Feels fine while driving even at speed, no vibration or wobble or pulling on the steering. Can just feel a slight binding when it comes to a stop. Only happening intermittently. Located to front nearside as the wheel is getting hot. Just got back from my tame mechanic and they have checked the pistons are moving OK with no sign of any binding and can’t see anything else that would cause it. Didn’t notice anything on the journey home but the wheel still feels a little hotter than the others. Any clues from the experts please?
Either change the caliper seals or get a replacement caliper.
I had one go around 34k miles and the piston was rusty.
They tend to misbehave every now and then and then the are hot all the time.
Thanks for that Drumtochty. It was sticking when I got to the mechanic and he thought the caliper would be seized. Everything pushed back freely, didn’t appear to be any signs of corrosion with everything moving in and out fine. Could you just confirm that you still think this is the most likely cause? I’ve no problem with following your suggestion of replacing the seals or caliper if this is the best chance of curing the problem. Just don’t want to go to the expense if there is some other niggly little item that they have missed.
Car is a 2.0 Sport '07 plate with 28k on the clock.
Although my mechanic does all the work on my MX-5 they also had a 60s Morris Minor and two motorhomes in while I was there. Can’t beat the advice of a real expert on these little beauties. Thanks again.
Caliper history
Impreza 2006 2015
Fronts both re sealed at 60k and at about 80k one of the fronts needed done again.
One rear needed a new piston and seals at 80k
Impreza 2009 2016
Replaced the old car with this and 30k miles June 2015 and the rear seals on the offside need done, OK I have a IR tempreture guage and check the brakes every quarter.
Suzuki Jimny 2007 2016.
Both front calipers re rubbered at about 35k miles and both calipers replaced about 50k to 55k miles
Mk2 MX5
Both front calipers at 95k 100k miles but both rears still fine.
The second one on the Mk2 the local garage caught it at the MOT and cleaned the sliders and greased them?
They were not playing up before the MOT as I removed the all the calipers and checked the pads were free by hand not by hammering.
Got home from the MOT confused and within 20 miles of home the next day the caliper the garage greased was hot.
Replaced it which is a simpler job than rebuilding and it is only after you have done say 5 or so rebuilds you start to get better at rebuilding them and the job looks easy but it is very easy to get it wrong
2008 Mk3 front right caliper at mid 30k summer 2015 boiling hot, stripped down and the piston was rusty, therefore called it a day and replaced the caliper.
My experiance is just change them, brakeparts.co.uk have good prices, delivery and quality.
I had a front wheel that was getting hot and my tame mechanic did a thorough check of the caliper and everything was moving as you would expect, pistons free etc. He put it all back on the car and it was getting hot again. Answer was new caliper, perfect. I don’t know why but there it is.
That’s two tame mechanics, are they a special breed?
We don’t get tame mechanics in South Yorkshire, just blunt straight talking. The only thing tame around here is Wes the greyhound at MX5 City
Certainly are. You can call in and ask them to have a look or listen and they will do. Most mechanics roam free in the workshop and you have to book them around 10 days ahead with the gamekeeper on the front desk.