My handbrake  seems to be a little bit odd - not smooth, being as it has just passed the mot I am fairly confident that there is nothing seriously wrong. So how do I get to the handbrake cable inside the car to get something like wd40 down the cable. Or are they always like this on octavias.

It's usual to do this with a new cable before fitting to the car. You need to make a small funnel out of modelling clay or similar around one end of the sheath, hang the cable by that end, and pour a little light oil into it.

 

It may not be a failure yet, but this probably indicates that either one of the wires in the inner cable has broken or that the sheath is kinked.

You don't. You buy a new one. 

 

I've never heard of anyone lubricating a handbrake cable, or any other kind of control cable for that matter. You don't want to introduce any kind of fluid in there, lubricant or other. And WD-40 is not a lubricant for that matter.

You don't. You buy a new one.

I've never heard of anyone lubricating a handbrake cable, or any other kind of control cable for that matter. You don't want to introduce any kind of fluid in there, lubricant or other. And WD-40 is not a lubricant for that matter.

+1

...unless it is the caliper that is sticking.