I've been searching through the internet trying to find out whats wrong with my parking brake, decided just to go ahead and post here to see if I can get an answer. So when I pull the E Brake up there is tension on it, but the E brake does not engage... what would be the problem?

 

Cable needs to be adjusted, frozen due to corrosion linkage.

Look it up in the service manualbrakes section - BR. Don't know what year you have, so it's hard to be specific.

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http://boredmder.com/FSMs/Nissan/Maxima/
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http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Maxima/

 

Could be one of the rear calipers is not working properly. One of my caliper pistons was stuck and the e-brake would only hold a little bit. Start with the tension adjustment first though.

 

Yea might have a cable problem.what I would do is jack the rear of the car up .then release the parking brake.spin both rear wheels with ya hand it should spin free. Then pull the parking brake .check and see if the wheels have any added resistance to them when u spin it.next try adjusting the cable .remove leather covering over brake handle and pull handle up .u will need a 10 mm deep socket to tighten cable.u will see the nut. Turn clockwise to tighten.if wheels still turn free then proceed.once u do that then remove both wheels and have some one engage and release the parking break multiple times while u look at the rear calipers. U should see the parking brake cable moving in sync with the brake lever in the car. If neither side cable is moving then cable may be seized. Now if they do move .make sure that when the parking brake is released the lever on the caliper is returning the the full release position. If both caliper parking brake levers are moving toegether in sync with the lever in the car but u can still turn the disc rotor then might be time for new calipers. Changed both of mines already.

 

The advice of checking underneath the car is good. On my 2002 the e-brake would engage but not work very well. The resistance on it was a lot less than it used to be. It turned that the cable splits into two, & one of the cables was broken. I just went ahead and replaced both rear cables. I paid $98 OEM through a friend that works at an Infiniti dealer. Can't remember if that was regular price or his price.

 

^^ That was definitely his price as those cables are more than that.

 

Never could understand why an emergency brake is installed with cars featuring automatic transmission so it will almost never be used.

 

Umm...maybe you haven't followed recent recalls with other manufacturers who had their park mechanism fail and cars rolled back into cars behind or in front of them. That's an insurance job and is also a safeguard from kids rocking your car back and forth.

 

No, I don't watch TV. Also single with no kids.