Is there a typical problem that occurs with a M6 E-brake when all of the sudden it stops working? One day I pulled the handle to set the E-brake and the lever pulled all the way to the top easily. After multiple tries I figured either something broke or came loose. These parts aren't available from GM anymore, so hopefully nothing is broken. Are the cables run underneathe the carpet, because I briefly looked under the car and didn't see them.

 

Mine did something similar to this from day one and was actually fixed under warranty. About every 6th or 10th pull the tension would increase for the first 20 or so degrees the handle rotated up and then all of the sudden it was like the e-brake cable snapped! Would scare the be-jeezuz outta me each time. Eventually I got around to taking it in and getting it fixed under warranty.

Unfortunately I don't remember the actual fix (was about 8 yrs ago ), but I'm wanting to say it was an adjustment, and not new parts... but again, I don't know that for sure.

Sorry I couldn't be more help.

Mark.

 

The typical problem is that the rear rotors are changed and the eBrake is not properly adjusted to the size of the new rotor bore. Do you have a brake job in your recent past?

If something is broken, you'd feel no resistance on the handle at all. If that's the case, I'd check for a broken cable first or the actuating lever pulling out of the back of the mechanism. (Still attached to the cable.)

 

does the handle click at all? or does it just move from up to down with little or no resistance? it may be inside the handle itself, there is a little fishhook that grabs the wheel which has a lock on it, like a lock for a winch on a boat trailer that grabs the gear, this may have popped loose?

 

There is a self adjust mechanism inside of the lever. It sounds like that is not locking into place when you pull up on the lever. I would check to make sure all the parts are still in there and aligned. If you notice a missing geartooth or something out of alignment then you may want to hunt for another lever or see if you can get yours working again. Just be careful, that self adjust spring is strong and that mechanism will snap around on you. You do NOT want your fingers in the way if that gets loose on you.

 

This seems to be a popular myth. There is no self adjuster. The adjustment is in two places inside each rear rotor and those adjusters need to be manual balanced (with the brakes and rotors off the car) at the same time.