can anyone tell me where the adjustment nut is for the handbrake cable on a 2010 skoda fabia 1.2, is it under the centre console or is it underneath the car and how do you remove the centre console if it is there?

 

Thanks

The adjustment nut is under the centre console.  Pull the little tray out from the console (the tray is towards the back of the console and just pulls out with a bit of a tug).  The adjustment nut is under the tray.  If you have an armrest, you'll have to take this out as it sits in the space where the tray is normally.  To remove the armrest, pull the side pieces off and you'll see how it is fitted quite easily then.  Thanks. 

It is advisable to make sure the drums are correctly adjusted first. The self adjusters can stick causing excess travel at the lever. There are threads on this but it is simple enough. With the rear wheels off you can click the adjuster through a stud hole.

The little tray mentioned in the above post is the square shaped one behind the handbrake.  Give it a good tug and it will come out.  You'll see the handbrake adjustment nut quite clearly then.

Do you just tighten a nut to adjust the cable tension then? Simple as that?

Do you just tighten a nut to adjust the cable tension then? Simple as that?

Yup, let hand brake off then tighten 10mm nut checking for feel every so often until it feels right.

Yup, let hand brake off then tighten 10mm nut checking for feel every so often until it feels right.

Ah spot on. Cheers. Didnt know that.

I'll do mine myself then when it gets bad enough .

Guys - before anyone rushes out to play with their cable adjustment, may I repeat what Fatbloke has already said. It is essential that the rear brake adjustment is corrected BEFORE any adjustment is made to the cable.

Failure to do this will upset the mechanical geometry of the hand brake system. Some will say that they have self adjusting rear brakes - be under no illusion, most do not keep the adjustment at its optimum point. 

When I was a MOT tester, one of the biggest causes of test failure were people pulling up the h/brake cables because of the travel of the handbrake itself, OR, they thought pulling up the cable would improve handbrake efficiency.

How many clicks should the handbrake be on before the car is stationery?

 

Hi 

 

I have had my Fabia 1.6 TDI CR Elegance Estate (with armrest) serviced and drums cleaned and handbrake adjusted but it now locks on 4 clicks but the new courtesy car (2400 miles) I drove today whilst my car was being serviced locked on 2 to 3 clicks.  I told the garage the above and he said you need 4 to 5 clicks to get the automatic adjuster to work?  Is this an excuse for not adjusting the handbrake because he has to remove the arm rest which looked as if it had not been disturbed?

 

I know I am disbelieving but that what you get from corporate garages.

 

Thanks 

 

Diesel Estate

Mine also has 4 clicks.  Quite normal in my experience and nothing to worry about.

4-5 clicks is correct

I took my rear wheels off a month or two back to try and adjust the shoes to the drum first but I couldn't find the pin to click them over closer to the drum edge, and eventually I gave up. I tried to get the drum off but it was on solid so I also gave up with that one haha. 

 

Can anyone explain exactly what the bar looks like or has a picture of it through the hole on the drum. 

Hi

 

Thanks for your advice. 

 

Perhaps the garage was right but it seems different to the new car being set to 2 or 3 clicks.  When I was a student, I had an Hillman Imp (giving my age away!) and set the handbrake at 3 clicks to lock.

 

Regards

 

Diesel Estate.

Hi

 

Took the car for the 40K mile service at another dealer and asked them to tighten the handbrake as it needs a few more clicks to hold.  They adjusted the cable adjusters inside the car in between the front seats to two or three clicks to hold the car.

 

Conclusion, it seems different dealers have different opinions on how many clicks are required to hold the car by the handbrake.

 

Regards

 

Diesel Estate

Nothing really to do with Dealers,

it will be the Technician or Fitter that does it, and as long as the Hand Brake holds.

 

Many have been known to adjust a Hand Brake to pass a MOT, 2, 3 or 4 clicks, then will re-adjust to have 4 or 5 clicks that people are comfortable with.

Different strokes (or Clicks) for different folks. 

Many a female and males like a hand brake they can pull higher, & release easily.

Edited 30 May, 201511 yr by goneoffSKi

mine is 6 clicks so i am guessing i will need to do this to lower the clicks?

IMO 6 clicks is ok, should pass MOT. I would recommend not to adjust below 4 clicks as the lack of movement of the lever mech in the rear drums hastens the inevitable tendency to stick on (due to pivot point corrosion). And the onset of "rear brakes" not wanting to release after being parked in rain etc. and drag when they finally release.