For more precise costs based on your exact car and location, use a repair estimator tool like the one in the Jerry app to get accurate quotes from shops near you in minutes — no phone calls needed.
Real customers Jerry helped
The cost of a brake caliper replacement depends on your specific vehicle, where you live, and the parts you choose. With Jerry, you can quickly see what other drivers are paying right now. Below are a few real examples of customers we’ve helped secure the best available prices on their brake caliper repairs.
Estimates are modeled based on real vehicle and location data; names have been changed. Actual prices will vary by shop, parts, and vehicle condition.
Cost breakdown: why cost varies
Here’s what Jerry customers are finding moves the needle on pricing — and by how much:
Part type:
A remanufactured floating caliper might be $70 to $180 for parts, while a new OE can be $150 to $400+. High-performance or fixed multi-piston units jump to $400 to $1,000+ each.
Vehicle and brake design:
Heavier vehicles and larger brake packages cost more, often adding $100 to $300 per caliper compared with compact cars. Brembo-style fixed calipers or electronic parking brake (EPB) rears can add $150 to $400 due to part cost and procedure.
Replace one or both sides:
It’s common to replace a single failed caliper. Doing pairs can double caliper parts cost but saves a bit of labor overlap (often $40 to $80 saved).
Labor time and local conditions:
Caliper replacement labor is usually 1.0 to 1.8 hours per caliper. Rusty hardware, frozen bleeders, or rounded line fittings can add 0.5 to 1.0 hour easily. Costs will vary according to labor rates.
Bleeding and fluid:
At minimum, the circuit you opened must be bled ($70 to $150). ABS/electronic parking brake procedures sometimes require a scan tool to cycle valves, adding $20 to $80 of labor. If fluid is dark or old, a complete flush ($90 to $180) is smart insurance.
What is a brake caliper?
A brake caliper is the part that squeezes your brake pads against the brake rotor when you press the pedal. That “pinch” creates the friction that slows you down. Most cars use calipers on the front wheels, and many use them on all four.
You might need caliper service if you notice pulling to one side, a burning smell, uneven pad wear, or a wheel that feels hotter than the others. A sticking caliper can chew through pads and rotors fast, so catching it early can save money—and braking safety.
Calipers tend to start leaking on older, high-mileage cars as the seals wear out. When that happens, it’s usually smartest to replace calipers in pairs (left and right) so braking stays even.
If any brake fluid got on the brake pads, replace the pads too—fluid can soak into the pad material and ruin stopping power.
Finally, inspect the rubber brake hoses. If they look cracked, swollen, or damp, replace them. Many shops will suggest doing hoses at the same time as calipers because it adds little to no extra labor while everything is already apart.
Symptoms of a failing brake caliper
Jerry customers are seeing that common stuck brake caliper symptoms include:
- Pulling to one side: The car drifts or yanks left/right when you brake.
- Uneven brake wear: One pad wears out much faster than the other, or one wheel’s brakes look much thinner than the rest.
- Dragging or slowing feeling: The car feels like it’s “held back,” or the wheel gets unusually hot after a short drive.
- Burning smell / smoke: You notice a sharp burning odor near a wheel, sometimes with smoke from excessive heat.
- Brake pedal feels off: Pedal feels spongy, travel is longer, or braking feels inconsistent from stop to stop.
- Squealing/grinding that won’t quit: Noise stays even after you replace pads, or it only happens on one wheel.
Your action plan: how to save money
You don’t need to green-light the most expensive option to be safe. Use these steps to keep costs fair without compromising performance.
Confirm the diagnosis.
Ask the shop to show you the evidence: inner vs outer pad thickness, a stuck slide pin, a heat-spotted rotor, or a leaking piston seal. Jerry customers use the app to give them confidence in their car issues before going to the shop.
Choose the right part tier.
For most commuters, a reman OE-equivalent floating caliper is the smart value. Save the premium new caliper for late-model luxury/performance cars still under warranty or when remans are unavailable.
Bundle smart.
If fluid is due, combine the flush with caliper work — you’ll pay for bleeding anyway. If rotors are near minimum thickness, replace now to avoid another labor hit and another alignment of parts later.
Get a second quote.
Because Jerry tracks live pricing, we can help you compare parts options (reman vs new OE), verify reasonable labor time, and flag outlier quotes before you commit.
Related repairs and inspections
Caliper problems often travel with other brake jobs. Jerry customers are coming across these items that commonly share labor or get discovered during the same inspection:
- Brake pads and rotors: $322 to $586 per axle depending on vehicle and parts tier.
- Brake fluid flush: $90 to $180; recommended every two to three years or when moisture/boiling point tests fail.
- Brake hose replacement cost: $116 to $145 installed if aged, cracked, or internally collapsed.
- Caliper slide pin service/hardware kit: $80 to $150 when pins seize or boots tear.
- Wheel bearing/hub (if heat damage occurred): $238 to $453.
- Steel brake line repair (rusty regions): $300 to $1,000+ depending on length and routing.
Catching a sticky caliper early can keep the job in the cheaper range.
DIY vs. pro: can I do this myself?
If you’ve done pads/rotors and are comfortable bleeding brakes, a floating caliper swap is approachable. Fixed multi-piston calipers, EPB rears, or rusty brake lines are another story. Either way, use Jerry’s tools to get clarity on parts and labor rates. Here’s a quick comparison to help you decide.
If you DIY, use new copper washers on banjo bolts, torque slide pins and bracket bolts to spec, keep friction surfaces clean, and road-test with progressive stops in a safe area.
What our customers are asking
-
Do I have to replace both calipers on the same axle?
-
Can I drive with a sticking caliper?
-
What’s the difference between repairing and replacing a caliper?
-
Will I need a brake fluid flush after caliper work?
-
How long do calipers last?
-
Do I need an alignment after a caliper replacement?
-
Why did my quote include a core charge?
Steve Kaleff began working on cars at the very young age of nine years old, when his dad actually let him make fixes on the family car. Fast forward to the beginning of a professional career working at independent repair shops and then transitioning to new car dealerships. His experience was with Mercedes-Benz, where Steve was a technician for ten years, four of those years solving problems that no one could or wanted to fix. He moved up to shop foreman and then service manager for 15 years. There have been tremendous changes in automotive technology since Steve started his professional career, so here’s looking forward to an electric future!
Nick Wilson is an editor, writer, and instructor across various subjects. His past experience includes writing and editorial projects in technical, popular, and academic settings, and he has taught humanities courses to countless students in the college classroom. In his free time, he pursues academic research, works on his own writing projects, and enjoys the ordered chaos of life with his wife and kids.
