Hi all,
My girlfriend has a 3 year old Stilo 1.2. Since we bought it 2 1/2 years ago the handbrake has intermittantly released on its own and caused all sorts of problems. Basically the handbrake is applied and locks into position and some how manages to release.
We immediately booked it in to the dealer. They said they fixed it by making adjustments and lubrication.
It happened again so we re booked it, They then changed the handbrake lever.
It happened again after warranty. They are not interested even though through there incompetance they could not fix it.
I think its the lever (ratchet and pawl mechanism)
Are they a common fault???
Any other ideas?????

Although it doesn't solve the problem, leaving the car in gear should always be done!

Anyhow, welcome to the Forum

What dealership are you using? If it is done on a work-card, and done pre-warranty, then any claim SHOULD be honoured...

I'm using GMD.
We have not had the car serviced there so they are not willing to carry out any work FOC. Even though we telephoned prior and they said if its rework it will be covered as it was serviced in the warranty period.
Their first excuse is;
1) The brakes require cleaning and we have to pay.

2) The hand brake cable, shoe? assembly needs adjusting.

I'm away with work so I'm not sure if it is a disk or drum brake assembly.

I'm no motor mechanic but how does any of these excuses make the handbrake lever disengage?

"They then changed the handbrake lever.
It happened again after warranty. They are not interested even though through there incompetance they could not fix it."

Interesting, that they replaced the lever mechanism, yet you think it is this thats faulty.

It could be that the pads have partially siezed so full pressure is not being exerted on the handbrake pads. Is the handbrake being pulled on tight enough? Is the problem occurring after a certain type of driving or after a certain journey?

The hand brake is holding perfectly, It will hold on the steepest of banks.

So that is why I believe it is down to the lever mechanism, Even though it has had one.
The fault went for the longest period after they fitted the new lever.

Have they got problems with the ratchet and pawl or spring mechanisms?

It actually says (i believe) in the manual to leave the car parked in gear! I always do!

Mind you, what exactly are you saying! The handbrake actually unlocks, or the car moves when the handbake is applied? If the handbrake is letting itself off, i'd suggest the ratchets on the mechanism are pooped! Do you yank the handbrake up and not press the button? Clicking away? If so you might have damaged the mechanism!

Did you buy the car 2nd hand Jimk2? If you or the previous owner always ratchet the handbrake ie pull it up without pushing the button in, then the ratchet could be worn out. Only cure for that is to change the whole handbrake lever. When it's in the on position, push down on the lever without pushing in the button. If it flies off then there's the problem.

The car was bought 6 months old.

Surely the ratchet systems arn't that soft that you could wear 2 out in 1 year?
As I doubt she presses the button top raise the lever.

StiloBoy said:

It actually says (i believe) in the manual to leave the car parked in gear! I always do!

Mind you, what exactly are you saying! The handbrake actually unlocks, or the car moves when the handbake is applied? If the handbrake is letting itself off, i'd suggest the ratchets on the mechanism are pooped! Do you yank the handbrake up and not press the button? Clicking away? If so you might have damaged the mechanism!

Click to expand...

Yes the hand brake unlocks.
It holds perfectly

Well that's the handbrake ratchet just like everyone is saying. If someone's driving style is to yank the handbrake on at every conceivable occasion then yep it could wear out very quickly. Pull out the handbrake gaiter and look at he base of the handbrake lever. Lots of shards of metal at the base? That's your handbrake ratchet or what's left of it.

Instilling better driving habits in applying the handbrake without ratcheting is the best long term cure but for now it'll likely need another handbrake lever (if they actually DID replace it last time and not just take a file to it!)

has anyone tried to adjust the handbrake pull, had new pads fitted to the rear and the handbrake needed ajusting, took me and a machanic about 30mins to undo all the screws to find the adjuster!

it's below the rear centre air vent if anyone wants to know!

I would't say my girlfriends driving style is to yank the handbrake on. She has not been doing handbrake turns to my knowledge.

She just pulls up on the lever as you would any other handbrake.

Are you saying that the fiat handbrake has to be given the softy softy aproach?

If thats the case fiat have it wrong. The ratchet mechanism should not wear away in a few months!

The steel should be hard enough to cope with this and I would have thought it would be greased when fitted to reduce friction.

Anything that makes a noise is going to wear out. Put it this way, I bought my Bravo with 6k miles on the clock, didn't realise that the handbrake ratchet was almost worn away already by the previous owner. It only takes a mild push down on the lever for it to fly off. Came back to it one day in a car park to find the handbrake not on at all, just as well it was in gear.

Managed to get all the way to 103k miles on it now, so treating it carefully does the job. The ratchets are definitely not as wear resitant as they used to be.

Can't think what else it could be. If you pull the handbrake on and it doesn't stay there then the ratchet's knackered

Deckchair5 said:

Anything that makes a noise is going to wear out. Put it this way, I bought my Bravo with 6k miles on the clock, didn't realise that the handbrake ratchet was almost worn away already by the previous owner. It only takes a mild push down on the lever for it to fly off. Came back to it one day in a car park to find the handbrake not on at all, just as well it was in gear.

Managed to get all the way to 103k miles on it now, so treating it carefully does the job. The ratchets are definitely not as wear resitant as they used to be.

Can't think what else it could be. If you pull the handbrake on and it doesn't stay there then the ratchet's knackered

Click to expand...

Thats what I think as on my first post.

But the dealer said he checked it, But I think he would say that as he did not want to fit another under warranty.


Thanks for your advice

Jim

Why wouldnt he want to fit another under warranty?

He said that their Technician inspected the hand brake ratchet assembly and said it was ok. Or assumed it was ok due to the fitting of one recently.

He first gave the excuse that the rear drum/shoe or disk/pad assemblys needed cleaning and that was why the handbrake was releasing.
When I told him no way and he realised he was not talking to a numpty he said he would ring me back.

He rang me back and said the shoes or cable needs adjusting and that would cost me £58 per hour for them to do the work.
So my girlfriend collected the car and took it home still with the fault.

Unfortunately I am away for a week with work so I cannot check the car myself or argue with this stubborn service manager.

For information the Garage is GMD at Durhan Tyne and Wear.

The ratchet is made of a decent alloy on the stilo, so it shouldn't wear away after 6 months, or 2 yrs by simple not pressing the button.
If the handbrake is still in the "up" position and the brakes aren't holding then it's not the ratchet or the lever that's to blame.
If on the other hand, you've locked the car in position, and then when you come back to the car, the handbrake is in the down position, then it's the ratchet.

I rarely press the button in on handbrake levels, mostly cos it satisfies me to know that the brake is applyign properly, i can feel AND hear it. And so far I've had old and new cars without wearing said ratchet out once, never mind a second brand new one. I suspec tthe ratchet system is a slight red herring.

The first coment abou the brake mech itself seizing up would sound the thing to me. (or the cable being loose and it not being locked in place properly (since we all know how mementum works))

Don't know if this helps............. http://fiatforum.com/showthread.php?t=15585&highlight=handbrake

First things first, ask the dealer to contact Teseo (fiat technical), to find out if there are any known problems, (I havent heard of any problems with the handbrake mechanism and there isnt any info on service news). Explain to the DET EXACTLY what happens. He should ask you a few questions regarding how often it occurs, is it with the same driver (driver error), is it at the end of a certain journey etc to build up a picture of what is happening and the circumstances that lead to it. Teseo will then advise the DET of any particular areas to look for and also ask for a product defect report to be sent in. This means that Fiat Italy know that something could be wrong.

Easy solution, press the button, its there to be pressed, if its pressed it won't get worn! And then park in gear, its good practice anyway!