Handbrake Failure

[Xena]

Hi

I can't believe the amount of people who have experienced handbrake failure - I personally disagree with people who suggest that a new car should be left in gear - 'What is the purpose of a handbrake'. If something isn't sorted, someone will be seriously injured or even killed!

I can only suggest that anyone who has experienced handbrake failure, contacts VOSA (Vehicle and Operator Services Agency) so they can log, look into, this problem - www.vosa.gov.uk. I have copy of the forms they require, so drop me a line if you want them.

Xena

[Al]

Cars should be left in gear when parked for safety reasons.

Taking personal responsibility for keeping others safe from possible failures is important.
It's not just the car company that has the responsibility to keep our vehicles safe. It's you and me also.

How would you feel if your neighbor felt the same as you do, left his car in neutral, it rolls down a hill and kills your young child? Would you feel he had some responsibility to keep his vehicle safe?

I get cranky when people expect manufacturers to keep them safe all the time without taking even a little bit of personal responsibility like putting their car in gear when they park.

All that said, I have maintained my parking brake system myself, I keep it tightened, and I have never had a problem with it. (AND the car is in reverse when it's parked every-time.)

[ratherbewindsurfing]

Quote: Originally Posted by Alan Kilian

Cars should be left in gear when parked for safety reasons.

Taking personal responsibility for keeping others safe from possible failures is important.
It's not just the car company that has the responsibility to keep our vehicles safe. It's you and me also.

How would you feel if your neighbor felt the same as you do, left his car in neutral, it rolls down a hill and kills your young child? Would you feel he had some responsibility to keep his vehicle safe?

I get cranky when people expect manufacturers to keep them safe all the time without taking even a little bit of personal responsibility like putting their car in gear when they park.

All that said, I have maintained my parking brake system myself, I keep it tightened, and I have never had a problem with it. (AND the car is in reverse when it's parked every-time.)

Totally agree with you Alan

And for those in the UK see your highway code rule 226.

Handbrakes rely on wire cables, rachets, proper adjustment, and components not changing shape too much when they cool down. Not surprisingly they have a tendency to release a bit when left.

leaving your car in gear is a simple straight forward second line of defence to make sure your car doesn't take of on it's own.

Common sense ??

[Sweeney]

The fact that the highway code suggests to make it a habbit?...

You have to remember the handbrake has it's tolerances, brakes discs and pads work under extreme circumstances, the heat expands them so after a lengthy spirited drive applying the handbrake might not be enough to hold it in a fair degree of slope. The reason handbrakes fail is simply the pads and discs contracting back to their original state so the brake simply loses grip.

Although i understand some have experienced genuine problems which dont relate to the above...

[Xena]

Its a design fault - enough said.

[ratherbewindsurfing]

Quote: Originally Posted by Xena

Its a design fault - enough said.

Please justify this statement.

[ALD0]

A design fault possibly,
Perhaps if the Handbrake is not pulled on full enough it may fail, The weather has been hot lately and the discs will get warmer in this heat, when they cool down it can sometimes cause the brake to fail due to the metal disc cooling down,

[DJC]

Yes, it is a design fault ! My 2002 Cooper rolled down my drive, handbrake was still on !
When i spoke to my dealer who fixed it, this was what i was told, the ratchet quadrant piece on the handbrake was at fault !
They fitted a new and modifed handbrake, never had a problem again !

[minispaceman]

This is the never ending debate....

When I passed my driving test 5-6 years ago I was always told by my instructor "handbrake... neutral" when parking.. I can still hear the chap now... I was told to do that all the time, except parking on a fairly steep hill, where it would be wheels to the kerb. I never remember being told to leave the car in gear. My instructor was excellent by the way, I know a good few people who used him.

Perhaps they should change the old habits when teaching people now... Then this would not be a debate.

Oh, and after reading about runaway minis and getting clued up I leave my car in gear now, always.
Ben

[DaFlake]

Quote: Originally Posted by Xena

Its a design fault - enough said.

Actually it may be. However you should, as a driver, know the car and know the rules of the road. People today constantly argue this but this has been around for many years. I was taught as others were to leave a manual car in gear when parked. Not only are people taught this, but it is in the driver hand books as well. I won't argue that there are a few reported failures (none that have been verifed by one single person) but bottom line, you are responsible for your car.

Would you argue that you are supposed to turn your wheels to the curb if parked on an incline? I wonder why they taught this? Because if the hand brake failed and the car popped out of gear (could happen on older tranmissions) then at least the car would roll onto the curb.

Bottom line, you can bark about this all you want, but the issue is still part of the owners fault.

[DJC]

My handbrake did fail !! Why would i lie ??

[smc]

Quote: Originally Posted by DJC

My handbrake did fail !! Why would i lie ??

I dont think you lied

[DaFlake]

Quote: Originally Posted by DJC

My handbrake did fail !! Why would i lie ??

Nobody said that you did lie. I simply said that an item like this is hard to verify by a company, especially when so many people have not had issues. One guy posted that he set the brake but couldn't set the car in gear because he had his hands full. Is it possible that he didn't pull the brake all the way up because he had his hands full? Yes...

What I did say is that you have some responsibility as the driver and owner in this matter as you should have left the car in gear. Relying on just the parking brake is bad practice and is NOT taught by any school I can find. I have gone so far as to check with several different driving schools here in Germany and all teach to leave the car in gear. As for the states, I consulted a friend of mine whose daughter just went thru drivers education and she was taught the same as well as her mother saying "of course you leave the car in gear". As for the Swiss, I don't know, but if the individual above was taught to not leave the car in gear I would not recommend this school to anyone.

So, for me, this is a non MINI issue but rather a driver issue. Brakes fail as they are prone to heat dirt and simple mechanics.

Park with the car in gear and the brake set. If on a steep incline, use the wheels to help just in case both fail.

[Rakey]

perhaps those that don't want to take accountability for the movement of their cars when the handbrake slips should have to retake their driving tests, as it is in the highway code that the car should be left in gear, thus making it the law of the road

You can't pass the blame for your failure to do something that is the law which results in the car moving. Simple common sense tells you should do all you can to prevent this from happening and its not as if leaving the car in gear is a huge task to do

[DJC]

Maybe every New Mini should come with a set of wheel chocks as well ??