handbrake failure poll - who has and hasn't had a problem

[Rakey]

Well there is a thread to register you as someone that has had this problem, but lets see who hasn't had the problem and see if we cast some light on why

[Minnie Mouse]

Automatic owner here

[MartinSSZ]

Never had a failure on any one of the 6 MINIs we've had or have. I always park in gear - Land Rover driving teaches you something - but I've noticed that my brothers usually don't.

Our drive is on a slope too, so we'd know about it

[Xena]

mine rolled whilst parked with handbrake on. This happened 2 days after the Mini dealership reversed my car onto a main road and into someone elses car causing bad damage to the left side of my rear bumper - no formal apology from the dealer or BMW and neither could give a damn about my car rolling either - real shame cos I love my car to bits... seems that because im female, my strength is different to men and I must not of applied handbrake correctly!! - This is not the case as I have a male witness statement proving the handbrake was on fully!! The dealership even admitted that had heard of a similar case themselves and mini2 has proved there are loads with the same problem...!! thanks to Mini2 I say!!

Xena

[KPKalle]

I always park in gear since around the time somebody or other started this thread up http://www.mini2.com/forum/general-d...mini-gear.html. Even when not on a slope. Having said that, I never experienced handbrake failure anyway

[Hat]

never had a failure, never leave it in gear

[Xena]

arewebeingserved@diverse.tv seem interesting in stories about handbrake failure so am I, so please cc me into the email.

Thanks

X

[BartMack]

mine hasn't failed...

...but I always park on flat land ( mostly because all the land here is flat as a pancake) but I've had enough dodgy cars in my life to have picked up the firm habit of always putting it in first after stopping the engine.

[SiBradbury]

I've never had a problem but i'd like to point out that the highway code does not insist you park in gear unless on a hill. The only stipulations for normal parking are as follows:

Parking

214: Use off-street parking areas, or bays marked out with white lines on the road as parking places, wherever possible. If you have to stop on the road side

Stop as close as you can to the side
Do not stop too close to a vehicle displaying a Blue Badge, remember, they may need More room to get in or out
You MUST switch off the engine, headlights and fog lights
You MUST apply the handbrake before leaving the vehicle
You MUST ensure you do not hit anyone when you open your door
It is safer for your passengers (especially children) to get out of the vehicle on the side next to the kerb
Lock your vehicle.
Laws CSDPA sect 21, CUR reg 98,105 & 107, RVLR reg 27 & RTA 1988 sect 42


Obviously if your car rolls away you must be on at least a gentle slope tho!! Not sure what constitutes a 'hill'!!!

226: Parking on hills. If you park on a hill you should

Park close to the kerb and apply the handbrake firmly
Select a forward gear and turn your steering wheel away from the kerb when facing uphill
Select reverse gear and turn your steering wheel towards the kerb when facing downhill
Use 'park' if your car has an automatic gearbox.

On cars where the handbrake operates on the disc, its usually advisable to make a habit of parking in gear anyway. Physics of heating and cooling materials usually has a less pronounced effect on shoes and drums than on pads and discs (or 'rotors' for our American friends)


http://www.highwaycode.gov.uk/22.htm#213

[minigolf]

I voted… "hasn't ever failed, but I always park in gear as you should according the highway code" … but I don't always park in gear. On the flat I sometimes get lazy, but if I'm ever on any sort of incline I will park in gear.

[Shaun]

First car was weak on the handbrake was only grabbing on one side at one point never rolled though 02plate
Second dont recall any problems on it 53plate
Current car has been found in the midlle of the street alarm going after rolling down the drive 55plate

[birigogos]

my mates mini rolled down a hill on feb 23, 24 hours after he bought it.
The handbrake was fully aplied and he put the first gear in.
Gears tend to kick if the handbrake fails. One should not relly on the gears to keep his/hers car still.
ok, handbrake faillure and gear kicking out of place is too unlucky but.

Acording to greek law the handbrake is there to halt a car under any load and on any type of slope (article 55 / b ) that is the onlything writen about handbrakes. the only otherthing is about the use of a handbrake as an emergency brake and it only says that an emergency brake should be able to stop a moving vehicle in any distance.

BMWs handbook only recoments you to put a gear in (there are sympbols next to the handbrake paragraph, please know what you are reading)