2015-2016 Chevrolet Colorado Brake Caliper Problems and Replacement

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

The best-documented caliper problem on the 2015-2016 Chevrolet Colorado is a front caliper that leaks brake fluid through its own casting. GM recalled certain 2015 Colorado and Canyon trucks for it (NHTSA campaign 15V278000, GM bulletin 14888). Outside that recall, these trucks get the same caliper wear any hard-working pickup does: sticking slide pins, seized pistons and tired flex hoses, and the fix is usually a new caliper pair plus pads, rotors and a proper bleed.

The 2015 Colorado front caliper recall, in plain terms

According to GM's recall bulletin filed with NHTSA, the front brake calipers on some 2015 Colorado and GMC Canyon trucks can leak brake fluid. The cause is tiny air pockets (porosity) that form when the caliper body is cast. If a string of those pockets runs all the way through the casting, it creates a small leak path for fluid to escape. NHTSA's recall record lists the affected trucks as built from January 6, 2014 to December 24, 2014.

GM spelled out what an owner may notice:

• Longer brake pedal travel and longer stopping distances
• Brake fluid on the ground next to a front tire
• The brake system warning light on the instrument panel, once enough fluid has been lost

The dealer fix started with an inspection. GM's bulletin shows two front caliper body castings - an original design and a new design - told apart by the shape of the pin ledge. Trucks with the new casting needed nothing. Trucks with the original casting got both front calipers replaced, with the old pads transferred to the new calipers, new copper washers at the brake hose connections, DOT 3 fluid and a bleed of the hydraulic system.

If you own a 2015 Colorado, run your VIN through the NHTSA or GM recall lookup before buying anything. An open recall is repaired free at a Chevrolet dealer. NHTSA's recall database shows no brake recall for the 2016 Colorado, so 2016 trucks and 2015 trucks outside the recall population are ordinary wear-and-tear cases.

Symptoms of a bad caliper on a Colorado

A leaking casting is only one way a caliper fails. On a truck that is now around ten years old, these are the patterns a tech sees most:

GM's owner's manual for the 2015 Colorado says to see your dealer if the pedal does not return to normal height or if there is a rapid increase in pedal travel. Treat any fluid loss the same way: brake fluid is not consumed, so a dropping reservoir means either worn pads or a leak.

What causes Colorado calipers to fail

Casting porosity (2015 recall trucks)

This is the manufacturing defect covered above. It is specific to certain early-production 2015 front calipers and has nothing to do with how the truck was driven.

Corrosion and dry slide pins

The front caliper floats on slide pins set into the bracket. Road salt and water wash out the grease, the boots crack, and the pins rust in their bores. The caliper then clamps mostly from the piston side, which is why you see one pad worn to the backing plate while the other still looks usable.

Old, wet brake fluid

The 2015 Colorado's brake system is filled with DOT 3 fluid, per GM's owner's manual. DOT 3 absorbs moisture over time, and that moisture corrodes pistons and bores from the inside. Pitted pistons tear seals and stick.

Heat from towing and hauling

A Colorado that tows or runs loaded in hilly country works its front brakes hard. Repeated heat hardens piston seals and dust boots, and a torn boot lets dirt onto the piston.

Flex hoses that collapse inside

A front brake hose can deteriorate inside and act like a check valve, holding pressure on the caliper after you release the pedal. It looks exactly like a seized caliper. If the wheel frees up the moment you crack the bleeder, suspect the hose.

The fix: which parts to replace, and what goes with them

For a leaking or seized front caliper, replace calipers as a pair across the axle so both sides clamp with the same force. Replacement calipers are in our brake calipers collection. If the slide pins or clips are worn, a brake hardware kit covers new clips, pins and boots.

