Skoda Octavia .. Handbrake issues .

[Rodge]

I thought most cases of handbrake failure reported here had been due to the ratchet failing? That's what I assumed Ruje meant when he said, "the handle seems to have released itself".

[Gabbo]

Actually you are right Rodge, reading more into the linked thread seems to suggest the majority of the failures were the rachet releasing.

 

I've had a problem several times on my car where the car started rolling back on its own with the handbrake & rachet still normally engaged.

Luckily I was in the car each time whilst stopped in traffic or at traffic lights & was able to pull another notch to stop the car moving. (when I first stopped the handbrake was at maximum so something has slackened in the minute or so while the car was stationary)

I guess my issue is more like the one BlackSheep mentions in the thread.

[Ruje]

@Rodge 

Yes, the ratchet failed, because when I got back in the car the handbrake lever was fully released as if it had not been set. 

A lady out walking her dog said that she heard a loud bang, so it must have released some time after I had parked the car and gone into my house.

Also, there is not a huge gradient on my drive so the handbrake must have released spontaneously for the car to gather enough momentum to knock over my neighbours wall - as opposed to gradually releasing and creeping down the hill.

 

@Gabbo

This also happened to my wife a week previously when she was with the kids.  She had to yank the handbrake to stop the car rolling when my 11 y/o was getting out of the car.  At that time she assumed that she must have set the handbrake incorrectly instead of the handbrake actually being faulty.  So I would advise you to be careful when you park your car on a hill as you may have the same issue and who knows how it might manifest itself.

 

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Oldmansomerset]

This reminds me of a boring story.  Back in the 60s I was driving a Hillman Husky and in those far off days, they decided to place the handbrake on the right of the driver.  I had parked on a quite steep hill and as I got out, my size 11 hit the release button and off the Husky went down the hill!   Fortunately I was quite nimble then and caught it in time.  There was a modification done on later cars where a lip was placed under the release button so big feet didn't knock it off.

 

The Land Rover transmission brake could be a problem in Winter.  We had them in Germany, again in the 60s and the brake could freeze on during a very hard frost.  The solution was simple, park in gear.  If you did get a frozen handbrake, you would select low ratio, rev up, drop the clutch and hope for the best  I don't remember breaking any propshafts.

[181ce]

Not a Skoda exclusive,loadsa yokes do it,discs/pads contract when cool,net result no handbrake unless you yanked it on good n proper.

Chalk it down to experience and leave it in gear as well, should be common practice anyway IMO.

[SoupDragon]

For what it's worth, Mk111 Octavia manual with hill hold. I parked on a hill and forgot to set the handbrake. I had enough time to get out of the car, open the back door and get out a few things before the hill hold started to release with a loud groaning noise. It must have been about 5 seconds or more after I had got out of the car. Fortunately I was able to get back in at the front and stop the car before it came to grief. 

[Oldmansomerset]

Yes - After rather more years driving than I care to mention, as they say, I found the hill start surprising but have grown used to it and find it quite handy.  The trick is to not use it when driving a car not fitted

[gixerman]

you always get some old man in somerset that thinks hes clever but not at all ooolllddd man

[gixerman]

for what its worth soupdragon im not the only person on this forum that has put his handbrake on and some time later it has released itself were not on about the hillstart  but thanks anyway , as I have said they had my car in the second time saying nothing wrong with the brakes , but told by skoda uk they stripped them and put them back together and its never happened since .

[Oldmansomerset]

12 hours ago, gixerman said:

you always get some old man in somerset that thinks hes clever but not at all ooolllddd man

?

[melbury]

On 17/10/2018 at 08:23, Oldmansomerset said:

?

Exactly ! 

[gixerman]

MELBURY JOIN THE OLDMAN AND GET UP TO DATE WITH MODERN CARS AND BRAKES ( 1.0TSI     MMMMMMM)

[melbury]

gixerman,  I have no problem with brakes currently, I just agree with oldman. As it happens I have had plenty of experience with malfunction of electric park brake, particularly on Jaguar. 

[Oldmansomerset]

Yep - I think it went over Gix's head

[gixerman]

oldmansomelbury   

get with it !  its not electric parking break  ? this might go into your heads   !!!

[Oldmansomerset]

Quite right it is brake

[gixerman]

I quite enjoy fishing ?

[Oldmansomerset]

Yep - noted