What does parking brake system failure mean?
2 Answers
Parking brake system failure means that the handbrake is malfunctioning. Parking brake system failures mainly include poor parking brake performance, parking brake failure, and the parking brake lever not being able to stay in position. A parking brake system failure can cause the car to fail to remain stationary on a slope, leading to slipping when parked. The main reasons for poor parking brake performance are as follows: Excessive brake clearance, too small contact area between the brake shoe and drum, oil or hardening on the brake shoe or lining, exposed rivets, or severe deformation of the brake drum or disc. Wear and excessive clearance in the operating mechanism components, or the cable being too long. When checking the working travel of the parking brake lever, if the travel is normal, the fault is usually caused by oil contamination or burning of the rear brake friction lining. If abnormal, the fault is generally due to excessive adjustment of the parking brake working travel, looseness in the parking brake cable connection, or obstruction causing poor movement. The parking brake lever cannot stay fixed. When using the parking brake, after pulling the lever to the braking position and releasing it, it fails to stay in place. During inspection, first press and release the lever head, then grip and release the lever handle to perform up and down movement tests to check if the lever is bent, stuck, or if the spring is broken. If no issues are found, check if the sector gear and pin are severely worn, causing slippage.
Having driven for most of my life, I know it's trouble when the parking brake warning light comes on. It means the handbrake might not hold when parked, and the car could slide away on a slope—super dangerous. Common causes include loose or rusted brake cables, especially in older models; faulty sensors in electronic systems can also trigger it. I remember one winter when I delayed repairs, and my car slid down the garage ramp, nearly hitting a wall—the mechanic scolded me for being careless. Now, I make it a habit to pull over immediately if any dashboard warning lights up and get the cables checked and adjusted at the shop. Regular maintenance to inspect cable tension is crucial—safety first, don't skimp on repair costs. For electronic systems, watch out for wiring issues too; waiting until something happens is too late.
