with these kinds of issues. To get your leaking brake caliper fixed it will usually cost between $300 to $400 total, including both the labor and parts.  

Depending on the cause and the extent of the damage, it’s sometimes best to just replace a brake caliper that’s leaking. Unfortunately, if this is the the case for you, the average cost for replacing a caliper falls between $574 to $902

The reason why the price is so steep is because you’re paying for both the part itself and the labor needed to install it.  

Additional Costs When Fixing/Replacing a Brake Caliper

Remember, a bad caliper is often the result of another component malfunctioning. Depending on the cause, you may have to replace or fix the rotor, brake pads and a whole number of other minor parts. 

A new brake rotor alone can run you anywhere from $304 to $404. Meanwhile brake pads come in at around $150 per axel. These costs really need to be taken into account if they apply to you.

Finally, the last cost you also might have to consider is a towing fee, if the problem is bad enough and you can’t safely drive it to the repair shop. This cost will vary by store, but can be avoided if you or a friend has a large vehicle that can pull the weight of your currently leaking vehicle. 

Can You Drive With Your Brake Caliper Leaking?

While it is possible to drive with a leaking brake caliper, you should avoid doing it. With a loss of hydraulic pressure, the brakes can act erratically. Sometimes having a delayed response, or in the worst case no response at all. 

Brakes just aren’t something you want to take a chance with. Instead, you should talk to the people at a local automotive repair shop you trust, and double check with them if it’s safe for you to drive it in, or if you should have it towed there. 

So Really, Why Do Brake Calipers Leak?

Brake calipers generally leak because the seal between them and the brake fluid is overheated from excess friction. The friction can be caused by a number of issues like bad brake pads or warped brake rotors. With the brake pads worn down or the rotor warped, the caliper no longer fits correctly and excess friction and heat are created anytime you brake. 

If you are experiencing a leaking caliper, it’s important that you don’t drive your vehicle until you can get a mechanic you trust to take a look at it. Just remember to always prioritize safety first. Even when it feels like it’s not that big-a-deal with something as seemingly small as a leak. Do that, and hopefully your car will be back on the road in no time! Good luck!