My wife couldn't figure out why the car seemed so sluggish one morning a few
months ago. Nor did she like that funny smell. Turns out she'd driven to
work with the parking brake (hand brake, emergency brake?) left on. From
what I've read, it sounds like I'll have to replace the calipers. But I'm
not sure. I assume driving with the rear disc brakes partially locked
generated a lot of heat and melted something inside the caliper. But I
removed the car's wheels and can move the parking brake arm on the caliper.
The little spring on the caliper that's supposed to retract the parking
brake arm doesn't seem to be strong enough to do it. Pulling on the parking
brake lever in the cabin does move the caliper arm but the arm does not
return when you lower the lever.

Does anyone have an idea of what might be going on and what the fix would
be? I can see that there's little life left in the outboard disc brake pads.
I couldn't see the inboard pads but assume they're equally worn. or could
the stuck parking brake have simple burned up the inboard brake pads?

Thanks.

Michael