Parking Brake

Quagmire · 10-07-2008, 04:11 PM

Just curious how many "clicks" before your brake engages? What is consisdered normal?

**jwight** · 10-07-2008, 04:53 PM

Clicks? I've been pushing in the button, pulling it up til I feel it grab and then releasing the button to lock it in place.

SuperGeek · 10-07-2008, 07:01 PM

Same here... it's not exactly a black-or-white engaged vs. free-spinning... after one or two clicks there's a little friction, after 4 or 5 there's more... so I just push the button in, yank up on it with 10 lbs of pressure or so and release the button.

If yours goes several more clicks than it did new, or never grabs, you should talk to your dealer about checking the rear brakes. The front brakes do about 70% of the work, so if your rear brakes are low, your fronts are probably paper thin. I'm not sure how long the stock brakes last but it should be more than a year, shouldn't it?

Razorback · 10-07-2008, 07:20 PM

A few months ago I asked the smart Tech a similar question because when my car was NEW the parking brake engaged at 3 clicks then it became 5 clicks and I thought that I may have a problem and when I asked he told me that until it reaches 7 clicks it's normal but I don't know. This was the same dealership that is saying that my vibrating drivers side mirror is normal too.

Quagmire · 10-07-2008, 08:49 PM

Thanks for the feedback. I think mine used to be about 3 clicks at new and now is 5-6 clicks after 5000 miles. I assume the cable is just stretching as they normally do. Seems like the lever is at about half of its range.
Does anyone know if the the smart has self adjusting rear drum brakes? Some older cars had rear drum brakes that would self-adjust when you applied the brakes while in reverse.

**jwight** · 10-08-2008, 04:42 AM

I believe it does; they adjust when the car stops while in reverse. Can't remember where I saw that info though.