BMW Brake Calipers

[irc]

Idle speculation. I have never had to replace a brake caliper on any of hour family cars which have been anything up to 12 years old. A colleague tells me he put his 9 year old BMW in for a service and was told all 4 calipers need replaced along with brake pads and disc.

Are certain cars prone to caliper failure? Or is he getting his wallet opened. Not being the most mechanically talented I suggested he at least got a second opinion before replacing everything.

Sorry, before anyone asks I never asked him the model.

[FarmerJim]

At the last service they said the calipers needed to be replaced on my wife's Mini Cooper Clubman (2016, 58,000 miles) so maybe this is their latest game?

[iguana]

I doubt he actually needed them if it was a main dealer, however I've replaced calipers on 4 of my different vehicles this year & only one was a BMW, they all seize etc.

[Catnip64]

It could be corrosion, or perhaps the garage is concerned that the bleed nipples will shear off?

[Evercross]

With more cars using cast aluminium alloy calipers rather than cast iron ones (weight/cost saving) there is an increasing tendency for them to become disposable rather than serviceable items.

Had to replace the two rear calipers on the OH's Suzuki Swift Sport last year because they were aluminium and past saving. Wasn't expensive though.

[ro250]

Catnip64 said:

It could be corrosion, or perhaps the garage is concerned that the bleed nipples will shear off?

I bet it's the latter. Can't imagine why all 4 calipers would need replacing at the same time. Discs are dead easy to get an idea of whether they need replacing by just looking and running finger over the edge etc.

Sounds like the garage are making the job as easy for themselves as possible and in turn, as expensive as possible for the owner.

[Old Merc]

ro250 said:

Catnip64 said:

It could be corrosion, or perhaps the garage is concerned that the bleed nipples will shear off?

I bet it's the latter. Can't imagine why all 4 calipers would need replacing at the same time.
Sounds like the garage are making the job as easy for themselves as possible and in turn, as expensive as possible for the owner.

Agree, that’s the usual reason for replacing a calliper, the other is a sticking or seized piston. Not all four!!!
All our cars have the original callipers, including a 28 year old Mercedes R129. Because I’ve always removed the bleed nipples, cleaned the threads, refitted with a blob of brake grease. Makes regular brake fluid change and bleeding a darn sight easier.

[irc]

Thanks for replies. I guess one saving grace is that hopefully if the originals were good for 9 years they will never need replaced again.

My car just had new front discs/pads replacing the 7 yr old OEMs. So one job that won't need done again. OEM water pump also replaced. Battery still going strong which I hear is good for a car with stop/start.

Maybe the fact I turn it off unless I'm actually in stop/start traffic helps.

[Smint]

All depends if the brakes have been serviced properly, preferably every year but certainly no less often than every other year.

Some dealer tech peering at them and squirting brake cleaner in the general direction of the brakes is not brake servicing, if anything it only serves to dry out any remaining lube that might have once been applied by a proper mechanic.

Our cars range from 17 to 29 years, all self serviced, the 20 year old needed new front calipers at 17 years, all the rest are originals.

[E-bmw]

The great majority of the time when a garage says "new calliper needed" it generally means, we can't be @rsed to service them.

I have honestly in over 40 years of working on cars never needed to replace a calliper.

I am not saying it doesn't happen, but it is generally rare.

[stevieturbo]

irc said:

Idle speculation. I have never had to replace a brake caliper on any of hour family cars which have been anything up to 12 years old. A colleague tells me he put his 9 year old BMW in for a service and was told all 4 calipers need replaced along with brake pads and disc.

Are certain cars prone to caliper failure? Or is he getting his wallet opened. Not being the most mechanically talented I suggested he at least got a second opinion before replacing everything.

Sorry, before anyone asks I never asked him the model.

In a case like that, they need to ask the garage to explain in detail why, and showing the reason if need be.

It does seem rather unusual though.