Volvo AWD 850 Forum

INDEX FOR 10/2025(CURRENT) INDEX FOR 8/2013 850 INDEX

[<<]  [>>]


THREADED THREADED EXPANDED FLAT PRINT ALL
MESSAGES IN THIS THREAD




  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

Did rear caliper just wear out? (or ) Did brake 'repair' lead to problem? 850 1995

Hi! I would appreciate some advice on a brake-rotor-caliper situation. In a week or so, I will be moving from Atlanta to New York City. I am driving myself and my dog up there in my car, so I feel time-pressured to get my car fixed. I have always liked the people at the Volvo specialist repair shop I take my car to, but I have some questions about the $600 estimate they just gave me for a new caliper, considering that this same shop just worked on the brakes three weeks earlier and is who did the new brakes on the car last year!

New brakes -- all four wheels -- about a year ago (6k miles). I park the car in a covered space, but not an enclosed garage. About six weeks ago, I took the car in for its 110K mile service. I asked them to investigate the squeaking brakes, which had been an intermittent problem ever since the new brake job. The service tech found some rust build-up and removed it.

For a while afterward, the squeak seemed to be gone. Then, near the end of a very humid, wet, rainy two-week period, I began hearing a terrible high pitched screech when I let off the brake pedal. This sound was louder and more ear-piercing than any brake squeak I had ever heard before. There was also a new rumbling/dragging sound -- also high-pitched, not as loud as the screech -- that was especially audible when turning to the right. Typically, I drive the car only a short distance each day (I have been working from home, so no commute!). Two Fridays ago, I drove probably 35 miles in city traffic. Somehow, this caused the screech to mellow. Lately, I just hear a mini-screech when I put the car in reverse.

Ten days ago: I took the car in again. I was told $275 for new caliper part, $175 for labor and $50-xx for rotor depending on whether resurfaced or replaced. The service manager said it was rare for the caliper to fail and that he couldn't think of more than two that ever had been replaced at their shop. He showed me the rotor on the driver-side rear wheel and how it compared to the others. It looked orange rather than like metal in several orbits at the periphery of the rotor -- does this mean the brake pad is showing through? Is it possible for the caliper/pistons to have been damaged when the "rust was removed" earlier? What if all the parts aren't reassembled properly -- could this have happened after the brakes were inspected at the 110K service?

Any advice, comments?

THANKS!!!








  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

Did rear caliper just wear out? (or ) Did brake 'repair' lead to problem? 850 1995

BOTH MY CALIPERS FAILED IN THE BACK, THEY WERE SO RUSTY I HAD THEM BLOW TOURCHED OFF, HAD TO PUT ALL NEW CALIPERS ROTARS AND BRAKE PADS ON, SO ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE. KELLY








  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

Did rear caliper just wear out? (or ) Did brake 'repair' lead to problem? 850 1995

I consider a bad caliper as bad luck, but not extremely rare.

We have had two in the 340+ Volvo miles we have driven. These failures were not really related directly to mileage, one happrned at 92,000 miles ('96 855R - don't know who did the last brake job) the other at 200,000 miles ('90 744 TI - Volvo tech did last brake job)

We also had a Chevy Suburban that had a caliper sieze at 100,000 miles.

Low usage and high humidity can be hard on brakes.
--
96 855R, 95 855,854, 90 744 Ti - 343,000 Volvo miles put on 7 bricks








  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

Did rear caliper just wear out? (or ) Did brake 'repair' lead to problem? 850 1995

A frequent cause of brake squealing is to use non-Volvo pads and/or not using brake grease between the back of the pads and the caliper. Lack of grease on the brake pins can cause binding as well as a bad caliper. Overtightening the wheels beyond the recommended 81 ft lbs can result in warping of the rotors.








  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

Did rear caliper just wear out? (or ) Did brake 'repair' lead to problem? 850 1995

It sounds like the shop is trying to make a few $ from you, which is not unusual because they have bills to pay too and you're probably a novice.

However, if you can find a honest independent shop, the Volvo brakes are VERY EASY TO CHANGE!!! Print the instructions off of Volvospeed.com -->BAY13 and bring it to the mechanic in case he is not familiar with the removal procedures.

Anyhow, it is true that rebuilt calipers and new pads are available at a decent price. You can buy from www.fcpgroton.com and bring the parts and instructions to your independent mechanic.

I just replaced the rotors and brake discs for all four brakes this weekend. It took about 2 hours; it is definitely something that can be done on your own or easily by an independent mechanic.

Good luck!








  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

Did rear caliper just wear out? (or ) Did brake 'repair' lead to problem? 850 1995

Try a different shop a rebuilt caliper for the rear can be bought from Auto Zone for about $50. I will only use Volvo pads because of the squeal from most others.. This is a DIY job of less than 2 two hours for the novice.Check out Bay 13 at WWW.VOLVOSPEED.COM








  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

Did rear caliper just wear out? (or ) Did brake 'repair' lead to problem? 850 1995

Jot, 850R and bill d cat, thx for your msgs...

I consider myself pretty handy with home DIY but for now car repair DIY is out of my league!

Thanks for telling me about the volvospeed site. I looked at Bay 13 -- what a great source of information! It will be great to finally have some background knowledge when I am talking with car repair people.

Question: Does "warped" mean that the rotor is not completely flat and perpendicular to the ground (assuming the car is on level ground)? Three of the rotors on my car are sort of "convex" -- a slope from outer to inner. Are they warped?

RE: a rebuilt part, the shop has already ordered a new part from Volvo. I wonder what warranty they would offer if they used a rebuilt part , or a part that they did not provide themselves.

Question: Do any of you think it I should ask for some discount, at least on the left rear rotor, since the same shop worked on the brakes before?

Thanks!








  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

Did rear caliper just wear out? (or ) Did brake 'repair' lead to problem? 850 1995

Volvo has a one year warranty on parts. Auto Zone has lifetime warranty on rebuilt parts. A warped rotor is usually caused by overheating. If the caliper was seized against the rotor you will get a LOT of heat and worn out pads. Most calipers that stick will show as a rusty rotor as the brake pads are not touching the rotor.








  REPLY TO THIS MESSAGE    PRINT   SAVE 

Seized caliper? 850 1995

My RF caliper seized about a year ago, it required a 100 mile flatbed tow, a rebuilt caliper and a new rotor to replace the warped one. I'm surprised if your service manager "said it was rare for the caliper to fail and that he couldn't think of more than two that ever had been replaced at their shop" because I understand this is fairly common on most cars, not just Volvos, as the miles build up.

-BTC

'98 V70 T5M, 146k mi.







<< < > >>



©Jarrod Stenberg 1997-2022. All material except where indicated.


All participants agree to these terms.

Brickboard.com is not affiliated with nor sponsored by AB Volvo, Volvo Car Corporation, Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. or Ford Motor Company. Brickboard.com is a Volvo owner/enthusiast site, similar to a club, and does not intend to pose as an official Volvo site. The official Volvo site can be found here.