Handbrake failure
- Thread starter Bennyball
- Start date
Happened to me last night off all times. First time in 3 years ive ever left my car on my drive without it being in gear as well as the handbrake and it rolled into the fecking metal gate. Put a slight dent in the front bumper and took a nice wedge of paint with it.
Fuming isnt the word
Fuming isnt the word
There's been plenty of complaints on here about handbrakes going loose. The only advice so far is to make sure you firmly apply the brake pedal and then pull the handbrake up, it seems to rise higher up and improve the grip.
Yeh, but someone on here was saying that even in gear it was rolling. The engine does not have enough compression on some models, glad I have DSG as the box is locked when in park, and you can't get the ignition key out unless you put it in park.
Yeah, another forum member and myself have had issues with the car rolling in gear.
The 1.8 TSI manual certainly can't be trusted left on a slope.
The 1.8 TSI manual certainly can't be trusted left on a slope.
Handbrake doesn't have as nice a feel as the mk1 & you def have to pull it up further than iam used too
I agree, my last Mk2 had a much more positive feel to it as well.
Pulling it on 7-9 clicks is what the dealer recommended to me.
Pulling it on 7-9 clicks is what the dealer recommended to me.
Leave your car in gear when larked.
I've never trusted handbrakes when leaving my car on any hill. Ever since my first car I've thought "am I really going to trust a single cable to stop my single most expensive possession from being ruined"
I've never trusted handbrakes when leaving my car on any hill. Ever since my first car I've thought "am I really going to trust a single cable to stop my single most expensive possession from being ruined"
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Guys to let you know, the handbrake in VAG cars is incredibly powerful however it's completely different in operation to other cars to access the true bite in the handbrake.
Here's how to do it - When applying your handbrake, put your foot hard on the brake pedal then pull up the handbrake. You'll notice the handbrake will come up much higher now your foot is on the brake. Once locked in place, release the brake pedal and job done.
With the above, it's easily the most powerful handbrake I've ever had on a car. It's weird how it works though!
By the way - the above is also mentioned in your handbook. All VAG cars are the same.
My drive is pretty steep. 3-up with a boot load of holiday gear on the drive, the handbrake didn't break a sweat.
Give it a shot! You'll be surprised just how much bite your handbrake has once you've tried it.
Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk
Here's how to do it - When applying your handbrake, put your foot hard on the brake pedal then pull up the handbrake. You'll notice the handbrake will come up much higher now your foot is on the brake. Once locked in place, release the brake pedal and job done.
With the above, it's easily the most powerful handbrake I've ever had on a car. It's weird how it works though!
By the way - the above is also mentioned in your handbook. All VAG cars are the same.
My drive is pretty steep. 3-up with a boot load of holiday gear on the drive, the handbrake didn't break a sweat.
Give it a shot! You'll be surprised just how much bite your handbrake has once you've tried it.
Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk
Gave this a try today and noticed a difference straight away, without putting your foot on the brake the handbrake seems to be quite feeble and doesn't inspire a lot of confidence but using Rydale13's instructions it made a major difference. Thanks
This happened to me with my Cupra on Thursday evening at 8pm. Parked up on the slight incline driveway outside my house,applied handbrake, got out locked the car. As I was unlocking my front door I heard a loud crack and the car rolled 20 metres across the roads into the adjoining drive and hit a neighbour s MX5! Damaged it's bumper and bonnet and the rear valance of my car. Waiting on estimates for repairs...
I emailed SEAT asking if this is a technical fault -no reply yet. My car has its first service Tuesday and I raise it then.
This will cost me £££ but could have been much worse if it happened during the day when kids are running around.
Ps when the car came to rest and I got in the drivers seat the handbrake was on the first ratchet but it was fully applied. Now I always park in gear.
I emailed SEAT asking if this is a technical fault -no reply yet. My car has its first service Tuesday and I raise it then.
This will cost me £££ but could have been much worse if it happened during the day when kids are running around.
Ps when the car came to rest and I got in the drivers seat the handbrake was on the first ratchet but it was fully applied. Now I always park in gear.
If you came here because you are worried about your SEAT Leon handbrake, please also read this thread:
http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=399732
There are clearly two issues, one is the handbrake action slackening a bit when the discs/pads cool (if applied hot).
