[Big Al]

Hi, I have been having problems with my handbrake for some time now the response from the dealer is, "that is how it is just live with it," they seem to know about the problem but are not prepared to do anything about it [or Chevrolet willnot sanction it]probably to do with cost and waiting for my warranty to run out. Now if is as they say, it is just as the handbrake is, you all should have the same problem. WHICH IS,If I pull up behind a car on a slight incline and pull on the handbrake, easily up to the pressure recommended by the hand book, then if I was to put the auto into neutral the car rolls back, there is a quick dash to the footbrake to stop, but if I go back to the handbrake and pull on it again there is no resistanceand it pulls up another couple of notches, using the same pulling pressure as I used first time and thenthe handbrake holds fine, even if you were then to put it into reverse the car still holds solid.
Now I have been prepared to jump to the footbrake to stop a roll back and re-assert pressure on the handbrake to hold the car, but one of these times I am going to forget or my wife isdriving and we will end up putting our tow bar into somebodiesradiator. Has anybody had any trouble with there handbrake, please let me know.

 

[yzfrichie]

I think i have had the same problem altho my wife mentions it more its almost like the handbrake tighten's then the wheels roll a half turn then you have to tighten it again ! Excuse spelling! tighten ? Regarding the eight with dealer get in touch with chevrolet customer services directly and ask them to open up a file on your car and they will contact the dealer thats what i had to do a few times !

 

[Pyronamik]

Hi guys!


It's common sense to think that the handbrake should handle the car in aup/downhill. But it's not true. The gearbox should be geared. If it's an automatic gearbox, should be on P (park) and if is a manual gearbox should be on first gear (uphill) or on reverse (downhill).



But I agree. My Captiva has the same issue (doesn't have many force on the handbrake)...



Regards

 

[Big Al]

Sorry Pyronamik but I must disagree, the handbrake should hold the vehicle 100% as in the test for the MOT . The procedure of leaving in gear and turning the wheels to the curb is just god practice as belt and braces for safety [for example if the handbrake cable was to snap]

 

[bigiainw]

I have the same roll back even when i apply my not inconsiderable weight to the handbrake. Adjusting the cable made a bit of a difference, but still hasn't cured it. Leaving the car in gear is something i do naturally anyhow, but it's a bit impractical with a manual at the traffic lights with the engine running!

 

[K.L.Richards]

I hadnt commented, as I thought this was an issue only with the Auto.


I have manual, live in the South Wales Valleys, so plenty of hills here, and I have not experienced this problem at all.... One particular hill I travel is very very steep (25%) and I have never had the handbrake not hold the car.



So either I'm very lucky, or you guys aren't, but I suspect that the handbrake should hold the car, as Big Al says, it will fail an MOT if it doesnt.

 

[Pyronamik]

Ok, I understand

.


But if the car after the handbrake roll a little and stops, its because the system have a flack inside the brake discs (it's a drum brake inside(tha's the name?!) like BMWs)...

 

[bigiainw]

I hadnt commented, as I thought this was an issue only with the Auto.


I have manual, live in the South Wales Valleys, so plenty of hills here, and I have not experienced this problem at all.... One particular hill I travel is very very steep (25%) and I have never had the handbrake not hold the car.



So either I'm very lucky, or you guys aren't, but I suspect that the handbrake should hold the car, as Big Al says, it will fail an MOT if it doesnt.

To be fair, it does always hold the car, but it slips back a very short distance probably half the times I engage the handbrake on a hill. It feels as if the brake shoes are eliptical and the drum round so sometimes when the shoes match the drum it holds with no slip, other times it does creep back about a 1/4 of a wheel turn. Edited by: bigiainw

 

[Big Al]

Thanks for replies, been looking back through some old posts and found some maintenance manuals. Right my car rolls back and the brakes lock on that'sfine, its when they don't lock on and the car keeps on rolling back until I re-pull on the hand brake. Now looking at the manual like Pyronamic say the handbrake is a drum brake set round the hub which is internal of the disk [which they call a spinner]. Now after several complaints about my handbrake and asking for it doing under warranty I think there reluctanceis cost, because the wheels, pads, calipers, disc and central hub on both sides have to be stripped before any work can be done on the actual problem, even adjustment. So if it comes out of warranty they pick up a nice bit of work, and I pick up a nice bill.!!!! so if you're having trouble with your handbrake and its more than that quarter turn and lock on I would push to get it done like I am now going to do. [any other thoughts please post].

 

[K.L.Richards]

I wish you luck on this Big Al, but to be fair, if your car is like mine coming to the end of its warranty, it is at least 3 years old. They will put this down to normal wear n tear, as it wont be a fault, but an adjustment needed. It's akin to saying your brake pads are wearing down, well they do when they are used. The same as a handbrake cable will stretch, hence needs adjusting over time.


But as I say, wish you luck. I have another thread on Warranty, as I have put my car in the dealers today listing several "Warranty jobs", with them saying one of them is frost damage, which I disagree.

 

[K.L.Richards]

Pressed "post" too soon... sorry.


Meant to add...



I dont know how many miles you have done, mine has 29k in 3 years. Looks like I need a new ball joint, and my argument is you expect a car to complete over 29k before a ball joint needs replacing, hence expect it to be warranty. A Volvo S80 I used to own, did 250k miles before I needed to replace to ball joints (couldn't argue wear n tear in that case

)

 

[Big Al]

I probably will need luck K.L. but this problem has been going on for eighteen months. I have a bit more homework to do first, I suspect it is down to lack of adjustment now the car has been in for service so I suspect they should adjust automatically. If they are not adjusting automatically then there is a fault which should have been corrected. Can any body help me and tell me if the adjuster should work automatically on the drum handbrake?? Thanks.

 

[Big Al]

This is the first post I put regarding my handbrake problems.

 

[gillsamandlorna]

Hi,I have the same problem with my hand brake, needs to be applied twice.

 

[Big Al]

gillsamandlorna, I would take it in and ask them to adjust thehandbrake shoes on theINTERNAL shoeadjuster, as you are getting dangerous roll back [it usually is backwards]. If they tell you it is down to wear and you will have to pay disagree with them, because there should be no wear unless there is a fault. the handbrake shoes are completely separate to the cars normal stopping brakes, they only come into action when the car is stationery and lock the wheels without any relevant moving friction. I believe chevrolet know about the problem so you need to put polite pressure on the dealer so they in tern put pressure on chevrolet to sanction the warranty work.

 

[jegrugby]

Hi All, I think I have had a similar problem, but can't reproduce it. On stopping going up a hill and applying the hand brake the car seems to roll back a fraction and the handbrake will come up a tad more. I thought it was some sort of Hill Start Assist function.................

 

[Big Al]

I have hadmy car in and they have corrected the problem, the hand brake is fine now. Jegrugby the hand brakes do seem toroll back that1"or sothen lock on, I think it is possibly a bit of back lash, the problem is when the car keeps on rolling till the handbrake is re-applied, if you do have to apply the hand brake twice get it in and ask them to adjust the internal handbrake shoes, mine only rolled back,was always OK facing down hill.

 

[ChevNI]

My hand brake was playing up. Worked sometimes and not
on other occasions. It was adjusted at the rear hub through the small hole(filled with a rubber gromit)(search the forum for hand brake adjustment), adjusted off a few turns and then adjusted
back again until tight and then adjusted until in the correct position,
now works fine every time(2 clicks up on the hand brake and I am stopped solid), must just have needed freed up, saved me a
trip to garage and 1/2 a days messing about while they did what I did
and then gave them pleasure of charging me.