2010-2015 Honda CR-Z Brake Caliper Problems and Replacement

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

Most Honda CR-Z caliper trouble is not a failed caliper at all: it is a front caliper whose slide pins have seized, or a piston that has started to stick from corrosion, which makes one pad drag, overheat and wear out long before the other side. On a car this light and this efficient you usually notice it as a pull to one side, a hot wheel, a burning smell after a drive, or fuel economy that quietly drops. The fix is to service or replace the sticking caliper, and to replace the pads (and often the rotor) it has been cooking.

How the CR-Z brake system is built

Honda's own launch material for the CR-Z describes a simple, conventional hydraulic layout wrapped in a lot of electronics. The hardware is four-wheel disc brakes with a power booster, and the control layer is 4-channel ABS with Electronic Brake Distribution, brake assist and Vehicle Stability Assist.

Honda also lists a 9-inch power brake booster. One detail matters for caliper diagnosis: on manual-transmission cars, hill start assist uses the stability system to hold a small amount of pressure in each caliper while you move your foot from the brake to the throttle, and after an idle stop the system reduces that pressure gradually as you release the pedal. That hold is normal and brief. A caliper that keeps dragging after you are rolling is not the electronics; it is a mechanical problem in the caliper, its slides or the hose.

Symptoms of a sticking or failing CR-Z caliper

• Pull to one side under braking or while cruising. A seized piston or slide on one front corner makes that side grab harder or drag constantly.
• One wheel much hotter than the others. After a normal drive, carefully compare the warmth radiating from each wheel without touching the rotor. A dragging corner stands out clearly.
• Uneven pad wear. Inner pad worn far more than the outer pad on the same caliper points to seized slide pins; one side of the car worn far more than the other points to a sticking piston.
• Burning smell, smoke or a blued rotor. These come from a pad riding on the rotor continuously.
• Falling fuel economy. On a hybrid tuned for efficiency, the constant drag of one caliper shows up on the trip computer.
• Fluid on the inside of the wheel or a soft pedal. A leaking piston seal is a replace-now condition.
• Squeal after a pad change. EBC notes that corroded sliders and pins cause pad drag that leads to brake overheating and squeal, and recommends that calipers be removed and serviced every 5 to 7 years or exchanged.

What causes CR-Z caliper problems

The CR-Z is now a car whose youngest examples are around a decade old, and age is the main enemy of any caliper. The common causes are:

• Corroded or dry slide pins. The pins that let the caliper float lose their grease and rust in their bores, so the caliper cannot center itself.
• Torn piston boots. Once the dust boot splits, water reaches the piston and bore and rust starts to bind the piston.
• Old, wet brake fluid. Glycol brake fluid absorbs moisture over time. Federal standard FMVSS 116 shows how much that costs: DOT 3 fluid must boil at no less than 401 F in its dry test but only 284 F in its wet test condition. Moisture also promotes internal corrosion in the caliper bores.
• Light use of the friction brakes. Hybrids do a share of their slowing through the drivetrain, so the pads and pistons on a gently driven CR-Z may not move much, which lets corrosion build on surfaces that are not being scrubbed clean.
• A deteriorated flexible hose. Less common, but a hose that breaks down inside can act like a check valve and trap pressure in the caliper, which looks exactly like a stuck piston.

Before replacing parts, it is worth checking your VIN for open campaigns. NHTSA's recall data lists no brake-system recalls for the 2011-2015 CR-Z; the recalls on file cover driver frontal airbag inflators and, for some 2011 cars, powertrain software. So caliper problems on this car come from wear and age, not a known defect.

The fix: service or replace the caliper

You have three realistic options, depending on what you find with the wheel off:

1. Service the slides. If the piston retracts smoothly and the boot is intact but the caliper will not slide, remove the pins, clean the bores, replace any damaged pin boots and relubricate with a high-temperature brake grease. This fixes a large share of CR-Z caliper complaints.
2. Replace the caliper. If the piston is pitted, the boot is torn, or the caliper leaks, a remanufactured or new loaded caliper is usually the quickest reliable repair. Replace calipers in pairs on the same axle so both sides have the same piston condition and clamping behavior. Browse replacement brake calipers.
3. Check the hose. If the caliper is freed up but drags again, suspect the flexible line. See our brake hoses.