The other issue is a sticky handbrake cable which can be at least as dangerous. Because when the cable gets so sticky that the lever moves in "jerks" it's impossible to feel whether the ratchet is engaged properly, too easy to leave the ratchet pawl engaged somehow on the "peak" of a ratchet tooth, from where the handbrake can fly fully off (as the spring on the ratchet pawl isn't strong enough to pull it into the ratchet positions that it is flying past).
For completeness here's someone on another forum who is not only unhappy about their Leon handbrake, but actually suffered an injury because of handbrake failure:
http://www.rac.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?22482-Seat-Leon-MK3-2016-Handbrake-Failure
Though it's not clear to me from his description which type of failure he had.
http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=399732
There are clearly two issues, one is the handbrake action slackening a bit when the discs/pads cool (if applied hot).
The other issue is a sticky handbrake cable which can be at least as dangerous. Because when the cable gets so sticky that the lever moves in "jerks" it's impossible to feel whether the ratchet is engaged properly, too easy to leave the ratchet pawl engaged somehow on the "peak" of a ratchet tooth, from where the handbrake can fly fully off (as the spring on the ratchet pawl isn't strong enough to pull it into the ratchet positions that it is flying past).
For completeness here's someone on another forum who is not only unhappy about their Leon handbrake, but actually suffered an injury because of handbrake failure:
http://www.rac.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?22482-Seat-Leon-MK3-2016-Handbrake-Failure
Though it's not clear to me from his description which type of failure he had.
I don't know guys... I never had a problem with my handbrake - in fact, I would say that the handbrake on this car is, hands down, the best I've ever had in any car. From the very first time, my "technique" was to only apply the minimum amount of handbrake necessary to keep the car in position. I would apply the handbrake with the brakes on by 1-2 clicks, and check if the car is stationary. If it was, I would then give it one more click. I've been doing that for 3 years now with no problem - mind you I was parking on a 15% incline for the first 12 months until I moved houses. I've never applied (pulled up) the handbrake using the button. It's the only car I've ever owned that I didn't have to have the handbrake readjusted (tightened) after 12-18 months. It's 3 years now and I still can't feel any give / looseness in it. To activate the handbrake by putting your foot hard on the pedal and then pulling it up hard seems to me a very effective way to apply it, yet I am sure that this causes excessive wear and looseness in the long run. Anyway, that's just my experience after 3 years - I am so happy with it I was simply surprised to see so many people reporting problems with it... :dunno:
No, but it might be a problem associated with a particular supplier of cables ! "abulafia" is totally happy with his handbrake, and has been for three years. My car is nearly two years younger. Two years during which the cost engineering department got to work on it and found a cheaper supplier of handbrake cable ?
I'm only guessing, of course. But those aren't happy with their handbrake must let SEAT know, or else they will never learn the real reason.
Hello guys,
I'm new to this forum so apologies if this isn't the right way to go about it but I was just wondering if anyone else has had an incident with the handbrake failing on their Leon?
I've only had my FR 184 (14 plate) a matter of weeks when 2 nights ago it rolled down my street and crashed into a neighbours BMW and garage during the night. I definitely applied the handbrake the night before and as it's quite a steep hill the car would have rolled away instantly if I hadn't.
It appears that there have been quite a lot of similar incidents and I'm surprised that Seat hasn't recalled them, would hate to think someone could be hurt or worse.
What's your thoughts?
I'm new to this forum so apologies if this isn't the right way to go about it but I was just wondering if anyone else has had an incident with the handbrake failing on their Leon?
I've only had my FR 184 (14 plate) a matter of weeks when 2 nights ago it rolled down my street and crashed into a neighbours BMW and garage during the night. I definitely applied the handbrake the night before and as it's quite a steep hill the car would have rolled away instantly if I hadn't.
It appears that there have been quite a lot of similar incidents and I'm surprised that Seat hasn't recalled them, would hate to think someone could be hurt or worse.
What's your thoughts?
Hi Branta,
Is there anyway I can contact you directly to discuss this further? I'm shocked by seeing the result of the handbrake failure.
Regards,
Johnnie
Is there anyway I can contact you directly to discuss this further? I'm shocked by seeing the result of the handbrake failure.
Regards,
Johnnie
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