The other day I pulled up in a carpark and it had a small (and I mean small) slope about 5 degrees or something. I parked up and pulled the handbrake up, got out the car and went into the shop. I'm halfway through buying a tv when a message comes over the tannoy for the owner of my car to come to the service desk.

The damn car had rolled back out of the spot into someone elses car. I go out and luckily there is no damage whatsoever, so a big sigh of relief.

the handbrake seems pretty poor on my car and was just wondering if anyone else has noticed this on their fabias. I will be getting it loooked at in a month at next service. Till then I will be leaving it in gear aswell.

Gav, leave it in gear every time, do it like you do your seatbelt before you drive off.

Gav, leave it in gear every time, do it like you do your seatbelt before you drive off.

I will be leaving it in gear from now on. Its just a shame that my 22 year old cavalier could be left on a 45 degree gradient just on the handbrake, but my fabia cant be left on a gradient smaller then that of a saucer and be expected to stay there.

the handbrake should be adjusted at every service (or its autoajusting_... mine only comes up 2 clicks!.

check your rear brakes (i presume its on rear discs?) they are prone to wearing quite fast..

How many miles has your car done? How old is it?

If your car is a newer car then it may be just that the cable has stretched slightly. The handbrakes are supposed to be largly self adjusting but in practise they sometimes don't adjust enough and you need to intervine. Your dealer could just sort this at your next service.

mines rubbish too but i always leave my cars in gear, just a habit, which has lead to some interesting incidents when other people drive them! Silly people shud check!

When a similar problem was reported with an Octavia recently big k advised applying the footbrake and then applying the handbrake.

I shall check that out. My car will be one year old in march and has done 15k. I will be having the annual service soon so will get them to look at it then.

If i've had my handbrake on i often get a loud click (audible from the outside of the car) when i drive off. This noise can sometimes happen 30-40 seconds after driving off. it's been doing it for months now.l

When a similar problem was reported with an Octavia recently big k advised applying the footbrake and then applying the handbrake.

Good tip that, will deffinatly help.

Spoke to my dad today and he remembered a problem that was in the news or on tv or something that happened with a new car. He couldnt remember the make or model, but said it had rear discs as does the vrs. He said that they put the handbrake on and when they left the car, the handbrake disengaged itself and the car rolled backwards. He mentioned that when taking the car back they wouldnt believe this had happened so they tested it leaving cameras around. Sure enough the handbrake disengaged and the car rolled back.

Do you think its possible that this is happening with the fabia vrs I have?

I know nothing when it comes to mechanics of cars, just wondered if anyone had heard of similar.

My dad reckons I should get it looked at a.s.a.p instead of waiting for the service in march

I think that issue was with the Citeron Xantia and I think it was something to do with the brake disks cooling down and contracting slightly as they cooled.

Mind you, that was a few years back.

My Fabia is always parked on a hill so I make sure I give the handbrake a good tug when I apply it. I always turn the front wheels into the kerb so that if it was to fail the kerb would hold it.

I think that issue was with the Citeron Xantia and I think it was something to do with the brake disks cooling down and contracting slightly as they cooled.

Mind you' date=' that was a few years back.

My Fabia is always parked on a hill so I make sure I give the handbrake a good tug when I apply it. I always turn the front wheels into the kerb so that if it was to fail the kerb would hold it.[/quote']

I madfe sure I pulled the handbrake an extra notch, but it wasnt a hill really more a gentle incline. When parking on a hill I always leave it in gear and turn wheels towards the curb.

Was shocked to see the car had rolled back on such a small incline

My parents driveway is very steep - the Octavia handbrake doesnt hold the car if you just pull it on as normal. The key to good handbrak application is as follows;

Park in gear and apply the hand brake with the foot brake on.

Pump the foot brake hard twice

Keep foot on foot brake

Remove and reapply hand brake

Works a treat.