# 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee - Hard brake pedal

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** jeep\
**Created:** [August 10, 2020, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507 "2020-08-10T20:36:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 15\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mrayk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mrayk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mrayk)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 8:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507/1 "2020-08-10T20:36:49Z")

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2002 grand cherokee hard brake pedal when weather is hot. Check valve replaced, pedal pump test works ok. But I still ocassionaly get a heard pedal and all four rims are hot to the touch.

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**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 9:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507/2 "2020-08-10T21:32:28Z")

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Have you had an actual brake shop look at this ?

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**Author:** ![mrayk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mrayk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mrayk)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 9:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507/3 "2020-08-10T21:33:49Z")

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no I haven’t.

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**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 9:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507/4 "2020-08-10T21:36:48Z")

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Then that is what you should do unless you know how to do brake work.

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**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 12:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507/5 "2020-08-11T12:20:58Z")

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> [@mrayk](#):
>
> all four rims are hot to the touch

That would seem to indicate a need to replace the brake calipers, but only an inspection by a qualified mechanic can tell you for sure. This is a safety issue, so I would suggest that you get it to a mechanic a.s.a.p.

Just out of curiosity, when was the last time that the brake fluid was flushed?

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**Author:** ![VTMongo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@VTMongo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VTMongo)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 1:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507/6 "2020-08-11T13:07:20Z")

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Is this a 2021 or a 2002?

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**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 1:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507/7 "2020-08-11T13:09:46Z")

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Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.

If this is in fact a 2021… you should have plenty of new car, factory warranty remaining. Take it to the dealer.

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**Author:** ![tcmichnorth](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tcmichnorth/32/25126_2.png) [@tcmichnorth](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tcmichnorth)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 1:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507/8 "2020-08-11T13:14:31Z")

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> [@mrayk](#):
>
> 2002 grand cherokee

In the post.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![VTMongo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b4bc9f/32.png) [@VTMongo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VTMongo)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 1:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507/9 "2020-08-11T13:24:29Z")

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Your title says 2021. Your first post says 2002. Hence the source of confusion. The cause of your problem will be significantly different between those two years.

Hot rims is due to brakes stuck on or dragging and developing heat. Your pedal is hard because your brake calipers/cylinders are not releasing. A shop needs to look at your brakes. Very likely you will need new pads, maybe new calipers/cylinders…don’t know if this is 4 wheel disc or rear drum. At the least it’s likely your brake fluid is ancient and may have contributed to the problem.

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**Author:** ![mrayk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mrayk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mrayk)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 2:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507/10 "2020-08-11T14:15:44Z")

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Sorry for the confusion. My grand cherokee is a 2002 limited.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mrayk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mrayk](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mrayk)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 2:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507/11 "2020-08-11T14:17:37Z")

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I had the brake pads and rotors replaced about 2 years ago.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ledhed75](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f6c823/32.png) [@ledhed75](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ledhed75)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 2:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507/12 "2020-08-11T14:26:04Z")

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Thanks for the clarification.

I too wonder if your brake fluid has gone bad, or perhaps your brake master cylinder might need some work. Neither of these would have anything to do with your getting new brake pads and rotors 2 years ago, at least not directly.

Have you noticed a recent drop in your miles per gallon? I’m wondering if your brakes are somehow still engaged when you’re driving. That might explain the “hot” wheels.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 2:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507/13 "2020-08-11T14:28:31Z")

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> [@mrayk](#):
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> I had the brake pads and rotors replaced about 2 years ago.

That’s all well and good, but unless your mechanic also flushed the brake hydraulic system, then the problem is likely to be the result of brake fluid that has absorbed moisture from the air, and that moisture contamination has corroded the piston mechanism in the calipers.

Even if the mfr’s maintenance schedule doesn’t specify it, car owners who want to keep their brakes functioning properly should change/flush the fluid every 3 years.

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**Author:** ![tcmichnorth](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tcmichnorth/32/25126_2.png) [@tcmichnorth](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tcmichnorth)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 3:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507/14 "2020-08-11T15:36:53Z")

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Sticking calipers or slides, internally damaged brake hoses are the #1 causes for this, but with more than one wheel getting hot maybe looking at the master cylinder as well.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![thegreendrag0n](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/thegreendrag0n/32/9265_2.png) [@thegreendrag0n](https://community.cartalk.com/u/thegreendrag0n)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 5:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2021-jeep-grand-cherokee-hard-brake-pedal/168507/15 "2020-08-11T17:03:13Z")

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> [@tcmichnorth](#):
>
> Sticking calipers or slides, internally damaged brake hoses are the #1 causes for this, but with more than one wheel getting hot maybe looking at the master cylinder as well.

It was no reply to the question of “when the brake fluid was replaced last time?”, so I suspect “at the factory, back in 2001”.

Now, the list of potential problem areas sounds like a lot of $$$…

Yet a lot of this can be prevented or at least greatly delayed by regularly replacing the brake fluid to avoid internal corrosion. Would cost much less than diagnosing/fixing now…
