2010-2018 Ford F-150 Brake Caliper Problems and Replacement

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

Most brake caliper problems on a 2010-2018 Ford F-150 come down to one of three things: guide (slide) pins that have rusted and stopped sliding, a piston that sticks in its bore, or, on later trucks equipped with the electric parking brake, a fault in the rear caliper's parking brake motor. The usual signs are a pull to one side, one wheel running much hotter than the others, a burning smell, and pads that wear unevenly. Before you buy a caliper, rule out the master cylinder. Ford has recalled 2013-2017 F-150s for master cylinder leaks that cause a soft pedal or reduced front braking, and those symptoms get blamed on the calipers.

How the F-150 Caliper System Works

When you press the pedal, the master cylinder pushes brake fluid through the lines to each caliper. The fluid pushes the caliper piston out and clamps the pads against the rotor. When you let off, the piston seal pulls the piston back a small amount and the pads relax away from the rotor. On a caliper that floats on guide pins, the caliper body also has to slide freely on those pins so both pads apply and release evenly. If the pins seize or the piston sticks, the pads keep dragging on the rotor after you release the pedal.

The rear brakes changed during this model range, and that matters when you order parts. Later trucks may have an electric parking brake. Ford's 2017 F-150 owner's manual lists it as "if equipped" and says it replaces the conventional foot-operated parking brake, with a switch on the instrument panel to the left of the steering wheel. On those trucks the rear caliper carries an electric motor that applies the parking brake. Trucks without it use a foot-pedal parking brake that works through a separate mechanism, so the rear calipers and rear pads are different parts. Our listings call this out, for example the DBA XP rear pads for 2012-2017 F-150 with manual parking brake. Check which parking brake your truck has before ordering anything for the rear axle.

Symptoms of a Bad Caliper on an F-150

• Pull under braking or while cruising. A caliper that grips harder, or never fully lets go, pulls the truck toward that side.
• One hot wheel. After a drive, one wheel is far hotter than the others and may smell of burning. That points to a dragging caliper on that corner.
• Uneven pad wear. One pad worn to the backing plate while the pad on the other side of the rotor still has plenty of material, or pads worn to a taper. ADVICS lists brake noise and excessive pad wear as the results of sticking slide pins.
• Vibration after heat. A rotor that has been dragged hot can develop thickness variation, and you feel it as a pulsing pedal.
• Fluid on the inside of the wheel or tire. A leaking piston seal or bleeder. Treat this as urgent. It means lost fluid and lost braking on that corner.
• Parking brake warnings (electric parking brake trucks). Ford's manual says the brake system warning lamp flashes while the electric parking brake applies. If it keeps flashing, there could be a fault in the electric parking brake and you should have it checked soon.

Caliper or Master Cylinder? Check the Recalls First

A soft or sinking pedal, or brakes that feel weak up front, can look like a caliper problem when the real cause is upstream. Two NHTSA recalls cover the F-150 master cylinder in this range:

Look up your VIN on NHTSA's recall site before you spend money. A fluid level that keeps dropping with no wet spot at any wheel points toward the master cylinder and booster, not the calipers. If your truck is outside the recall and does need a new master cylinder, see our brake master cylinders.

What Causes F-150 Calipers to Fail

Seized guide pins

This is the most common cause, especially on trucks that see road salt. According to ADVICS, a slide pin sticks when its grease runs out and rust forms, or when the rubber boot and sleeve break down from heat and friction and let water in. Once the pin stops moving, the caliper can no longer center itself. The inner pad drags and wears fast.

Sticking piston

Moisture in the fluid and a torn dust boot let corrosion form on the piston and in the bore. The piston pushes out but will not return, so that wheel drags. A piston that will not compress smoothly during a pad change is a strong sign the caliper needs replacing.

Old or wrong brake fluid

Ford's 2017 F-150 manual specifies DOT 4 Low Viscosity (LV) High Performance brake fluid, or an equivalent meeting WSS-M6C65-A2. It warns that any other fluid may degrade brake performance, and that dirt, water or petroleum contamination can damage the brake system. Water-logged fluid is what corrodes pistons and bores from the inside.

Electric parking brake motor faults

On trucks with the electric parking brake, Cardone points out that either the caliper or the parking brake motor can be the failed part, and that adding an electric motor adds another thing that can fail. When the hydraulics are fine and only the parking brake misbehaves, the motor alone may be the repair.

