Handbrake! Help!!!!

[Dev]

Got home from work today, parked my car up in the 4 inches of snow outside my house, went inside, came out bout hour later, started the car put the handbrake down which felt loose, tried to move but it felt like the handbrake was still on, i mean when i put the lever down it had no effect.
Now the lever moves up and down freely having no effect on the brake!
is this the famous frozen handbrake syndrome? if so what can i do to fix it? will it un-freeze when it warms up? if not what can i do, the cable is still attached to the inside of the lever cos if i pull the lever hard enough it clicks a couple more notches and there is resistance, as soon as i let go it becomes all loose again!
Please help cos i cant drive the car and i need it asap! and the insurance ran out on my other bravo today sorry bout the long post, wanted to include everything

Dev

 

[AlfaNige]

Yup frozen handbrake. Nothing you can do except live with it or buy a Punto as for some reason they dont have the same issue! Multiplas do though
Go Scandinavian and leave the car in gear and the handbrake off in the winter, you will get used to it
Nige

 

[Dev]

Re: Re: Handbrake! Help!!!!

ok but what do i do in the mean time? i cant drive the car cos the handbrake appears to be permanently on even tho the levers down! will this cure it self when it warms up? and will i have use of the handbrake again cos the car wont move at the moment!
Dev

 

[Ozric-Al]

Re: Re: Re: Handbrake! Help!!!!

You're screwed mate until it warms up a bit. Sorry I can't give you better news but that's the life of a snowed in Bravo owner I'm afraid. It will come loose once it warms up (don't panic! we are not talking tropical temps here) but you'll have to wait mate.

Shabash!

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Re: Re: Handbrake! Help!!!!

It'll be your drums or discs at the back that are frozen, pour warm water over them to un seize them then when you park up again leave the hand brake off.

Joske

 

[Dev]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Handbrake! Help!!!!

so ur saying ill be able to drive again when it come above freezing? i hope thats what you mean, ill see what itslike in the morning and try the warm water trick see if that helps. Thanks for the help, hope it works! Dev

 

[RR]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Handbrake! Help!!!!

As soon as the rear brakes have thawed out it will be fine.

In future, leave the handbreak off and park in gear during the winter.

 

[Wickford Jay]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Handbrake! Help!!!!

I learned the hard way this time last year, left my handbrake on after taking my heavily pregnant fiancee to the hospital at 5am, I got sent home and she was kept in, then got a call at 9am to tell me she'd gone into labour and to get there quick. Low and behold, the handbrake had frozen on my HGT, so I had to use the other halfs Escort to get me to the hospital, just made it with 35 minutes to spare. Very lucky that we had another motor to be honest with you.
So, as of the 31st Jan last year, whenever it gets even a little bit cold, my handbrake stays off and I leave the car in gear.

 

[Anonymous]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Handbrake! Help!!!!

OK, i was told to leave my handbrake off as well, but because i park at the top of a steep hill i was tols this.
Leave handbrake off.
Leave car in reverse gear.

and the car won't roll down the hill..
WRONG..
the car does roll down the hill for a few feet anyway( before i slammed the brake on), now i can't let it run any longer than that cos' it'll hit the car parked in front, what i want to know is will the reverse gear engage after a few feet and lock the car or is there something up with my car ?

 

[Wickford Jay]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Handbrake! Help!!!!

This might sound like a really stupid question, but you did take your foot off the clutch didn't you?

 

[Igor]

Water ove brakes -- not a very good idea as it will just help this once and than you could get even bigger problems again.
1. Try to reengage handbrake one click harder than usual several times. It could help break the ice.
2. If it does not help, ask neighbours, maybe someone have builders/industrial hot air fan/blower. Warm your rear brake drums over freezing point with it and it should do the trick (or, if you don't mind or are desperate, you could get under car, remove round plugs covering brake regulator access, and use any hair dryer to blow hot air into that hole).

 

[Alfanige]

Re: Re: Handbrake! Help!!!!

Its not the brakes that freeze, its the cable. Do not pour water over your brakes that will then add to the problem

There is meant to be a rubber grommet on the end of the cable, but that comes off after 10 miles! The cable sheath then get water in it that then freezes.

If you want to defrost it, crawl underneath in the snow with a hairdryer and warm the cables.

Nige