can my e-brake freeze?
12-20-2004, 02:10 PM
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 384
can my e-brake freeze?
so after driving a good 1/2 mile down the road to work this morning i realized my driver's side rear wheel was locked and dragging on the snow. I only let me car sit for 2 days in the cold, and this is what happens??
i drove it over the dry concrete in my garage and the wheels turns but it creeks, and i can tell the brake is still gripping. The pass side on is fine tho.
right now i'v got the wheel off and a heater on it trying to warm it up, but i think the problem is deeper than that. My other buddy had a problem with his rear pads rusting into the caliper pistons and locking them. I have noticed a slight lag like something was holding the car back a couple days ago, which leads me to believe this problem might have existed for the last week, and it just took some snow to slide around on for me to realize it.
my question is: how can i fix it, what should i look for, and where should i go to have it looked at?
thanks
i drove it over the dry concrete in my garage and the wheels turns but it creeks, and i can tell the brake is still gripping. The pass side on is fine tho.
right now i'v got the wheel off and a heater on it trying to warm it up, but i think the problem is deeper than that. My other buddy had a problem with his rear pads rusting into the caliper pistons and locking them. I have noticed a slight lag like something was holding the car back a couple days ago, which leads me to believe this problem might have existed for the last week, and it just took some snow to slide around on for me to realize it.
my question is: how can i fix it, what should i look for, and where should i go to have it looked at?
thanks
12-20-2004, 02:27 PM
#2
Bump.
I have a similar problem. It seems the break on my rear left wheel is on a little. While up on jacks the rear right can spin freely while the rear left it hard to turn. It's not as bad on my car as it sounds on yours, mine seems to be barely engaged while yours seems locked.
I have a similar problem. It seems the break on my rear left wheel is on a little. While up on jacks the rear right can spin freely while the rear left it hard to turn. It's not as bad on my car as it sounds on yours, mine seems to be barely engaged while yours seems locked.
12-20-2004, 02:37 PM
#3
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and these guys are having the same problem too
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=363755
WTF?!?!?
sounds like this a common problem, time to call Midas, its way too cold to be working on it myself in the garage
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=363755
WTF?!?!?
sounds like this a common problem, time to call Midas, its way too cold to be working on it myself in the garage
12-20-2004, 03:24 PM
#5
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Join Date: Jun 2003
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I FIXED IT!!!!
i took the wheel off and found that the e-brake cable is sticking when engaged. I removed the spring and used the hook-end of a hammer to pull the e-brake cable out. It moves, but still gets stuck when i engage it again.
so i pulled it out, put the spring back on, sprayed it down in WD-40 and put the wheel back on. If got it so the wheel spins right now, but i won't be able to engage my e-brake or else it'll still get stuck. guess i'm parkin in gear till i really get around to fixing the problem. I know one of these days i'll stupidly pull the e-brake out of habit, i'll have to make a big red sign or something.
it took me all of 10 mins to disengage the brake, so good luck guys!
i took the wheel off and found that the e-brake cable is sticking when engaged. I removed the spring and used the hook-end of a hammer to pull the e-brake cable out. It moves, but still gets stuck when i engage it again.
so i pulled it out, put the spring back on, sprayed it down in WD-40 and put the wheel back on. If got it so the wheel spins right now, but i won't be able to engage my e-brake or else it'll still get stuck. guess i'm parkin in gear till i really get around to fixing the problem. I know one of these days i'll stupidly pull the e-brake out of habit, i'll have to make a big red sign or something.
it took me all of 10 mins to disengage the brake, so good luck guys!
12-20-2004, 03:57 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 723
yeah, i'm having the same problem. i went to leave work last week and noticed my rear wheels dragging. had to wait 2 hours for a stupid flatbed to get me outta there. took my rear wheels off and confirmed my suspicion that the right rear ebrake cable was locked up. i just disconnected them for the time being but i have to get them fixed this month for inspection. what a pain.
12-20-2004, 04:26 PM
#8
check the ebrake cable is crimped by the car lift when u take the car in the shop and they put it on the lifts check for bends in the e brake cable u might have to replace or mybe even fix the cable
12-21-2004, 06:19 AM
#10
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there has to be water or something getting to the e-brake line. the spring mechanism works fine on my brakes, its just the wire thats getting stuck.
at least we know now what the problem is, even tho it worked fine all last year for me. guess shouldn't leave my car outside with the e-brake engaged for almost a week in the cold anymore.
at least we know now what the problem is, even tho it worked fine all last year for me. guess shouldn't leave my car outside with the e-brake engaged for almost a week in the cold anymore.
12-21-2004, 08:09 AM
#11
Member
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 70
It seems like most of the cables on these cars get damaged by the lift in garages. The cable gets either bent or pinched when they put it on the lift, and when this happens the protective rubber sheathing rips. Water can then easily get inside the cable and rot everything out. This either causes your e-brake not to work no matter what the temperature is, or, if it hasn't rusted stuck yet, it freezes when it gets cold because water has intruded.
Check the protective cover on the ebrake cables around the rear jack point and I bet its torn. The only fix is a replacement. In the mean time, if this happens, don't continue to drive the car or call a to truck, stick your hand under there and give the lever on the caliper a good hank, or pry it back with a long screwdriver. You should be able to release brake.
Greg
Check the protective cover on the ebrake cables around the rear jack point and I bet its torn. The only fix is a replacement. In the mean time, if this happens, don't continue to drive the car or call a to truck, stick your hand under there and give the lever on the caliper a good hank, or pry it back with a long screwdriver. You should be able to release brake.
Greg
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