Handbrake "failure"

[kerrbryan]

Feel for you. Lets hope the handbrake inspection finds something

[jonnybgood]

Sorry to hear of your handbrake failure, a right royal pain in the arse and pocket.

Its one of things I feel unhappy about with mine, I'm pretty sure it needs adjusting already as it needs a couple more clicks to get on fully than it did when I first picked up the car.

Must admit prefer the electronoc handbrake on my previous car because when it fails the brake is locked on as opposed to the other way round. Mind you could cause an issue when you're belting along the motorway!

[Neily03]

£937 to repair mine :(

 

Oh and Skoda can't say when a bumper will be available.....

[decuk]

Had 2 mk2 Octavias and loads of others with rear discs, never had problem and I drive & brake hard (hard=heat). But being heavy handed I have been accused of pulling it on too hard by the wife.

[gadgetman]

I pull it up with the button down as that's how I was taught during my lessons.

Me too. I was always taught it damages the rachet which could lead to the handbrake failing and dropping.

[Mike999vRS]

Ah man that sucks. Really sucks.

Hopefully they find something faulty and you might see some of the repair money back!

Either way I hope the bumper turns up soon and the cars back to normal before too long.

[Squirrelz]

As part of the recall on the Civics they advised that the handbrake should always be pulled on without pressing the button.

[Dempsek]

I pulled up tonight and used the button to apply the handbrake. 

 

At work we double park on a slope with one car parked behind the other. I remember asking about a the DSG box and what would happen if the handbrake failed, the reply was the car would hold in park mode - hope this is true as I used to leave my manual in reverse with the handbrake on.

 

Would it not be cheaper and easier to use your insurance?

[Neily03]

Would it not be cheaper and easier to use your insurance?

It won't be easier and yes I would be cheaper right now to claim on my insurance but as I made a fault claim in February 2013 then I'd be screwed come renewal time and for several years to come.

[Svedenblad]

Feel for you!

Makes me remeber when my Ford Fiesta 1.1 rolled away with the first gear engaged and handbreak pulled, it was a quite steep park though

[Stuski]

I don't want to sound a **** that is rotten luck. But is there actually a valid reason why you would not park in gear? Always done it having lived up a mountain for a couple years. Have to leave the handbrake off as it's cold.

[peterposh]

The mechanism shouldn't be so badly designed as to be damaged by whether the button is pushed or not. if the disks are warm when the electric brake is applied, as they cool they shrink and away goes the car

[Neily03]

I don't want to sound a **** that is rotten luck. But is there actually a valid reason why you would not park in gear? Always done it having lived up a mountain for a couple years. Have to leave the handbrake off as it's cold.

 

I was tought to leave the car in manual, I've never had a car that's handbrake releases on it's own, ive never had a car who's manufacturer has recommended leaving the car in gear.  There is no mention of any requirement to leave it in gear in the owners manual for my vRS.

 

The mechanism shouldn't be so badly designed as to be damaged by whether the button is pushed or not. if the disks are warm when the electric brake is applied, as they cool they shrink and away goes the car

 

It doesn't have an electric handbrake though, and my issue was the handbrake lever released off the ratchet, nothing to do with cooling discs.....

[ozoccy]

Bugger about the damage, hopefully you get it fixed at minimal cost.

A couple of comments regarding the discussion. If the brakes are 25mm thick and at 400C when you park, which is racing hot but lets assume a worst case, then they would shrink roughly .13mm. This is worst case so temp really shouldn't play a factor.

Not using the ratchet while tensioning the brake defeats the purpose of the design, which is to ensure that no tension is lost as pressure is applied. Using the button means you have to time the release perfectly to the point of maximum tension on the brake and also reduces the chance of the ratchet engaging properly.

Not putting a vehicle in gear on a slope isn't good practice according to all the training that I have come across, and also means that you have no redundancy,

Edited 19 March, 2014 by ozoccy

[JungleJames]

Considering the ratchet has failed, surely thats a warranty issue. In which case, the damage to your car and the third parties car should be covered by the warranty. Well, thats what id expect anyway.

