Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting E BRAKE?

Hey guys,

Interesting thing happened. Wondered if you have had similar experiences. I pulled my ebrake and got out of the car to give a freind the keys to his car and my car just started rolling away. So I jumped into it only in time for it to hit a red zx2. When I got to the car the brake was still up. Anyone else have this happen?

p.s. I'm pissed off

Matter of fact that just happened to me about 1 week ago.

Not as drastic as your's, but just as scary.

I parked on a moderate incline and set the parking brake. I went inside and when I came out later and my car had rolled back 1 car length. (I know, I know leave it in gear) My heart about stopped coming out the door and seeing the car had moved! Good thing it was an empty lot behind me.

I chalked it up to not pulling the handle hard enough since it operated just fine afterwards???
I would say misadjusted rear brakes, but they are disc not drum...

Perhaps the cables are stretching/stretched.

I have noticed the brake does not work as well for backwards movement so that may have come into play as well.

Points to note 1) Use the E brake all the time at any park situation 2) If it feels stiff to pull on odds are you have water & rust in the cables(result of lack of use) 3)If the rear brakes drag this is usual with lack of use on the e brake 4)If you have a drag or slip problem fit the latest cable with the added 'pull off' springs (note: this only applies to all wheel disc set ups)

ya I always leave the car in gear to PARK it, but I was simply jumping out to hand a freind his keys.......

Heh, I left mine in gear one time at a friends house and I was in the house for a bout 10 mins when we heard a clunking noise and a bang... come to find out that my car ROLLED down his driveway and hit his garage. No Brake wasn't pulled but it was in gear. (MTX) Wish there was a way for me to prove that it came out of gear.

Sorry to hear about it, at least it was only a Focus. If it involved any damage (hope not), I would have taken a pic as long as you had a witness. It shouldn't have crept too fast at all. I've only had a half dozen mtx's (yep, American, most have been autos) but recall several manuals stating point-blank 'always engage the pb'. It makes sense, even if they sometimes lock a bit in cold weather, to 'overuse' it rather than let it rust up and become useless. I'm not sure how the disc 'auto-adjusts' for tension but I yank it up snug every time. Takes tension off your clutch....important point, that one.

FWIW, the contour manual says to put it in gear to park it. I still use the e-brake to park though, since I would rather wear it out then the trannie. Maybe my logic is wrong, but who knows... On a side note, when I picked up the car from the dealer after having the dash recal done, they only put it in 1st so when i got in, pushed on the clutch to start it and it started rolling foward towards the railing! I cought it in time but boy did it shock me! I can see how watching your car from outside rolling away could be so scarey... -Nick