The Fix: Replacing an F-150 Caliper

1. Confirm the corner. Lift the wheel and spin it by hand. A dragging brake is obvious. Check the guide pins: if they are rusted but the piston and boot are healthy, new pins, boots and fresh grease may be all it needs. ADVICS recommends replacing a rusted pin and replacing a damaged boot and sleeve rather than reusing them.
2. Put an electric parking brake into service mode first. The rear pistons are driven by the parking brake motor. Retract them with a scan tool that supports electric parking brake service mode before you remove the caliper or push the piston back. Forcing it can damage the motor.
3. Replace calipers in axle pairs when corrosion is the cause. The caliper on the other side has had the same exposure, and a new caliper on one side can cause a pull toward the fresh side.
4. Replace pads, and usually rotors, at the same time. A dragging caliper overheats both. Glazed pads and a heat-marked rotor will not brake evenly with a new caliper.
5. Bleed the brakes with the fluid Ford specifies, and tighten the bracket and banjo bolts to the values in the factory service manual.

Shop replacement brake calipers, or remanufactured units from Cardone. Add a brake hardware kit so the clips and pins are new too.

Pads and Rotors to Pair With a New Caliper

Because a failed caliper usually takes out the pads and rotor on that axle, a complete kit is the simplest way to do the job once:

• Brembo OE front brake kit KT00544 for 2010-2014 F-150: ceramic pads with UV-coated vented rotors.
• Brembo OE rear brake kit KT00681 for 2012-2014 F-150.
• Hawk SuperDuty front pads for 2010-2014 F-150: a compound for trucks that tow and haul.
• Hawk LTS front pads for 2014-2016 F-150.
• DBA 4000 Series T3 slotted front rotor for 2012-2014 F-150 (6-lug).

Match the listing to your year, drivetrain and parking brake type, or browse all brake pads and brake rotors.

How Hard Is the Job?

A front caliper swap on an F-150 is a straightforward driveway job for someone who has changed pads before: you remove the brake hose from the caliper, unbolt the caliper, move over the pads, bolt on the new caliper, then bleed the brakes. The rear is the same on manual parking brake trucks. On electric parking brake trucks the rear is harder only because you need a scan tool for service mode. Without one, it is a shop job. Either way, the bleed is the step people rush. A spongy pedal after the job means air is still in the system, and the truck should not be driven until the pedal is firm.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my F-150 has an electric parking brake?

Look at the dash. Trucks with the electric parking brake have a pull-up switch on the instrument panel left of the steering wheel instead of a foot pedal. The rear calipers and rear pads differ between the two setups, so confirm this before ordering.

Can I just rebuild or free up a sticking caliper?

If only the guide pins are seized and the piston and boot are healthy, new pins, boots and the correct grease often fix it. If the piston is corroded or the boot is torn, replace the caliper. Rebuilding a pitted bore is not worth the risk.

Should I replace both calipers on the axle?

When corrosion caused the failure, yes. The other side has seen the same salt and moisture, and mismatched calipers can make the truck pull. A caliper damaged by a one-off event, like a torn hose, can be replaced alone.

Why does my F-150 pull after a pad change?

The most common reasons are a guide pin that was not cleaned and greased, a piston that did not retract fully, or pads that are not seated in their clips. Recheck the side it pulls toward.

What brake fluid does the F-150 use?

Ford's 2017 F-150 manual specifies DOT 4 Low Viscosity (LV) High Performance brake fluid, or an equivalent meeting WSS-M6C65-A2. Check the cap and manual for your model year, and do not mix in petroleum products.

Is the F-150 master cylinder recall related to the calipers?

No. Recalls 16V345 and 20V332 cover master cylinder leaks into the brake booster. They can cause a soft pedal or reduced front braking that can be mistaken for a caliper problem, so check your VIN first.

Sources

1. Ford 2017 F-150 Owner's Manual - electric parking brake (if equipped), warning lamp behavior, DOT 4 LV brake fluid specification
2. NHTSA recall data, 2013 Ford F-150 - recall 16V345, master cylinder cup seal leak
3. NHTSA recall data, 2015 Ford F-150 - recall 20V332, 2014-2017 3.5L EcoBoost master cylinder leak into booster
4. ADVICS Aftermarket: Troubleshooting Caliper Slide Pin Sticking - causes, symptoms and fixes for sticking slide pins
5. Cardone: Electronic Parking Brake Actuator - caliper vs parking brake motor failure, motor replaceable separately