5 Reasons Why Your Parking Brake Sticks
A stuck parking brake can throw you completely off course. This annoying problem affects more vehicles than you might think, leaving you powerless when your handbrake won’t work.
But don’t panic; there are identifiable causes for stuck brakes. Learn why your parking brake sticks and how to manually release it if that happens to you. What is a parking brake? A parking brake is an additional braking mechanism that can prevent a vehicle from moving forward or backward even when traditional hydraulic brakes are not applied.
In most cases, parking brakes, or electronic brakes as they are often called, work purely on the principle of mechanical power. This means that they do not require hydraulic or electrical input.
Due to their design, parking brakes are most often operated by a cable and, depending on the vehicle, rely on pressing a special pedal or moving the handbrake lever. This type of application involves pulling the vehicle’s parking brake cable, putting pressure on the tensioner.
The pressure on this braking mechanism is released by releasing the vehicle’s parking brake pedal or returning the handbrake lever to the neutral position. If this is not done before setting off, the vehicle’s emergency brake will often drag, with disastrous results.
What Causes a Sticking Parking Brake? There are many conditions that can cause a vehicle’s parking brake to stick, but at this point, all of them can be equally problematic. Below are some of the most common causes of a stuck parking brake.
1) Corrosion
The most common cause of a parking brake sticking is corrosion. Over time, your vehicle’s parking brake cable, mechanism, and connections can rust and become inoperable.
This is especially common in vehicles that have spent a lot of time in northern climates where regular application of road salt is the norm. These problems are exacerbated when a vehicle’s parking brake is rarely used.
2) Frosty Weather
Extreme cold can cause braking problems. In many northern climates, a car’s parking brake can actually freeze in the applied position if it is left on overnight or for an extended period of time.
A more likely scenario for a car’s hand brake to freeze is if you drive your car in rainy weather with the emergency brake engaged just before parking it. If this is the case, you will need to find a way to thaw the frozen brake connection before proceeding.
3) Rigid Actuation
Believe it or not, applying excessive force when applying the parking brake using the foot pedal or hand lever can actually cause the parking brake to get stuck.
Only moderate force is required to operate the parking brake safely. Exceeding this can cause the vehicle’s parking brake cable to stretch or the parking brake clamp connection to become clogged, all of which can lead to problems.
4) Brake Caliper Failure
The parking brake system utilizes a mechanism that connects to the rear brakes of the vehicle to apply and release the brakes. If the brake caliper sticks or does not release properly, the parking brake can stick.
Specific causes can include frozen or stuck brake caliper pistons. The caliper pistons are responsible for applying pressure to the brake pads, which in turn apply pressure to the rotors to slow or stop the car.
A defective slide pin in the brake caliper can also be the culprit. The slide pin allows the brake caliper to move freely and apply even pressure to the brake pads.
5) Faulty Wheel Cylinder
For vehicles with drum brakes, a rear wheel cylinder can cause the emergency brake to stick. This is similar to the caliper sticking described above, but instead of the brake caliper being stuck on the brake disc, the wheel cylinder is stuck on the brake shoe.