Rear Brake Caliper Dragging

[Cooker]

Long story short:
2009 Dodge Journey SXT FWD

Rear drivers brake started hanging up........got hot enough to glaze the rotor and crack the pads. I pulled it apart and both the caliper guide pins and pads still slid freely so I'm assuming a bad caliper. Replace both rear rotors and a new set of pads for each wheel and new drivers caliper. Made sure caliper and pads slid freely and didnt bind. The caliper is still dragging. Replaced the rubber line going to the caliper......reassemble......still dragging.

A couple things of importance
-No warning lights on dash.
-I have determined if only a light amount of break pressure is applied, the caliper will release and reapply as normal. it is only when a lot of break pressure is applied is when the caliper will tighten up and continue to drag until everything is disassembled and reset.
-there is one other rubber hose (a small one near the front of the rear suspension arm and the body of the car) that I did not replace so that might be where I start next.
-I'm wondering might this possibly have something to do with the ABS system or proportioning valve?????

Any help or insight from anyone here would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you

 

[JamesBond]

Did you check the cable and hardware associated with the parking brake? Is it bleeding like the other wheels? Sorry that's not much help. Maybe call or go to the dealer, and see if they can help, it must be barely out of warranty.

 

[Cooker]

130k miles. Its not in warranty

I did check the parking brake and even took the cable off to be 100% and that is not the culprit either.

 

[Dakota1820]

wow you must drive a lot. i have no idea i would suspect bad caliper but you did that.

 

[Cooker]

I would think maybe the new caliper is bad but it is acting the exact same way the original one was.

 

[Cooker]

I am beginning to think its the caliper.

If I brake hard the caliper tightens up and will not release. If it were a collapsed line that was not allowing the release of fliud then if I were to loosen the bleeder it should free up the rotor correct? Since it would allow the release of the pressure that was trapped at the caliper do to the line not allowing the lower pressure fluid back to the master cylinder. Since it is not releasing when I open the bleeder it would seem to have to be the caliper correct?

 

[LeakySeals]

The right rear caliper in my dad's 06 Avalon was dragging for thousands of miles from brand new without him or the dealer knowing. He found out when he lost all braking on the highway. Sudden fluid loss to the entire system. Had to be towed away. The high heat from dragging caused additional problems to the rotor, wheel bearings, hub assy, even the aluminum rim needed replacement. Ended up being the reason he traded it in. was too scared to drive it again. Don't live with it, get it fixed asap!

 

[mechtech2]

Originally Posted By: Cooker
I am beginning to think its the caliper.

If I brake hard the caliper tightens up and will not release. If it were a collapsed line that was not allowing the release of fliud then if I were to loosen the bleeder it should free up the rotor correct? Since it would allow the release of the pressure that was trapped at the caliper do to the line not allowing the lower pressure fluid back to the master cylinder. Since it is not releasing when I open the bleeder it would seem to have to be the caliper correct?


Sounds reasonable. It stinks when a new part is not OK!

I'm not sure of the parking brake system - that may also be at fault if it is internal/integral with the caliper.

 

[Cooker]

The parking brake is integrated into the caliper. Externally is is free and without issue but I suppose internally it could be the issue within the caliper???

At the moment I am beyond frustrated with this. While I do think a new part could be the culprit it concerns me that the new part is acting the exact same way the original was. It makes me think the likely hood of the new part being bad is not very likely......however if releasing pressure via the bleeder does not allow the caliper to loosen up a bit I do not see how it could be anything but internally within the caliper.