Front Driver Brake Lock-up

[Celticsquirrel]

Dodge Caravan SE - 1996

Replaced the Front Pads and Rotors on our 1996 Dodge Caravan 3-weeks ago. When I test-drove the vehicle everything was fine.

My wife used the van to run short errand trip around town for a week and found the brakes to be working fine. The van was not used for a few days and when I went to drive it the wheels felt like they were locked. I felt the brakes were FIRM to the touch and it was sticking both in forward and reverse.

I used another vehicle that day. When I tried it again a few days later the van seemed to roll normally and I took the van for a short test drive of 1-2 KM and then stopping - I could smell hot brakes outside the vehicle. The front-drivers wheel was warm/hot to the touch.

I drove home and raised the front end. With the engine running and the transmission in Drive the front-drivers wheel would not turn and the front-passengers wheel turned freely.

I raised the rear and found the rear-passenger wheel was also LOCKED and the rear-drivers wheel turned freely.

I can't figure out why the BRAKING CIRCUIT for the affected front-drivers wheel and rear-passenger wheel is maintaining or creating pressure, which is preventing the wheels from turning freely.

There are no “Warning Lights On” on the dash.

The situation has escalated to the point where the van can’t be driven at all. To move the van from my driveway into the garage I had to release the Bleeder Screw on the Front Caliper slightly and this allowed me to drive the van into the garage.

The front calipers are retracted normally – and the rotor turns when you bleed the caliper and locks when you close the bleeder screw.
The fluid level in the master cylinder is also at the correct level.

I have bleed the brakes with a vacuum pump according to the manual – But the manual also states that for a proper bleed the van should be taken to the dealer with a DRB scan tool. Is that true for this Make/Model?

Below is a list of what I have tried to see if it would correct the problem, but saw no change:

1. Bleed the brakes (twice) according to the repair manual with no change.
2. Replaced the Brake Hose on Front Drivers Side – Again no change, then Bleed the Front Drivers Caliper – Wheel remained locked.
3. Pulled the ABS relay out, as well as the 40AMP – ABS fuse trying to deactivated the ABS System to see if that would make any changes – No Change
4. Rechecked calipers and pistons and they are moving freely no binding no sticking.
5. Pins & sliders have been cleaned up & lubed.


Have spoken to a few mechanics this week and they have had no new ideas as to the cause of the problem.

Could the ABS be causing this problem? The front-driver and rear-passenger is the Braking Circuit that is affected.

I’m truly stumped by this problem and am at a loss as to what is going on. Any ideas as to what I am missing…:help:
:help:

[Rick99]

You don't need the DRBIII to bleed the brakes unless you get air into the ABS controller, which wouldn't happen during a normal brake pad change-- it would only happen if you let the master cylinder go dry or if you break into the hydraulic system above the ABS controller.

As for the problem, the fact that it is in one complete brake circuit makes the master cylinder suspect, but that circuit also flows through the ABS controller too. Did you open the bleeders when you compressed the caliper piston doing the brake job? If not you may have pushed some debris up through the system and clogged something up. You could try opening the bleeder and re-bleed by having someone step on the brake pedal so that you get some pressure which could push out a blockage-- that would be worth a shot, but make sure the master cylinder doesn't go dry in the process.