Hi everyone, first time posting—looking for some advice.
I have a 2015 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk (3.2L V6). In 2023 I had all 4 brake pads and rotors replaced, and I’ve put about 15–20,000 km on them since (Ontario, Canada).
Over the past couple of weeks, I started hearing a squeak from the front left wheel. Today I pulled everything apart, cleaned the pads, cleaned the bracket, and re-greased:
- Pad ears with Permatex ceramic (orange)
- Slide pins with Permatex silicone (green)
Good news: the squeak is now completely gone.
However, I’m concerned about what I found:
- Some separation/delamination starting on the pads
- Uneven wear on the inner pad (photos attached)
- Rotor surface looks a bit uneven/glazed
I took it back to the mechanic who originally did the job. He said the pads would be covered under warranty (parts only), but recommended replacing the entire caliper, which I would have to pay for.
A few questions:
- Based on the photos, does this actually look like a bad/sticking caliper, or more like a pad binding / hardware issue?
- Is replacing the caliper the right call here, or overkill?
- If I’m trying to keep costs down, would it make more sense to:
- Replace pads + hardware only?
- Or pads + rotors + hardware?
- Is this safe to drive on for now? If so, roughly how long would you be comfortable running it like this?
- Should I be checking the other front side and rear immediately as well?
Also, one more thing that might be relevant:
I’m not sure if the brake fluid has ever been flushed (possibly not since I’ve owned the vehicle). The brake pedal feels somewhat soft/spongy—I can push it quite far down, even close to the floor if I really try. I start to feel strong resistance about halfway down, maybe slightly more.
Not sure if that’s normal for this vehicle or a sign that I need a fluid flush or bleed, but I wanted to include it for full transparency.
Appreciate any input—trying to fix this properly while keeping costs reasonable. Thanks!