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The front right brakes had worn down to bare metal on my son's 2012 Journey Crew. While installing new brake parts I could not push the pistons back into the caliper, so I purchased a rebuilt caliper. I completed the repair gave it a quick test and it seemed fine. My son drove the car the next day and the front right brakes were hot and smelled. I took the brakes apart and found it difficult to push the pistons back. A similar question on this site suggested it could be the master cylinder. However the ABS system is between the master and the caliper. So now I don't know if it is a faulty rebuilt caliper, the master cylinder, or the ABS system. How can I find the fault without buying a entire brake system.

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  • Did you bleed all four brakes when you did this repair? Did you get even a drop of fluid out of the left rear brake wheel cylinder? Possible master cylinder issue (front right, rear left)... Also they rent a tool to close that wheel cylinder (but you can also use scrap wood and C-Clamp). Tool is free at Autozone's tool loaner program. Note: Be GENTLE, very gentle with this task.
    – zipzit
    May 7, 2020 at 4:29
  • I have gotten bad reman calipers before.
    – Moab
    May 7, 2020 at 11:43

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The rubber brake hose that goes to the caliper needs replacing. Internal damage in the hose will prevent fluid pressure from dropping when you release the brakes, causing the brake to stay engaged.

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  • If there is internal damage in the hose I should have some issue with bleeding the brakes, which I did not.
    – Rob B.
    May 7, 2020 at 3:26
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    That's not necessarily true. Many times the internal damage to a hose will be like a flap acting like a check valve.
    – Jupiter
    May 7, 2020 at 9:01
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    One way to check this is to attempt to push the caliper back with the bleeder open. If it pushes back then hose could very well be the problem
    – Techlord
    May 7, 2020 at 15:10
  • I replaced the brake hose and problem solved. Kudos to Jupiter. The blockage in the hose is at the metal mounting bracket which is clamped around the hose. Over time it squeezes the hose shut.
    – Rob B.
    May 9, 2020 at 20:26

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