Q: Front driver side wheel wants to lock up while driving it'll pull to the left and tries to stop.

asked by on October 15, 2016

My car rear driver side tire locked after sitting for awhile but later stopped and now my front driver wheel started doing that out of nowhere and I took it to a shop. The people who fixed it told me that it was my caliper which was bad. They replaced the caliper and brake line the same day it started doing the exact same thing. So I took it to another shop and they told me the caliper didn't have any lubricant on it and that my brake line wasn't tight. I want to know before I pay to get that fixed could it be something else.

My car has 163900 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

There are a few possible causes for your brakes to engage. Caliper pistons can be seized, hoses can be pinched or closed off on the inside, or even electrical problems with the ABS. Have your vehicle scanned for ABS troubleshooting codes. Use them to help you diagnose the issues if it comes up with anything. If not, raise the vehicle and rotate the tire. Observe the caliper and inspect for a kinked hose, anything out of alignment, or anything damaged. The brake line being loose would allow air into the system. This usually causes a spongy brake pedal, but can cause brake failure as well. The caliper should be greased and needs to be done. These are all possible diagnostic steps, and any one of then could lead you to the issue. Use the information given to help you think through the most likely cause, and then investigate.

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