Parking Brake Failed, Hit a Car

[MikeV6]

So last night, My Girlfriend and I just got back to her house after getting Ice Cream and I parked on her street (its a steep steep hill). I have my hatch open and I am putting on my t-tops and the all of a sudden I a POP (and spring noise) and my gf screams "MIKE!" I jump out from behind my car an watch it roll about 10 feet into the front end of a WIndstar minivan.

THANK GOD FOR 5-MPH CRASH BUMPERS! There is no damage to my car at all! And for the sound of the impact, I am very very surprised. The van was a beaten up P.O.S. that already had no fewer then 4 holes/dents in it's front bumper so I didn't do any more damage to it.

I found out later that the van is owned by some 16 year old suburban white kids who don't realize they are white. The van is already beaten to hell.

I am so happy that van was there because if it wasn't, my car would of rolled for about 200ft before smashing into a car or a tree or a house or a.....

ANYWAY - anyone know why my brake failed? It has never really held tight on my rear wheels at all. When I am pulling out my seadoo, I need to have someone have their foot on the brake to keep my car from rolling into the water.

[black98V6]

crawl underneath and see if there is an adjustment, I'm betting it's rust related honestly though being that far up north I'm guessing the salt from the roads has eaten up the underside and the bolt which is used to adjust out the slack is rusted to hell

[hockeyman]

My e-brakes do the same thing every so often. They just pop out of gear when applying the brake
I have no idea what is causing that... Poor design maybe?

[HokieBird]

Yep I have had the same problem too. I just make sure to always leave the car in gear.

[ellik]

Leave the car in gear, wont happen again. No way I would ever trust entirely to those parking drums to keep my car stopped on a steep hill. Oh, and in bad northern winters, the friggin parking brake can freeze up on you and not release when you are ready to leave in the mornings. Had that happen to me a couple of times.

[MikeV6]

I have discs, but yeah, I'll be leaving it in gear from now on for sure.

[98Camaro3.8]

Originally posted by MikeV6:
I have discs, but yeah, I'll be leaving it in gear from now on for sure.

The parking brake is actually a seperate drum brake. ;)

[black98V6]

Supposedly there is a way for you to raise up the brake without auctually engaging the parking brake itself, happens to everyone sometimes you go to pull up on the brake and it doesn't catch the ratchet mechanism, therefore doesn't engage the brake. They have built this into the design so you can raise the brake to vertical for getting the console apart. I always use the brake becuase my clutch saftey switch has given out allowing me to start the car without the clutch pushed in.

['94firebirdv6]

When I am pulling out my seadoo, I need to have someone have their foot on the brake to keep my car from rolling into the water.


wait please dont tell me that you have a trailer hitch on your car?????? :eek:

[MikeV6]

Originally posted by '94firebirdv6:
When I am pulling out my seadoo, I need to have someone have their foot on the brake to keep my car from rolling into the water.


wait please dont tell me that you have a trailer hitch on your car?????? :eek:

Oh yeah, I have a hitch on the car, Reese Class I. 200lbs tongue limit and 2000lbs wieght limit.
Its perfect to tow my 950lbs sea-doo/trailer combo.

It pulls fine, had it up to 85MPH on the highway.