So someone took my car for a test drive and he drove it while the E-brake was on!!!! What, if any damage would this cause? He drove it for a mile and hit up to 40mph, when we got out, the rear brakes were smoking and smelt all burned.

 

Sounds like he overheated the brakes. I hope theres no wrap and that he didn't boil the brake fluid.

 

Are there any signs I should look for? I'm a n00b when it comes to brakes.

 

Well I checked the rotors and it seems to be smooth still, but how about the fluid? What should I check and how???

 

I forgot to put the E brake all the way down once I got off a red light, but I put it down in the next few lights, no damage done whatsoever.

 

friend of mine drove like that in his corolla for maybe ~30 miles or so, nothing happened to his car.

 

was it pulled al the way up? if so, the guy needs smacked. how could you not notice the e-brake is on? i mean seriousely the lack of power should throw up a red flag saying "something isn't right"

 

Why would the brake fluid boil if the e-brake is actuated by a cable?

 

if theres no warping on your rotors your probably ok you most likely burnt up the pads.......what do you think happens when someone does a huge burnout.....

 

Ok good to hear there will be no major damage done, thanks for the replies. It was for a short drive, and I don't think the E-brake was all the way up, maybe halfway.

 

a friend of mine drove my old car (taurus) with the ebrake on and the rear right wheel was smokin real bad. had to replace the ebrake cable, caliper, and of course, new pads.

 

my gf drove my maxima with the handbrake on once, all she told me was the car felt slow and i touched the rim and i burned my hand, luckily i was installing new pads and rotors anyways, but lets just say she made up for it

 

The ebrake uses the same caliper, heat can make its way to the brake fluid through heat conduction. I guess it would be less efficient than if the piston was exterting direct force to the pads, but it is possible since the whole caliper is metal

 

my brother drove around all day wit his boys car and ruin the transmission

 

The brake fluid boils from the pressure not from the temperature of the pad/rotor.

 

You mean she helped you change the brakes right?

 

We have all done it ounce or twice, its not a big deal, should not have affected the fluid, as the PARKING BRAKE is all mechanical, I have been doing a lot of reading on Rear Brakes lately, you might want to look at replacing the rear brake pads as I am sure they got grinded a bit I suggest ceramic pads, however you might be fine JUST DONT TKAE UR CAR TO JUST BRAKES they will charge you close to 200 for installing good rear brake pads. . . . .
http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=480207

 

I always drive with my e-brake up. That way when I put it down it feels like I have NAWZZ12@!@!

 

The person test-driving probably thought your car sucked because it had crappy acceleration. You would think that they would notice your car slowing down on its own.
I drove with my e-brake up once, but only got a few feet before I notice my car slowing down.

 

ROFLMFAO

 

Actually, he liked the power. We both didn't feel the loss of power, just the stench of the rear brakes. He might be blind b/c there is a freaking red light with the word BRAKE litted, I was sitting in the back so I didn't see it.

 

Thats because our car has mad amounts of torque, you cant feel it!