Q: Cant get brake caliper piston to release.

asked by on January 25, 2017

I was changing my brake pads and i cant get brake caliper to release. Ive been at this for two days now trying everything ive looked all over for answers and none has helped me. Ive tryed using a c-clamp. Needle nosed plyers. The universal tool that ur supposed to use that turns and pushes. Wd-40. Releaseing brake line vulve and nothing works. Idk if im just not strong enough to push it in or turn it or what but i use all my weight to turn and even got it on soo tight that i couldnt even get tool off untill i used wd-40. Please help need answers

My car has 140000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

if you are trying to push back the rear caliper pistons and tried to push back the piston without rotating the piston at the same time then you may have damaged the parking brake mechanism inside the caliper. You should replace the calipers and bleed out the calipers after installation.

The statements expressed above are only for informational purposes and should be independently verified. Please see our terms of service for more details

Get an instant quote for your car

Our certified mechanics come to you ・Backed by 12-month, 12,000-mile guarantee・Fair and transparent pricing


Experienced Mechanic?

Earn up to $70/hr

What others are asking

The Mercedes service advisor recommend replacing the rotors when they replace the brake pads.
The dealer would like to change the rotors to help prevent any come backs due to bad brake performance, vibrations, etc. It is not always necessary to replace the rotors, but if there is damage to them, like deep scoring,...
My wife's Lexus GX470 was dead the other morning, I jumped it, took it for a drive with no problems, let it sit for 5 hours, went
Hello. This can be caused by a few things. If the battery was connected improperly at any point then you may have had a fuse (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/fuse-replacement) blow. Most of the time if this occurs the vehicle wouldn't have started to...
Car stopped suddenly and won't start again, makes the noise to start but won't fire up
Hello. If the engine will not even crank over then I usually start by trying to crank the engine over by hand. If it cannot be turned then there is a serious engine problem and the engine has failed. It...
My car wont go into gear in the mornings or if its been standing but after driving for 5 maybe 10 mins its ok what does this mean
Check your transmission fluid. If is brown, overfilled, or under filled? If it is one of those then you may need to have your transmission oil and filter (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/transmission-fluid-service)replaced. If not you may need to have one of our professional...
P0420 code comes back repeatedly, emissions readiness issue. Takes about a week for Check Engine Light to come back on.
If this is the only code that keeps coming up, and the data stream on the oxygen sensors are reacting correctly, the only real other thing left would be the convertor. If there was a wiring issue, or a sensor...
The first gear in my transmission shifts late
This may be related to a couple of different things such as low transmission fluid, a faulty TCM solenoid, or a bad TCM module. As you may know, automatic transmissions use pressurized hydraulic fluid to change gears. Every time a...
Headlight electrical problem
Hello. If you keep having to replace your headlights then that may be an indicator of a potential issue with the headlight electrical circuit. If there is excessive voltage or current running through the circuit it may cause excessive power...
p-0101, p-1320, p-1108, p-0107
Hi There, It sounds like you may have a number of possible issues. The codes are as follows: Code P1320 - Faulty or worn out spark plugs (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/spark-plugs-replacement), Faulty fuel injectors (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/fuel-injector-replacement), Faulty Camshaft Position Sensor (https://www.yourmechanic.com/services/camshaft-position-sensor-replacement), Faulty Crankshaft Position...

Related articles

The Best Used Cars to Buy If You're a Construction Worker
If If you're a construction worker, you don’t have to worry about hauling a whole lot of supplies and materials to the site – that’s the boss’s problem. As long as it’s big enough to hold your tools (and most...
The Best Used Cars to Buy If You’re Shorter Than Average
Vertically Vertically challenged? Hate getting behind the wheel and having to crane your neck to see? There’s nothing wrong with you, but there is something wrong with your car. It might be time to trade it in and take advantage...
Why Brake Caliper Replacements Can Be Tricky
Changing a brake caliper in the front or rear of a car can pose some challenges, as the proper tools and equipment are essential to perform the job.