# Brake calipers wont fully release



## myvdubsfail (Mar 21, 2010)

I just put new pads and rotors on the front of my 2001 1.8t jetta and the brakes wont fully release. During assembly everything went back together great, started up the car, pumped up the breaks, now the car stops on its own essentially. i did notice i forgot to use shim on the from pass. side but i dont see how that could make a difference, any ideas?


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## stratocaster (Jul 13, 2004)

*Re: Brake calipers wont fully release (myvdubsfail)*

Id start by taking one side apart again and checking the movement of the pads. Make sure they aren't jammed in there so tight that they can't move forward or backward. They would have to be in there pretty tight to stop the car like you say, but its worth checking.
Next, completely disconnect the caliper from the steering knuckle with the exception of the brake line, and look at the rubber seal around the piston as well as the piston itself. You can determine if you have a bad seal simply by lightly poking the rubber with a flat head screw driver (VERY carefully). If the seal is hard, cracked, missing pieces or gone altogether, the caliper is probably seized up. Its unlikely that this happened randomly to both calipers at the same time, but stranger things HAVE happened.
Did the pistons give you any trouble when you pushed them back into the caliper? Can you see any rust/corrosion on the piston or caliper anywhere? Did you open the hydraulic system at all (bleeder screws)?


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## jakedogg (Jan 6, 2004)

*Re: Brake calipers wont fully release (stratocaster)*

sound like you have not even bled the brakes


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