Brake calipers are one of the most important parts on your vehicle that need to be maintained and checked often. While replacing calipers is not as common as replacing the rotor or brake pads, here’s what you need to know in regards to cost, the process and labor time.
How to know your brake calipers need to be replaced
When you step on the brake pedal, the brake caliper pushes the brake pads into the rotors, clamping down on each rotor and creating friction that causes a braking force. You might need to change your brake calipers if you notice any issues such as:
- Spongy brake pedal
- Constant noise coming from your brake pedal
- Your car pulls to one side when you brake
- You see a puddle of yellow, brown or black brake fluid near your wheels
While replacing your brake calipers yourself is certainly an option for those particularly skilled in mechanics, this job is one best left for the professionals. Mechanics have the experience and tools to ensure your brakes are working correctly.
Cost to replace brake caliper
When you visit a mechanic with a brake caliper problem, getting a quote for just brake caliper replacement is challenging because your repair bill might include other services too. Typically, mechanics don’t just replace the caliper, but instead, they will install new pads, rotors and/or brake fluid. This is to ensure that your brakes are in top condition, but expect to pay more for these extra repairs.
A ballpark range to replace just a single caliper is between $300 to $1,500. A better way to break down costs specific to the replacement of a brake caliper involves considering the cost of parts and how much labor is involved.
Here are some example prices for brake calipers for different vehicles:
| Vehicle | Part name | Price of caliper | Source |
| 2013 Ford Escape | disc brake caliper housing – left, front, rear | $163.82 + $50 core charge | parts.ford.com |
| 2020 Ford F150 | disc brake caliper housing – right, rear | $194.55 + $50 core charge | parts.ford.com |
| 2020 Ford F150 | Duralast Disc Brake Caliper 18-B5404 | $92 + $45 core charge | AutoZone |
| 2021 Mercedes-Benz C300 | Mercedes Disc Brake Caliper – Genuine Mercedes 0114219798 | $685 | FCP Euro |
| 2020 BMW 530i | BMW Disc Brake Caliper – Genuine BMW 34116883483 | $821 | FCP Euro |
| 2021 Toyota Camry | Front Left Brake Caliper | $180 | autoparts.toyota.com |
| 2014 Kia Soul | CALIPER KIT-BRAKE,RH | $331 | https://parts.kia.com/ |
The cost of the exact same part – a brake caliper – can vary widely in cost depending on your vehicle. This price range sets the basis for the parts component of your repair bill, since you will need to estimate more than the part cost for labor charges.
How long does it take to change a brake caliper?
Labor costs play a significant role in drafting your estimated repair bill. You can estimate one to three hours of labor hours for an average brake caliper replacement. Brakes are also exposed to the elements and so they have a higher chance of corrosion, leading to seized bolts and mechanisms. If this were the case for your car, you should add more time required for mechanics to work through these issues.
The next major piece of your final repair bill is the labor cost. Mechanics’ per-hour rates across the United States range from about $110 to $175, meaning this job could cost $110 for one hour’s worth of labor at the lowest rate and up to $525 for three hours at the most expensive rate. You might be billed for additional time to do diagnostics and testing.
Do brake calipers need to be replaced in pairs?
Replacing just one caliper is uncommon, and many mechanics will only replace in pairs since that is the safest approach.
Goodyear Brakes advises that disc brake systems should be replaced in pairs. So, if you have a faulty front caliper, you should change both front calipers. The justification for spending the extra money comes down to safety – if you changed only one brake caliper, they say it will cause an imbalance in braking power as the newer caliper will engage more quickly than the older one, causing you to swerve.