[Neily03]

Considering the ratchet has failed, surely thats a warranty issue. In which case, the damage to your car and the third parties car should be covered by the warranty. Well, thats what id expect anyway.

But it's working at the minute, that's the problem..... Will Skoda admit it's their fault and pay out for the damage?..... I won't be holding my breath....

[JungleJames]

But it's working at the minute, that's the problem..... Will Skoda admit it's their fault and pay out for the damage?..... I won't be holding my breath....

How strange. Good chance Skoda wil try and wiggle out of it then. Although it seems obvious its a fault with the car, and needs to be looked at. Definitely wouldnt be happy trusting the handbrake anymore if i were you.

[Neily03]

How strange. Good chance Skoda wil try and wiggle out of it then. Although it seems obvious its a fault with the car, and needs to be looked at. Definitely wouldnt be happy trusting the handbrake anymore if i were you.

It'll be parked in gear from now on, though there's nothing in the owners manual that says it needs to be.

[Dempsek]

Sorry to add fuel to the fire, but how to park is an advisory in the Highway code for the UK and is the reason I asked what would happen to my DSG if the handbrake failed while the car was in park mode.

 

https://www.gov.uk/waiting-and-parking/parking-at-night-248-to-252

 

252

Parking on hills. If you park on a hill you should

• park close to the kerb and apply the handbrake firmly
• select a forward gear and turn your steering wheel away from the kerb when facing uphill
• select reverse gear and turn your steering wheel towards the kerb when facing downhill
• use ‘park’ if your car has an automatic gearbox.

[Neily03]

I wasn't on a hill, it's a carpark on a sloping and the curb was against one rear wheel with the car face down the slope as the spars are at 45 degrees....

[Dempsek]

Neily03 to be more positive have you tried doing an insurance price comparison to see what the impact could be if you used your insurance.

 

Your bill is looking to be well over £2000 pounds, declaring it on insurance might be away to spread the cost, then again it might not.

[classic]

Pressing the button to save wearing the ratchet out is an old wives tale nowadays, left over from the days of Morris Marinas, vauxhall viva etc, which were made from poor quality materials. It annoys me that some driving instructors still preach it. In any case though your handbrake shouldn't release itself and therefore there should be a case for you to claim any loss from Skoda.

[pipsyp]

<p>

Sorry to add fuel to the fire, but how to park is an advisory in the Highway code for the UK and is the reason I asked what would happen to my DSG if the handbrake failed while the car was in park mode.

https://www.gov.uk/waiting-and-parking/parking-at-night-248-to-252

252

Parking on hills. If you park on a hill you should

• park close to the kerb and apply the handbrake firmly
• select a forward gear and turn your steering wheel away from the kerb when facing uphill
• select reverse gear and turn your steering wheel towards the kerb when facing downhill
• use ‘park’ if your car has an automatic gearbox.

Sure you already know but DSG's have a locking pin that locks the differential; on my old MK2 could hear it engaging more often than not.

Not sure how successfully it'd hold the car (as they can break) but another safety mechanism much like leaving a manual in 1st/reverse.

[SC03OTT]

The point about leaving the car in gear is moot. You're the driver, you're in control of making sure the car is secure. It's not Skodas job to detail every possible issue that may occur in the user manual.

Chalk this up to bad luck. Park the car in gear from now on and keep an eye out for the problem reoccurring.

[Neily03]

The point about leaving the car in gear is moot. You're the driver, you're in control of making sure the car is secure. It's not Skodas job to detail every possible issue that may occur in the user manual.

Chalk this up to bad luck. Park the car in gear from now on and keep an eye out for the problem reoccurring.

 

That's my plan, the handbrake is being checked on Friday, I'm sure they won't find anything wrong so then it's a case of getting both cars fixed and forget it ever happened.