Parking brake sticking

[Leverus]

Once in a blue moon my parking brake is a bit of a bugger to release but it gives in with a little oomph. I just got back from a beer run after a solid 10 minutes of trying to release the brake which was ridiculous. I was putting my full body weight on the lever and it took several tries and a few livid insults to the intimate hunk of plastic's mother before it finally gave in and released.

Has anyone else had issues with their parking brake being almost impossible to release? I don't think I'm doing it wrong; I pull it gently until it stops and let go. I never force it up.

 

[Eric Smit]

when you release it are you pressing the button and lifting it up before you lower it?


-Eric Smit

 

[Leverus]

Yep, wouldn't budge in any way. It was completely jammed; I didn't do anything different when it finally decided to let go either.

 

[Eric Smit]

just making sure. haven't had that issue, and I haven't read about anyone else having that issue either. if you have the capability, I'd take a video next time it decides to not want to release.


-Eric Smit

 

[Leverus]

I'll do so if I can. It's so random that until it fully locked tonight I never payed it any mind when it was stubborn and figured I yanked it up a bit much or something.

I swear, with my car it's always these small random things I can rarely if ever get to happen again, and then when no one's looking.

 

[slitzell]

stop being a p**** and pull the damn button, you sound like my wifey when i set her parking brake lol.

Serious note. I have not ever had that problem. pull up gently while pushing the button works for me everytime. but i also live in fl and 1st works great too

 

[Leverus]

stop being a p**** and pull the damn button, you sound like my wifey when i set her parking brake lol.

Serious note. I have not ever had that problem. pull up gently while pushing the button works for me everytime. but i also live in fl and 1st works great too

Ha, I was definitely giving it my all. I was getting afraid of breaking the darn thing towards the end; I just went ahead and checked out my window to make sure I actually didn't and it hasn't rolled into the street.

 

[Chevrolet Customer Care]

Once in a blue moon my parking brake is a bit of a bugger to release but it gives in with a little oomph. I just got back from a beer run after a solid 10 minutes of trying to release the brake which was ridiculous. I was putting my full body weight on the lever and it took several tries and a few livid insults to the intimate hunk of plastic's mother before it finally gave in and released.

Has anyone else had issues with their parking brake being almost impossible to release? I don't think I'm doing it wrong; I pull it gently until it stops and let go. I never force it up.

Leverus,
Just checking to see if you were able to figure out what was going on with your parking brake, is it still sticking?

Vanessa
GM Customer Service

 

[HADES20]

Dealer trip holla

 

[Bogus]

I'm curious, when does this happen? After driving, sitting, when it's hot, cold, etc.?

 

[Leverus]

Leverus,
Just checking to see if you were able to figure out what was going on with your parking brake, is it still sticking?

Vanessa
GM Customer Service

Not a problem since I posted this. Thanks for checking up on me.

It didn't cross my mind when I first posted this, but it actually happened to me the first time I ever got into this car. My salesman gave me the very basic how-to lecture on driving a manual and switched seats to let me drive. I couldn't get it to budge and he must have thought I was a moron as he tried to tell me how to do it.

The only thing I can think of is that it was pulled up too far somehow and got jammed. I'm still curious as to what caused it those times since I'm pretty gentle with it.

I'm curious, when does this happen? After driving, sitting, when it's hot, cold, etc.?

The first time would be last March, so not cold but not hot either. It was pretty cold the night this happened again. The first time was on my test drive after the car was running for maybe a minute or two after sitting for who knows how long on the lot and the second time was on my way back from work, so about 10 minutes of driving. No pattern I can see.

 

[Bogus]

Hm I was thinking it could have been after driving and the brakes were hot and it stuck, but that's strange. I'd visit my dealer.

 

[Leverus]

After happening just twice in nearly a year of owning this car I can guarantee that a trip to the dealer will result in a failure to duplicate. That's why I'm wondering if I'm somehow at fault; I'd think it would be doing this far more often if there was something really wrong with it. That's why I wonder if there's a way to pull it up too far without meaning to and getting the ratchet mechanism stuck or something preventing a release.

 

[Bogus]

I've cranked mine up pretty far with no problems.

 

[Chevrolet Customer Care]

Leverus,

Thank you for updating us and it's good to hear this hasn't reoccurred. If it does spring up as an issue again, let us know. I hope all is well and have a great weekend! Regards.

Matt,

GM Customer Assistance (Assisting Vanessa)

 

[Emersonic]

Not sure how cold it gets where you are...but I've told my kid in no uncertain terms to never ever use the parking break in winter. Ever. Turn it off, put it in gear, leave the parking brake alone...you're asking for a world of hurt and a major PITA - the cable freezes and you're hooped. Didn't heed my own advice...pulled it ever so lightly just to get it to stop rolling in the driveway (virtually flat) as I moved the cars around...and I was siting there for almost 5 minutes spinning my tires trying to go back and forth to get it to release. Never had it stuck where the handle won't go down...just frozen cables. Might not be your problem though.

 

[Leverus]

Could it freeze in about two minutes while I ran into a store quickly though? It wasn't super cold the last time, probably around 20ish. With mine the handle wasn't budging at all no matter which way I pushed, pulled, cursed, etc. until it just released perfectly normally all of a sudden.

 

[Emersonic]

I've had mine freeze the second I used it (on a different car). So 2 minutes...it's possible. Your problem sounds different though if it's your handle what won't budge. Are you pulling it back as hard and as far as possible? Or just enough to get it to keep from rolling? My kid thinks he has to reef on it..."no, (kid), 4-5 clicks maybe"...I showed him while it was rolling ever so slightly how little was required to get it to stop. Half or less of the effort than he was thinking. "Still, don't use it in winter. Ever." (I said)

Hopefully yours is done doing that.

 

[Leverus]

I'd say mine clicks about 4-5 times when I set it. I just pull it up gently until it stops.

Here's what I do when I stop: I pull up with one foot on the clutch and the other on the brake until I'm fully stopped, trans in 1 or R depending on the situation, pull the parking brake until it stops, turn off engine, off pedals, done.