E brake not releasing or something else?
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 272
Likes: 2
From: Calgary, AB (Canada)
E brake not releasing or something else? The past week or so I've had a strange problem develop.
My parking stall is on a slight slant so I leave my car in
gear (M6) with my e brake up.
More often than not, it seems like my e brake (or something
else) is getting stuck. I'll fully release the brake and try and
start moving and something is holding against it. I'll have to
rev it slightly in gear, after which I'll hear and feel a "pop"
and the car kind of jerks before moving forward.
The e brake light is "OFF" the entire time this is happening
and the e brake works perfectly other than this.
I jacked the car up underneath and couldn't see any obvious
problems although I'm not sure what to look for exactly.
I'm getting a faint squeaking coming from the rear of the car,
but nothing that feels like a dragging e brake. This may be
a separate issue.
My parking stall is on a slight slant so I leave my car in
gear (M6) with my e brake up.
More often than not, it seems like my e brake (or something
else) is getting stuck. I'll fully release the brake and try and
start moving and something is holding against it. I'll have to
rev it slightly in gear, after which I'll hear and feel a "pop"
and the car kind of jerks before moving forward.
The e brake light is "OFF" the entire time this is happening
and the e brake works perfectly other than this.
I jacked the car up underneath and couldn't see any obvious
problems although I'm not sure what to look for exactly.
I'm getting a faint squeaking coming from the rear of the car,
but nothing that feels like a dragging e brake. This may be
a separate issue.
The e brake cable runs behind the wheel and into the backing plate..
There's a hook the cable hooks into, you'll also see the cable has a metal clip that snaps into the bracket on the rear end/ lower control arm mount..
Make sure it's still snapped into that bracket, sometimes they can come loose right there..
There's a hook the cable hooks into, you'll also see the cable has a metal clip that snaps into the bracket on the rear end/ lower control arm mount..
Make sure it's still snapped into that bracket, sometimes they can come loose right there..
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 272
Likes: 2
From: Calgary, AB (Canada)
I'll have to take a closer look when I install my drive shaft loop.
But it's weird how it doesn't happen 100% of the time.
My parkade is heated but it's possible that the cold from the
pavement is going up through the tires. -27.4 F here right now.
Anyone have any pictures of what exactly I should be looking
at? Tried a quick search already.
But it's weird how it doesn't happen 100% of the time.
My parkade is heated but it's possible that the cold from the
pavement is going up through the tires. -27.4 F here right now.
Anyone have any pictures of what exactly I should be looking
at? Tried a quick search already.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 272
Likes: 2
From: Calgary, AB (Canada)
I'll have to take a closer look when I install my drive shaft loop.
But it's weird how it doesn't happen 100% of the time.
My parkade is heated but it's possible that the cold from the
pavement is going up through the tires. -27.4 F here right now.
Anyone have any pictures of what exactly I should be looking
at? Tried a quick search already.
But it's weird how it doesn't happen 100% of the time.
My parkade is heated but it's possible that the cold from the
pavement is going up through the tires. -27.4 F here right now.
Anyone have any pictures of what exactly I should be looking
at? Tried a quick search already.
If your cables look good underneath and the problem goes away when it gets warm, I wouldn't worry too much. Taking the parking brakes apart and re-lubing all the components may help keep water out. Note - This is a PITA and involves taking the regular brake off, rotor off, etc.
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Launching!
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 272
Likes: 2
From: Calgary, AB (Canada)
If that clip was broken, wouldn't it cause the parking brake not to work at all?
The same thing happened to me the other day when it was -10 F. (BTW - Thanks for sending Chicago us your weather.) My car had a lot of ice on it, it thawed, and then re-froze. If your parkade is on the borderline of freezing temperatures, the same thing could happen to you.
If your cables look good underneath and the problem goes away when it gets warm, I wouldn't worry too much. Taking the parking brakes apart and re-lubing all the components may help keep water out. Note - This is a PITA and involves taking the regular brake off, rotor off, etc.
The same thing happened to me the other day when it was -10 F. (BTW - Thanks for sending Chicago us your weather.) My car had a lot of ice on it, it thawed, and then re-froze. If your parkade is on the borderline of freezing temperatures, the same thing could happen to you.
If your cables look good underneath and the problem goes away when it gets warm, I wouldn't worry too much. Taking the parking brakes apart and re-lubing all the components may help keep water out. Note - This is a PITA and involves taking the regular brake off, rotor off, etc.
No problem man, the more the merrier haha..gotta love the winter wonderland.
It's a heated parkade, I never have ice on my car, interior is always above zero etc which is why it's such a head scratcher. I hope it's not actually a transmission or clutch related issue.
When was the last time you had the brake caliper pins re-greased? (I wonder if they are binding a little bit.) Does this only happen in the parkade or also out in the world?
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 272
Likes: 2
From: Calgary, AB (Canada)
darn close to freezing.
Never been re-greased since I bought it over 2 years ago. And actually
this morning I didn't have any issues. Although I didn't pull my e-brake
up 100% of the way last night..maybe 50-75% up??
I'm bringing it to the exhaust shop on Saturday to fiddle around with it
as I couldn't find anything on jack stands the other night. I'll update this
thread with anything relevant.
You might have them take a look at the rubber boots that shroud the levers that the parking brake connects to. They are notorious for ripping and that would be an easy area for snow and other freezable gunk to get in to the mechanism.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 272
Likes: 2
From: Calgary, AB (Canada)
^So an update. The rubber boots do look a little chewed up. However, I've found
that since I've been only pulling the e-brake up 75% of the way with the car
left in 1st gear I haven't had any issues.
that since I've been only pulling the e-brake up 75% of the way with the car
left in 1st gear I haven't had any issues.
Thread Starter
Launching!
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 272
Likes: 2
From: Calgary, AB (Canada)
I'll bet they didn't properly adjust the parking brake when they did that. A properly adjusted brake should be tight in 3-5 clicks of the handle.
It sounds like your handle travels a lot more. (If you can describe 75% of the way.) I wonder if the extra travel is causing a rusty cable to stick or something like that.
If you haven't been adjusted properly, that's probably more reason to re-lube and adjust the mechanism when it gets warmer.
It sounds like your handle travels a lot more. (If you can describe 75% of the way.) I wonder if the extra travel is causing a rusty cable to stick or something like that.
If you haven't been adjusted properly, that's probably more reason to re-lube and adjust the mechanism when it gets warmer.