E Brake
 

Has anyone noticed that when it is really cold outside that the ebrake tends to not want to seat all the way down when you go to drive it. Often when I release the ebrake it will bounce up enough to turn on the brake light. After about 5 minutes of driving she will stay down all the way.

have not noticed that myself......but the coldest ti's been for me is about 42F

i'm a stickler...
 

HAND brake, i think you mean HAND brake...
...i cannot imagine trying to safely use that brake in case of an emergency (uncontrollable spin, anyone??).

I have the same issue. I just beat on the handle a few times and it stays down.

It got down below 60 here last night (brrrr) but I didn't notice that. ;-)

Same deal here too, just act like your mad at it and it will cooperate. It's been COOOOOOOOOOOOOLD here in NJ. I dont see it as any big problem.

Yeah me neither. Just wanted to see if it was just me or if it was a common thing. I just waylay on it for a minute and she stays.

Yep- I noticed last week when the temps were below zero... I spazzed the first time when I was driving away from my house and saw the brake dummy light on the dash lit up... then I realized it needed to be pushed down another millimeter or so to get the light off. As soon as the cabin temp came up a little bit it wanted to stay down on it's own.

-Sean

Re: i'm a stickler...
 

In high school I had a '78 celica with a leaking master cylinder that I didn't know about... I can tell you after a helluva scare approaching an intersection with no brake pedal pressure that it was an 'emergency' brake on that day. I would however consider a renaming of "oh shit!" brake : )

-Sean

Yep same issue. I just push it down again once and it's fine.

Yes - it's happened to me a couple of times too. /rxcited

Well, its about -2C here and ive never had that prob. Just lucky I guess

The owner's manual for my Protege5 recommends NOT to use the hand brake when temperatures get to freezing or below, the pads may stick to the rotors (freeze?). Maybe that's what you're experiencing. What does your manual say?

ohhhhhhhhh good point, sounds reasonable

that definently happened to me...but i gave it a nice "love tap" and it shut up haha

Dan

hi neit_jnf,
I forgot about that.

RX-8 Owner's Manual page 4-9
"Winter Driving:
Don't use the parking brake in freezing
weather as the parking brake may
freeze. Instead, shift to P with an
automatic transmission and to 1 or R
with a manual transmission. Block the
rear wheels."

Does any here follow the blocking your rear wheels and not using the parking brake in freezing conditions method?

thanks,
rx8cited

lol not in this lifetime. its just not practical.

I think the only time you would need to block the wheels is if your parked on a steep incline.... so as not to damage the tranny.

I noticed that my e brake did the same this morning so I decided to just go with putting it in gear while parking on anything but a steep incline.

These things come with a manual?? JK :)

If still wanting to use the e brake due to inclines, exercise it a few times before taking off, you just need to get the grease in the cable feed to loosen up a bit, that is why it doesn't release fully when it's really cold. It was 13 F here this morning when mine did it.

Re: i'm a stickler...
 

You would think so ..BUT

I actually tested this out. I was in a parking lot travelling about 20 MPH.....pulled up on the Hand brake as hard as I could....nothing....just a very gradual slow down. I had the handle straight up. This hand brake will NOT lock up the rear wheels. I tried different speeds.....even when cornering.

Either its weak.....or designed that way...or both.

Re: Re: i'm a stickler...
 

:confused: this would be the very first example of such a brake, if this is always the case....

Re: Re: Re: i'm a stickler...
 

True.

All of the cars I have ever owned would lock up the rear wheels when tested like this.

I say someone else go out and try it.......just to see if its just my car;)

I haven't used my e-brake for parking in the last month or so and I park on some steep grades...

...just park somewhere on a steep grade, hold the brake in, turn the car off, put it in 1st, get off the brake and observe your car not going anywhere and not putting up with a frozen cable and frozen pads.

It's not just your car......I have tried this too, and they seem pretty weak.

Definitely just a parking brake and not an "emergency" brake.

Had the same issue happen several times as well. In most cases the overnight temp had dipped into the 20's. Usually just rest my hand on the handle for a few minutes until the interior begins to warm.