Sicilian
New member
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2021
- Messages
- 34
- Points
- 9
Hi all, first post although I've browsed the forum for years as we own a Fiat Ducato motorhome.
I've recently become the owner of a bright orange (hence the user name) Panda 4x4 twinair. Really enjoying it and getting used to the quirks of the engine but one thing that is really poor is the handbrake. It barely holds the car on our admittedly steep driveway and if I didn't park it in gear it wouldn't hold at all. This is with the handbrake pulled on as hard as I can manage and it certainly isn't excess travel at the lever end as it only comes up around five or six clicks maximum.
I've searched the forum and elsewhere and the handbrake seems to have automatic adjustment at the calipers as the brake pads wear. I've had a quick look at the rear brakes and the discs have a bit of corrosion on them but no worse than the rear discs on many other light cars due to the lack of use. One thing I have noticed is that the rear pads are aftermarket and only look a few hundred miles old, not sure if this has any bearing? The car is a 2016 with 28000 miles covered, are the caliper pistons known to seize on the Panda at such low mileage? I have had this before on another of my cars but it had covered much higher mileage and was older too. I'm pretty handy with the spanners so if anyone has any inside info on the Panda 4x4 handbrake I'd appreciate it
I've recently become the owner of a bright orange (hence the user name) Panda 4x4 twinair. Really enjoying it and getting used to the quirks of the engine but one thing that is really poor is the handbrake. It barely holds the car on our admittedly steep driveway and if I didn't park it in gear it wouldn't hold at all. This is with the handbrake pulled on as hard as I can manage and it certainly isn't excess travel at the lever end as it only comes up around five or six clicks maximum.
I've searched the forum and elsewhere and the handbrake seems to have automatic adjustment at the calipers as the brake pads wear. I've had a quick look at the rear brakes and the discs have a bit of corrosion on them but no worse than the rear discs on many other light cars due to the lack of use. One thing I have noticed is that the rear pads are aftermarket and only look a few hundred miles old, not sure if this has any bearing? The car is a 2016 with 28000 miles covered, are the caliper pistons known to seize on the Panda at such low mileage? I have had this before on another of my cars but it had covered much higher mileage and was older too. I'm pretty handy with the spanners so if anyone has any inside info on the Panda 4x4 handbrake I'd appreciate it