After any caliper work, bleed the system with the fluid grade printed on the master cylinder reservoir cap or in your owner's manual, and torque the caliper bracket and banjo bolts to the values in the factory service manual. On the rear, look at the caliper before you try to push the piston back: if it has a parking-brake lever attached, the piston is designed to be wound back with a tool, not pressed straight in.

What to replace at the same time

A caliper that has been dragging has almost always damaged the pads, and often the rotor:

• Front pads. Replace the pads on both sides of the axle. For the CR-Z we carry the EBC Redstuff ceramic low-dust front pads for the 2010-2015 CR-Z, a copper-free compound with zero steel fibres that EBC rates at a 10 to 15 percent braking improvement over OEM, and the EBC Yellowstuff street and track front pads for the CR-Z for drivers who push the car harder.
• Rotors. Measure the rotor against the minimum thickness cast into it. A rotor that has been overheated by a dragging pad can be glazed, warped or below spec. See brake rotors.
• Hardware. New abutment clips and pin boots cost little and keep the new caliper sliding. See brake hardware kits.
• Brake fluid. Opening the system is the right time to flush out old, moisture-laden fluid.

How hard is the job?

A front caliper swap on the CR-Z is a moderate DIY job for someone who already does their own pads: two bolts hold the caliper, the banjo bolt carries the hose, and the rest is bleeding. The things that trip people up are seized bracket bolts on older cars, forgetting new sealing washers on the banjo fitting, and incomplete bleeding. Because the car has ABS and VSA, a basic bleed at the wheels is normally enough after a caliper change, as long as you never let the reservoir run dry; if air gets into the ABS modulator, a scan-tool bleed procedure may be needed. If you are not comfortable bleeding brakes or torquing to spec, this is a reasonable shop job, and the labor is modest compared with the cost of pads and rotors ruined by a caliper left dragging.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Honda CR-Z have rear disc brakes or drums?

Rear discs. Honda lists 10.2-inch solid rear discs with single-piston calipers, and 10.3-inch ventilated front discs with double-piston calipers.

Why does my CR-Z hold the brakes for a moment when I start off?

On manual-transmission cars, hill start assist uses the stability system to keep a little pressure in each caliper briefly, then release it. A drag that continues once you are moving is a caliper or hose fault.

Should I replace both front calipers if only one is sticking?

It is good practice. The other caliper has the same age, fluid and corrosion exposure, and matched calipers give even braking side to side.

Is there a brake recall on the CR-Z?

NHTSA's recall data shows no brake-system recalls for the 2011-2015 CR-Z. The recorded recalls involve airbag inflators and, on some 2011 cars, powertrain software. Check your own VIN to be sure.

Can I just replace the pads if one side is worn more?

Not without fixing the cause. If the slides or piston are sticking, new pads will wear unevenly again. Service or replace the caliper first.

Which pads should I use after a caliper replacement?

For daily driving, a low-dust ceramic compound such as EBC Redstuff suits the CR-Z; for spirited driving, a higher-friction street and track pad such as EBC Yellowstuff. Always replace pads on both sides of the axle.

Sources

1. Honda News - 2011 Honda CR-Z Chassis - rotor sizes and thickness, double-piston front and single-piston rear calipers, 9-inch booster, ABS/EBD/brake assist, hill start assist caliper pressure hold
2. Honda News - 2011 Honda CR-Z Specifications and Features - ventilated front and solid rear disc brakes; ABS, EBD, brake assist and VSA standard
3. NHTSA recalls by vehicle - Honda CR-Z - recall campaigns on file (airbag inflators, powertrain software; none brake-related)
4. 49 CFR 571.116 (FMVSS 116) - Legal Information Institute - DOT 3 dry and wet boiling point minimums
5. EBC Brakes - FAQs - corroded sliders and pins cause pad drag, overheating and squeal; caliper service every 5 to 7 years
6. EBC Brakes - Product Focus: Redstuff Brake Pads - copper-free, zero steel fibres, 10 to 15 percent over OEM