Why Does the Car Handbrake Freeze in Winter?
1 Answers
The reasons for the handbrake freezing in winter are as follows: Mechanical Handbrake Freezing Reasons: For manual parking systems, there is generally only one reason why the handbrake gets stuck and cannot be released in winter: the brake disc and brake pads freeze together and cannot separate. The solution is to engage the gear after warming up the car, release the handbrake lever, slightly lift the clutch, and press the clutch when the car shows a tendency to move forward. Repeat this process several times to see if the handbrake can be released. Electronic Parking Freezing Reasons: Typically, electronic parking systems are more resistant to freezing than traditional mechanical handbrakes. Pressing the unlock button allows for smooth driving. However, it's important to note that after washing the car or driving long distances on wet or slippery surfaces, the brake discs of the electronic brake can also freeze if they get wet. If the brake discs freeze due to water ingress, the only solution is to pour hot water to thaw them. However, the extent of freezing is unknown, and in automatic transmission cars, the torque at the moment of releasing the brake is to some extent uncontrollable by the driver. Therefore, it is not recommended to use movement as a method to thaw the brakes.
