Have no problem when it's cold outside (0C and below). Spring is coming back and problem is coming back too. (45K miles)
I guess OEM rotors are defective (wrong still or thickness, etc.) It's will be great if somebody can do investigation using AutoCAD or some software and take to the lab new OEM rotor to check it for defects. Prove it in the court and win the case, for everybody

 

Yeah, Sorry, I meant to cover that in my previous post...
I very rarely use the parking brake anyway. But after the services I did and had done, I was careful NOT to use it, just to see if it made any difference. So, that proved to me that the parking brake wasn't a part of the problem.

I am also careful to keep tire pressure to spec. I always buy/use sets of the same brand tire. Van loading is usually light to medium, so I cannot see where any of this enters into the problem.

Now back to the ESP. There is a switch on the dash to turn it off. I have turned it off when driving on dry roads under all situations. - local roads, expressways etc. Still had the overheat problem.

So, it seems that that switch does NOT completely deactivate the entire system. Or, as someone else mentioned, one of the fluid return valves from the rear brakes may be sticking, keeping a brake on after I take my foot off the brake pedal.
I know of no way to prove any of this without tapping into the system with a pressure recording system. I am sure Chrysler has such a tool but refuses to help. All I can assure you is that there is definite hydraulic pressure causing the brake to get that hot. A pad not falling away from the rotor would never do this. The back up evidence it that the rear pads wear down 3+ times faster than the front pads which do most of the braking in any brake system.
Go figure.

 

Beware that the locking nut on the outside of the valve stem on the tire sensors can possibly crack and fall off allowing the tire to lose air pressure from around the stem when checking tire pressure. Discovered the loss of two of these last week on my 2010 Dodge Grand Caravan SXT with the 4.0 engine. Currently running tires on right side with old standard tire valves. Surprisingly my gas mileage has shot up on local driving. I had one go bad last year on a 2,000 mile trip and had it replaced at a western tire chain with a non Mopar sensor that was suppose to work. It did for about 25 miles then quit sending. These things are suppose to have a seal kit to be changed with any tire installation but usually aren't. Then this system is a general reading meaning when your tires reach below the set pressure you get a warning for all four. I was riding in my son's Dodge pickup on that trip and noticed his went by individual tires and pressure and he was having trouble with one tire.

 

Your post covers all remaining issues I can think of except one. I had a friend who had sticking rear brakes on a Dodge Omni. It turned out that the brake hoses had a hose end crimp defect that caused the multi-layer hose to work like a one-way check valve. Pressure freely entered the caliper but the hose innermost ply collapsed when the brake pedal was released, working like a reed valve to block fluid return. This was an '80's car with no abs. A fluid pressure gauge could be spliced into the rear lines for troubleshooting but that'd surely be an SOB job. Alternatively, if you could somehow catch the vehicle in the act, I'd carry the proper socket wrench, crawl under the van and crack the bleeder to see if fluid squirts out. If it does then the hose is collapsed or defective as I pointed out or the ABS is malfunctioning as you discussed. The bleeder should only dribble if there is no pressure holding the brake on.

 

Yes, this has been mentioned by others in this thread but usually with older models. My problem started when the van was new and less than 20,000 miles. So, I have not tried replacing the hoses. It is possible I have a couple of defective hoses, but why are so many people having the same problem? Also, why has no one complained of a brake staying pressurized on a FRONT brake?
It is not an expensive job, just a messy one to replace the hoses and then bleed/flush the system, so I may do it anyway this summer.
As for catching a hot wheel and crawling under to check for pressure... I am usually not dressed for that.

 

Does anyone know the phone number to the Chrysler Customer Service Hotline (if there is such a thing) to (1) report my problem, and/or (2) find out if they have any kind of special "silent recall" on the rear brake problem? There is probably a number in the user manual -- I'll take a look.

 

Closely read the threads on it. The topic has been beaten to death. Replacing pads and/or rotors that prematurely failed is a total waste of time. This is what most idiot mechanics do because it only takes half as much time to shortcut the job. Then the next set will fail even more quickly because whatever is preventing the pads from releasing will only get worse.

You brakes are dragging and your gas mileage is likely terrible because of it. It is very easy to burn an extra $500 of gas with sticking brakes. Jack up each side and see if the rear wheels spins freely with no friction/drag..I bet not.

 

1) Yes, the number is in your glovebox manual. It is generally used after dealer service options have been exhausted because they will have better luck getting mfr-paid goodwill repairs than you will.
2) This topic has been discussed in very great detail here already. The answer has been posted on this forum and I can't help without knowing the year of your vehicle. If you use search feature you will find it. It is definitely not referred to as a silent recall. If it was silent the owners would not be aware and it would not be a recall lol. Just ask General Motors about that. The industry refers to it as a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) and based upon review, it is determined that it does not require any recall. The customer generally pays for work done under TSB unless the vehicle is still under warranty or some special extended goodwill warranty arrangement. For example, front wheel bearings in 2008 GC's were covered for an extended period because they prematurely failed on an abnormally large percentage of the fleet.


A couple years of Gen 5 GC's were found to have out-of-spec rear caliper brackets that resulted in the brake pads getting tight, sticking and binding instead of sliding freely to release brakes as intended. A special bracket and hardware kit has been released under TSB covering certain years to reduce the chance of this happening.


I'd personally rather just carefully file or grind the existing bracket to provide a bit more clearance for the pad backing plates to slide freely, but this sort of modification would be unsafe unless you know EXACTLY what you're doing.

 

As said before. Revised rear Adapter Brackets 68192437AA and revised rear Pad Springs 68192438AA did the job for me. How long it will stay good remains to be seen but 6 months and one winter so far. The rear discs will need replacing too...they will be burned and pitted on the inside surface if anything like mine.
Make sure you get the revised pad springs. They are quite different....check it out.
All explained in instruction sheet 68192439AA (dated 04-03-2012) that came with the Adapter Brackets that included new slide posts and rubber boots. Proper post lubeing with correct grease is important I think and I intend to do mine every fall.
Front brakes have been fine.


New rear pads were installed with the above.


The same Rear Calipers that came with the vehicle in 08 were used...just the pistons pushed back I suspect.


Three or four months before the above I complained of brake judder that had been occurring for a while and a 'complete' brake job was performed. It was a bit better but soon reverted to the same problem. New Discs and pads were put on the front but the rear discs were not changed. They look ok from the outside but inside surfaces were US.


Obviously, other braking flaws will not be solved by the above. But it was the solution for our situation.


Anyway; we now have our great vehicle back to being enjoyable again.

 

For the typical owner, I think the updated bracket kits with anti-rattle clips, also known as pad springs (described by Rupert), a fresh pair of $19 Bendix premium brake rotors from rockauto and a $25 set of lifetime free replacement organic autozone pads....that'd be a winner.


Now, if you can just find someone willing to take an extra minute to grease the floating caliper pins per mfr instructions before throwing the parts on....as the greedily try to beat book time. In my opinion, mechanics short-cutting labor steps are the #1 issue.