About six (6) months ago I had the dealer replace the pads and rotors on my 04 TL. Calipers are original and mileage just over 125,000.

Now, BOTH rear caliper are seized (frozen shut). Dealer says I need two new calipers, new pads again and to resurface my new rotors.

Is this a coincidence that both rear calipers are frozen or could it be a result of something done when the rear brakes were being replaced?

Should the dealer contribute anything, even if just for good will?

Does the fix sound right or just the most expensive route?

Your thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Try for a good will but at 120K sounds about right for the calipers to be frozen.. Give it a shot maybe split the cost 50/50.

 

This will boil down to your ability to negotiate with the dealer.

 

Good luck, but I had a rear caliper freeze on my 04' at 73,000 miles, then the other rear caliper at 74,000 miles. Strange, but true. The dealer did not do anything to harm your calipers, it's just a problem with these cars it seems.

 

Has your brake fluid ever been flushed?

Are the pistons seized or are the slide pins seized?

It is recommended to flush out the braking system every three years. I like to do it once a year in the fall. That's the only way to get the water out of the calipers that travels past the seals and makes the pistons/bores rust/seize together.

This is a big problem with rear calipers that have integrated e-brake mechanisms, because of all of the internal parts. The TLs, luckily, use a drum-type e-brake which makes the rear caliper less susceptible to seizure, however, maintenance of the e-brake itself is a little more involved.

 

Thanks for the comments. Guess I'll take what I can get (if anything).

I don't know the specifics of what is seized, but I have never flushed the brake lines that I am aware of.