Handbrake problem

Vudgie

I have a 08 mondeo and I park on an incline. I parked this evening on a few cm of slush and applied the handbrake. The handbrake would not hold the car at all without the brake. Other cars around me appeared to have no problem. I had to move the car onto the flat.

I went into the house only to witness the car rolling forward, which was not pleasant.

On the flat ground the handbrake appears to hold the car even if I try the accelerator.

I would have thought the handbrake should have held the car but it was having no effect. I am going to have it looked at but does this sound particualrly suprising to people in the know.

Thanks

tuxy

I would recommend leaving the car in gear when parked on any kind of incline.

Buford T Justice

Vudgie wrote: »

I have a 08 mondeo and I park on an incline. I parked this evening on a few cm of slush and applied the handbrake. The handbrake would not hold the car at all without the brake. Other cars around me appeared to have no problem. I had to move the car onto the flat.

I went into the house only to witness the car rolling forward, which was not pleasant.

On the flat ground the handbrake appears to hold the car even if I try the accelerator.

I would have thought the handbrake should have held the car but it was having no effect. I am going to have it looked at but does this sound particualrly suprising to people in the know.

Thanks

Are the pads in the back breaks wearing down? Might just be a case of adjusting the cable a bit.

tuxy

Actually was just thinking, leaving a car in gear while parked on a hill is standard practice. If it's moving while parked in gear you have bigger problems then the handbrake.

Fingers McGee

Fingers McGee wrote: »

Are the pads in the back breaks wearing down? Might just be a case of adjusting the cable a bit.

I presume the handbrake consists of shoes not pads

Anan1

Was it the handbrake or the rear tyres that wasn't holding the car?

Buford T Justice

RoverJames wrote: »

I presume the handbrake consists of shoes not pads

Yeah, meant to say shoes not pads...

ninty9er

tuxy wrote: »

Actually was just thinking, leaving a car in gear while parked on a hill is standard practice.

I thought it was standard practice regardless. Do you not fail your driving test for leaving a car in neutral when parked up? If not you should, basic safety precaution. There's a reason most auto cars won't releast the key from the ignition unless the car is in P.

tuxy

Yep and since it's a Mondeo(fwd) the gears would hold the front wheels while the handbrake would hold the back. Sounds like there could be something seriously wrong with the car. Either that or very poor tyres as Anan1 said.

mickdw

The OP mention that it was parked on slush on a slope. Is it skidding away or are the wheels turning. Either way put the car in gear when parking regardless of the quality of the handbrake

kazul

RoverJames wrote: »

I presume the handbrake consists of shoes not pads

On a 2008 Mondeo?

kazul

kazul wrote: »

On a 2008 Mondeo?

It no doubt has discs all round but on a car with discs on the back the handbrake does not use the discs, pads & caliper as the footbrake does. There is in most set ups shoes that are only applied by the handbrake, typically they squeeze the inside of the disc

Stoolbend

Mondeos use a lever on the calipers for the handbrake.
Not little shoes inside the disc!

Is the handbrake hard to pull?
The older ones suffered from cables seizing.
Or they might just be frozen.

kazul

RoverJames wrote: »

It no doubt has discs all round but on a car with discs on the back the handbrake does not use the discs, pads & caliper as the footbrake does. There is in most set ups shoes that are only applied by the handbrake, typically they squeeze the inside of the disc

I would say that this set-up is the exception rather than the rule

kazul

kazul wrote: »

I would say that this set-up is the exception rather than the rule

Perhaps, the discs and pads generally aren't applied by the handbrake though. Many manufacturers used the little shoes arrangement in thr 90s and early 00s, it wasn't the exception then

Vudgie

Thanks for the replies guys. As far as I recall the wheels were not rolling just sliding.The worst thing is that there is a kerb and a 1/2 foot drop the other side of the car space and the front wheels had mounted the kerb:eek:.

Seems odd that as it appears to be working on the flat ground. The incline I park on is noticable but not particularly steep but the handbrake was doing nothing last night at all. It may have been the thick slush but it is funny that it seemed to stick and then when I looked out the window 5 mins later it was moving!

I have it booked in for tomorrow to be looked at and I am hoping that it will be covered under warranty, I think I got two years warranty which would expire next month.

dobsdave

Vudgie wrote: »

Thanks for the replies guys. As far as I recall the wheels were not rolling just sliding.The worst thing is that there is a kerb and a 1/2 foot drop the other side of the car space and the front wheels had mounted the kerb:eek:.

Seems odd that as it appears to be working on the flat ground. The incline I park on is noticable but not particularly steep but the handbrake was doing nothing last night at all. It may have been the thick slush but it is funny that it seemed to stick and then when I looked out the window 5 mins later it was moving!

I have it booked in for tomorrow to be looked at and I am hoping that it will be covered under warranty, I think I got two years warranty which would expire next month.

If the wheels aren't turning, then the handbrake is doing its job?

hobochris

given the weather conditions you could have parked on snow/ black ice and not realized.

Vudgie

The original (2 year old) tyres are on it. Someone suggested to me that old tyres could have contributed. I am not convinced by that does anyone think that the tyres would have been a factor.

If the wheels were locked the handbrake is fine, seems like you parked on ice as mentioned above.

yawn

if the tyres are 2 years old and are bald ( depending how much mileage you've done ), and you parked on ice on an incline there would be no grip so the car would slide.

Vudgie

Thanks for all of the advice given.

Car booked in for tomorrow to check handbrake and to get a general service.

Other than the handbrake how much should a general service cost for a 2 year old mondeo? Considering it is the first service (I know, I know:rolleyes:).

zilog_jones

It doesn't sound like there's anything wrong with the handbrake - the wheels were sliding because there was no grip. Why are you getting it checked out? Just park in first gear in future.

Vic_08

If the wheels were sliding then there is nothing wrong with the brakes.

You parked on a hill in conditions with very low grip and the handbrake which only acts on the rear wheels was not enough to keep the car stationary. It doesn't mean there is anything wrong with the car.

Vudgie

I am sure people are right as I never noticed much wrong with the handbrake before. It just amazed me that it appeared to stick and then 5 mins later moved considerably. It may have been just ice but there were other large heavy cars parked nearby which didn't appear to have any issue parked on the same conditions.

To be honest I need a service anyway and it is probably best to just get it checked as part of that.

I will let you know how I get on. Must endeavour to educate myself more about cars in general.

Vudgie

Vudgie wrote: »

Other than the handbrake how much should a general service cost for a 2 year old mondeo? Considering it is the first service (I know, I know:rolleyes:).

Is it a petrol or a diesel also what mileage is on it ? Either way an oil and oil filter change with an airfilter and an all round check shouldn't be more than €250 providing there is nothing else meeding replacement.

Vudgie

It needs two new tyres and rear brake pads:eek: Hadn't planned for this expense. Apparently the handbrake needed to be adjusted but the rear brake pads are completely worn down which makes the handbrake less effective apparently.