Can I drive if my handbrake is stuck?
It is never advisable to drive with a stuck handbrake. This is because the faulty brake shoe or pad continues to drag on the corresponding brake disc or drum.
This constant friction causes heat to build up within seconds and even poses a fire hazard. Often a stuck handbrake will produce a burning smell and even a significant amount of smoke. If you try to drive with a stuck parking brake, you also risk causing serious damage to your vehicle’s braking system.
In addition, excessive heat generated at the end of the wheel, such as from a stuck parking brake, can adversely affect the seals in the wheel hub and axle, potentially leading to failure.
Either way, a stuck parking brake should be taken seriously and repaired immediately. If you’re not willing to fix your car’s parking brake problem, consider calling a tow truck and scheduling a repair with a qualified service center.
Can I release the parking brake manually? In many cases, a stuck parking brake can be manually released, making it easier to continue operating the vehicle. However, to do this, you need to understand how your vehicle’s parking brake works and what the exact cause of the parking brake failure is.
However, newer vehicles with electronic parking brakes often do not allow manual release by the vehicle owner, as unlike mechanical parking brakes, the system is ultimately controlled by a computer. The following section explains how to manually release a traditional parking brake.
How to Release a Stuck Emergency Brake
If your vehicle’s parking brake is frozen, you will need to apply heat to clear any jams that are detected. In many cases, simply idling the vehicle for an extended period of time will generate enough exhaust heat to resolve the situation; however, this process can also be accelerated by applying targeted heat with a portable propane gas burner.
If corrosion is the cause of the parking brake problem, repeatedly applying the vehicle’s hydraulic brakes may resolve it; however, intervention using mechanical means may also be necessary.
In some cases, several targeted sprays of white lithium grease or penetrating oil followed by pressure application to the vehicle’s brake cables may be effective. In extreme cases, you may have to manually release the vehicle’s handbrake.
To do this, you must manually pull the vehicle’s parking brake cable at or near the point where the two parts of the parking brake cable meet, or where the parking brake itself meets the corresponding connection.
This can be accomplished by pulling the cable with a clamp and simultaneously prying the cable out of its holder.
When to call a professional
Troubleshooting and repairing a stuck parking brake may require professional help. Regardless of your DIY skills, you will need professional help.
If you have tried methods such as warming your car’s engine to melt the ice or tapping the steering wheel and still can’t release a stuck parking brake, it’s time to call a tow truck. There is no risk of forcing it or damaging your car. It is safer to tow it to a nearby repair shop.
Types of Parking Brakes
There are several different types of parking brakes in use on modern roads. The exact type of parking brake your vehicle has will vary depending on the make and model. Below are the most commonly used types of parking brakes today:
Drum-type Parking Brakes
Vehicles with drum brakes use a special cable-operated lever to activate the brake shoes in an assembly that clamps the brake shoes against the inside diameter of the brake drum itself. This occurs without actuating the wheel cylinders of the assembly, as is the case with typical hydraulic brake operation.
Hybrid Disc/Drum Parking Brakes
Many vehicles with disc brakes on all four wheels currently use a separate drum-operated parking brake that is mounted on the cap of the rear brake disc. This cable-operated assembly functions similarly to the assembly found on vehicles with standard drum brakes.
When tension is placed on the parking brake cable, the internally mounted brake shoes contact the inner surface of the disc cap, creating friction.
Improved Parking Brakes with Discs
Many newer vehicles with disc brakes on all four wheels feature a modified disc brake design that uses the vehicle’s rear brake calipers as the source of stopping force.
This type of parking brake relies on the operation of a cable-operated lever to push the brake pistons in the caliper outward, which is in direct contradiction to the operation of a service brake, which is achieved by supplying hydraulic pressure.
Electronic Parking Brake
Most vehicles today have electronic parking brakes. This electronic mechanism is integrated into the rear brake calipers of the vehicle.
When a switch or button is pressed, an electric motor pushes the brake caliper pistons outward, bringing the corresponding brake pads into contact with the rotor.