A broken or malfunctioning caliper can cause a great deal of problems to your cars breaking system and should not be left ignored. The caliper is the hydraulic clamp that pinches the brake pads along the rotor causing the friction that slows down your vehicle to a stop.
Diagnosing a bad caliper is slightly more difficult than other braking system issues. A leaky brake line, a broken rotor or pad may cause caliper malfunction. Calipers generally last 75,000 miles or 7-10 years without needing to be rebuilt or replaced.