What to replace at the same time:

• Pads. A leaking caliper soaks its pads in brake fluid and they will never grip correctly again. GM's manual says brake linings should always be replaced as complete axle sets. Shop brake pads or ceramic brake pads for daily driving.
• Rotors. A dragging caliper overheats and glazes the rotor, and a fluid-soaked rotor is contaminated. For the 2.5L four-cylinder trucks we carry the EBC GD Sport slotted and drilled front rotors for the 2015 and newer Colorado 2.5L and the matching EBC 3GD Sport slotted rear rotor set. Stock-style replacements are in our brake rotors collection.
• Hoses and sealing washers. On an original truck, inspect both front brake hoses. GM's recall procedure calls for new copper washers at the hose connection, and any caliper swap should get new ones; never reuse the old crushed washers.
• Fluid. Use DOT 3, as marked on the reservoir cap, and bleed until clean, bubble-free fluid comes out of every bleeder you opened.

How hard is a caliper job on a 2015-2016 Colorado?

For someone who has done a pad and rotor job, a front caliper swap is a moderate driveway job. GM's warranty labor allowance for replacing both front calipers during the recall, including the bleed and inspection, was 1.2 hours - that is a dealer tech with a lift and the right tools. Plan on an afternoon at home.

1. Loosen the lug nuts, raise the truck on its lift points and support it on stands.
2. Remove the wheel and have caps or a hose clamp ready to limit fluid loss.
3. Remove the hose-to-caliper bolt and its copper washers, then the caliper bolts, and lift the caliper off.
4. Service or replace the bracket and pins, fit new pads and rotor if needed, and install the new caliper.
5. Install the hose with new washers and tighten every fastener to the value in the factory service manual.
6. Bleed the brakes, top up with DOT 3, pump the pedal until firm before moving the truck, and bed in the new pads.

GM's manual also notes that properly torqued wheel nuts help prevent brake pulsation, so tighten the lugs in sequence to the specification in your owner's manual rather than hammering them on with an impact gun.

If the pedal is still soft after a careful bleed, or the brake warning light stays on, stop and have the truck inspected. Air trapped in the ABS unit may not clear with a basic bleed, and some procedures call for a scan tool.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my 2015 Colorado covered by the front caliper recall?

Only certain 2015 Colorado and Canyon trucks built between January 6 and December 24, 2014 are included, and GM identifies them by VIN. Enter your VIN in the NHTSA recall lookup or ask a Chevrolet dealer. If the recall is open, the inspection and any caliper replacement are free.

Does the 2016 Colorado have a caliper recall?

NHTSA's recall database does not list a brake recall for the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado. Caliper problems on a 2016 are normal wear issues such as seized slide pins or pistons, not a recall defect.

Can I replace just one front caliper?

You can, but a pair is the better repair on a truck this age. The other side has the same miles, fluid and corrosion, and matching calipers keep braking force even. The pads must be replaced as an axle set either way.

What brake fluid does a 2015-2016 Colorado use?

GM's owner's manual for the 2015 Colorado specifies DOT 3 brake fluid, and the reservoir cap is marked with it. On manual-transmission trucks the same reservoir also feeds the hydraulic clutch.

Why is my Colorado pulling to one side after new pads?

The usual causes are a caliper that is still sticking, slide pins that were not cleaned and greased, a collapsed brake hose holding pressure, or pads that were not bedded in. Check wheel temperature side to side after a short drive to find the dragging corner.

Should I get new rotors with new calipers?

If the old caliper was dragging or leaking fluid onto the rotor, yes. Heat and fluid contamination both damage the braking surface. If the rotors are clean, flat and above minimum thickness, they can be reused with new pads.

Sources

1. GM Recall Bulletin 14888D, filed with NHTSA - front caliper leak condition, cause (casting air pockets), symptoms, inspection by casting design, replacement parts including copper washers and DOT 3 fluid, 1.2 hour labor allowance
2. NHTSA recall database, 2015 Chevrolet Colorado - campaign 15V278000 and the January 6 to December 24, 2014 build range
3. NHTSA recall database, 2016 Chevrolet Colorado - no brake recall listed for the 2016 model year
4. 2015 Chevrolet Colorado Owner's Manual (GM) - DOT 3 brake fluid, axle-set lining replacement, pedal travel warning, wheel nut torque and pulsation