This weekend I had an issue with the brakes on my CR-V which I am trying to figure out. While driving on Saturday, the left rear brake caliper was dragging. I could smell the brakes and feel the heat coming off the rotor on that wheel. That night, I inspected that brake caliper and the slider pins still moved smoothly, and the E-brake wasn’t hanging up, so I thought that maybe the caliper piston is seized. However, I put it back together and took it for a drive and then it seemed fine.
The next day, the opposite corner (front right) caliper was dragging on the highway, generating a lot of odor and heat at that wheel. After parking it for a couple hours, it seemed fine after that. Because of these events, I’m thinking that it might not be seized caliper(s), but maybe the ABS module is intermittently holding pressure on some calipers when the pedal is released. I expect that the ABS module would be very expensive to replace, so I’d like to confirm what the issue is before I start replacing parts. Any suggestions of what steps I should take?
Bumping this back up to see if anyone has some feedback.
There is a good chance that it might be the brake master cylinder. On Saturday my left rear wheel was dragging and on Sunday my front right wheel was dragging. I found this quote about Honda brake master cylinders:
"Most (if not all) Hondas have "dual-diagonal" systems, meaning the right-rear and left-front wheels are on one circuit, and the left-rear and right-front ones are on the other."
http://www.tegger.com/hondafaq/mastercylinderreplace/howworks.html
Unfortunately, the problem seems to be intermittent, so it's a bit tough to diagnose.
ABS is very UNlikely to be the cause.
MC is much more likely because, as you said, it's a diagonal split system.
NEALSMO
UltraDork
1/24/17 4:53 p.m.
Being a diagonal split system, I think it's more than a coincidence that the l/r and r/f calipers are dragging.
ABS should have no interference or a chance to "stick" unless it was engaged.
Was a petroleum based fluid mistakenly used to top up the brake master cylinder. Found ATF/power steering fluid/oil/? in several M/Cylinders with similar problems over the years.
Flex lines failing and collapsing?
