Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange
Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [handbrake]

Lever and cable-operated device that applies and locks the rear brakes to maintain the vehicle stationary while parked.

Lever and cable-operated device that applies and locks the rear brakes to maintain the vehicle stationary while parked.

73 questions
20
votes
8 answers

When the handbrake is not working, is it safe to fully depend on putting car into park instead?

I have an old Toyota in which the handbrake wire is broken. I have been using the car for few months now and I don't really want to spend more money on it. I now put the car in park and that is it and I had an argument with a friend on this matter.…
user76646
  • 385
  • 2
  • 3
  • 7
19
votes
2 answers

Have I damaged my car by attempting to reverse with hand/park brake up?

Earlier today, I stopped a little too far from an entrance I meant to use. I had to reverse to get back to it. I unconsciously pulled the handbrake up when I stopped (I think it is habit) so when I put the car in reverse, it refused to move. The…
MoKa
  • 313
  • 1
  • 3
  • 6
17
votes
4 answers

Why does the rear of my vehicle sink when I apply the handbrake on a downward gradient?

This is something that I've always wondered. I'm no mechanic (web developer, actually) with very basic knowledge of vehicle mechanics so I can only guess at something like brake pipe pressure being involved, but that's about as far as I could guess.…
Kallum Tanton
  • 275
  • 1
  • 2
  • 6
9
votes
4 answers

I drove my car about 1 km before realising that I didn't release the handbrake. Will this cause any big problems to my car?

Luckily, I drove slowly, about 20-40km/h. When I reached home, I realised that I did not release my handbrake. Will there be a big problem?
Amirah madz
  • 91
  • 1
  • 1
  • 2
9
votes
5 answers

How far should you put your handbrake up?

My feeling is to just pull it up as far as it goes, but I've heard this is bad for the brakes and the car and so it would be better to pull it up with the button pressed till you feel slight resistance, then let go of the button and leave it as…
Mustafa
  • 91
  • 1
  • 1
  • 2
8
votes
1 answer

I drove with the handbrake on for 1000 metres

I left my handbrake on for about 1000 meter when driving this winter. I smelled something burning when I opened the front door. Since then there is often a burning smell back right wheel after driving. Does the burning smell come from the…
Jenny
  • 81
  • 1
  • 1
  • 2
8
votes
1 answer

Handbrake on while reversing

I’ll keep this brief as I’m mortified about it but this morning as I was parking for work I managed to park up into a little ledge, in an effort to straighten myself I reversed and my engine stalled. I did this maybe three times before realizing…
Cords
  • 89
  • 1
  • 2
8
votes
1 answer

Help me with my hand Brakes

I have a 2007 Honda Civic DX sedan. Recently my hand brakes stop staying up. Mechanic said the cables are good but I need some sort of clip or spring but he isn't sure because he is unfamiliar with this vehicle. Can someone help?
Nellie
  • 81
  • 1
8
votes
4 answers

Should I pull up the handbrake as high as it will go when parked?

I always pull my handbrake up as high as it will go when I am parked (I put the button in and yank it pretty hard, until it won't go up anymore) It is easy to remove again. My friend says this damages it, however I disagree with this, and hence…
George
  • 6,605
  • 38
  • 86
  • 123
8
votes
4 answers

VW Passat Estate B5 - Parking brake suddenly slack but cable not broken

The handbrake on my VW Passat Estate B5 has suddenly become slack. With the handbrake on, the faulty side wheel is free to turn by hand. Foot brake works as normal Lifting the center console, I can see from the equalizer that one-side is…
Andy Joiner
  • 271
  • 3
  • 9
7
votes
2 answers

Any way to assess my brake disc condition?

I have a problem with my handbrake (bear with me now). So I went to the service to have them check it out. The mechanic took a 10 second look at my car and told me I needed to change both of my brake discs along with everything related to the…
Alternatex
  • 211
  • 1
  • 9
6
votes
3 answers

Why do you use the "park" gear to park a car and not only the handbrake?

Here on the internet people just explain the difference between the two and how you should also apply the handbrake when it gets steep, but why is there even a parking gear in the first place when you can just use the handbrake?
Peter
  • 61
  • 1
  • 2
6
votes
1 answer

Hand Brake Loose

I have a 2008 Honda Accord, today I not that the parking hand brake has no resistance. Its really easy just to lift it up and turn on the parking brakes. Then I check the parking brakes and see that the brakes are stuck to the rotor. So adjusting…
Lan Hikari
  • 61
  • 1
  • 2
5
votes
4 answers

I dropped some food into the hole under my hand brake

2014 Nissan Versa I dropped a nut (like a peanut, walnut) into the small hole under my hand brake. The nut is about 2/3 the size of the hole. There seems to be no way for me to get it out. Does this matter? Do I need to get it out or I can just…
shenkwen
  • 151
  • 1
  • 1
  • 3
5
votes
3 answers

Did I damage my car by trying to move in reverse with the handbrake on?

I was in a hurry to leave for the office yesterday and forgot that my handbrake was engaged while starting. I started the engine, clutched, and reverse geared, and found the vehicle not moving backwards. I quickly depressed the clutch and retried.…
Satya
  • 51
  • 1
  • 1
  • 2
1
2 3 4 5