What to Do When the Car Still Rolls After Applying the Handbrake?
2 Answers
The reason why the car still rolls after applying the handbrake may be due to slack in the handbrake. You can try tightening the handbrake cable. If it's a manual transmission, you can press the clutch with your left foot, press the brake with your right foot, engage any forward gear, apply the handbrake, and then turn off the engine to use the traction of the gear to prevent rolling. If it's an automatic transmission, press the brake, shift to P (Park), apply the handbrake, and then turn off the engine to utilize the locking mechanism of the automatic transmission's P gear to prevent further rolling. If you notice that the handbrake's braking efficiency or sensitivity is poor, you can adjust the handbrake's operating copper cable. At the connection point between the handbrake lever's base and the copper cable, there is an adjustable compensation mechanism. Loosen the locking nut with a wrench to stretch the length of the brake copper cable. However, some cars have the adjustment mechanism located underneath the vehicle. If adjustment is inconvenient, it should be handled by professional maintenance personnel.
If the car rolls even with the handbrake engaged, I take immediate action to ensure safety. First, I move the car to a level surface; if that's not possible, I use wheel chocks or stones to block the wheels. Then, I check if the handbrake is fully engaged—sometimes the cable is loose and requires multiple attempts to tighten. If this doesn’t help, I consider issues like worn brake pads or an aged handbrake cable. I once fixed it by adjusting the cable myself. Don’t ignore this problem, as frequent occurrences can accelerate component wear and affect the entire braking system. Finally, I recommend visiting a professional repair shop for a thorough inspection and adjustment of the system—safety comes first. During regular maintenance, I always remind myself to test the handbrake’s tension to avoid future trouble.
