What happens when you leave the handbrake off

My old Vectra used to do this, handbrake up and a few hours later it would roll. Was sure the problem was with the locking piston contraption on the rear discs that the handbrake mechanism relies on but the dealer reckoned there was nothing wrong when they tested it.
 
This happened to me on a driving lesson once, was pottering down a small quiet street in a posh area around where I used to live when I spotted some distance ahead a car reverse out of a driveway onto the road, across the road and into a dry stone wall behind it.

It was rather surreal to say the least, so I pulled over and the instructor and I got out too see what had happened. The lady ownerhad parked up on their driveway, which was on a slope (gentle slope though). We had to go and knock on her door and explain to her that here car had rolled down the drive, across the road and into a wall. She looked at us as though we were asking her an extremely complicated algebra equation,but she soon believed us when she noticed her car was not there anymore :D
 
Pics of AC Cobra? :P
The guy keeps it under a tarpaulin anyway. Bet he's relieved anyway. However he's had it months and only driven it twice cos of brake problems iirc

That second pic looks like the road goes up hill :confused:
By that point it's pretty much flattened out


Well the car was parked back on the incline of the hill again after they got it down so it wasn't a snapped cable, maybe it'll just loosen again
 
Automatics for the win in such situations! ;)




My Dads e39 528i failed its first MOT with a siezed handbrake, he never used it !



(Just remember to leave it in "P" )
it's impossible to do otherwise.

I leave manuals in gear with handbrake.
 
I always leave mine in gear - I assume 1st is best?

If the handbrake cable was to snap on a steep(ish) drive, would it put much stress on yer gearbox?
 
My mother's Bently was ruined by some moron who left the handbrake off (parents live on a hilly street). It costed him dearly but I still give me the face every now and then. You don't know how stupid you look when you leave the handbrake off. :mad:
 
Simple and easy solution leave the bloody things in gear ain't hard. Originally i would never leave mine in gear but having had it drummed into me it's now just routine saves my cars ass should the handbrake ever decide to fail also :)
 
better than crashing into a car or a lampost.
I know that. :p I always leave it in gear. It's just I've been having to use more and more clicks with my handbrake recently to stop it rolling, and was wondering if

a) cable snaps, gears hold it, gearbox fine
b) cable snaps, gears hold it, gearbox not fine

because if it's case b, then I'm gonna have give my rear brakes a check over sooner rather than later (which is a PITA as I'm running drums on the rear you see).
 
I know that. :p I always leave it in gear. It's just I've been having to use more and more clicks with my handbrake recently to stop it rolling, and was wondering if

a) cable snaps, gears hold it, gearbox fine
b) cable snaps, gears hold it, gearbox not fine

because if it's case b, then I'm gonna have give my rear brakes a check over sooner rather than later (which is a PITA as I'm running drums on the rear you see).

Just test it :p , a few months back i parked my car up and testing it on a very slight slope I left the car in gear took the handbrake off the car moved a few inches forward before the gears caught it no problem :)
 
Just test it :p , a few months back i parked my car up and testing it on a very slight slope I left the car in gear took the handbrake off the car moved a few inches forward before the gears caught it no problem :)
Hmm, I may do that... It's just that my driveway is more than a "slight slope". :eek: I've given it much more abuse bump starting it from what I remember :D

gord: Any reason for the capitalization of Mobile Sun? Must be one of those new PS filters. ;)
 
My mother's Bently was ruined by some moron who left the handbrake off (parents live on a hilly street). It costed him dearly but I still give me the face every now and then. You don't know how stupid you look when you leave the handbrake off. :mad:

Jeez give the guy a break, we are only human, everyone makes mistakes, i'm sure the insurance covered the damage to the Bentley.
 
Been driving 7 years and never put any of my cars into gear when parked, I always put my handbrake on its like autopilot, my dad puts his car in gear and sometimes start the engine forgetting its in gear and bam, the car jumps forward, so its swings and round abouts, handbrake on or in gear and clutch.
 
Back
Top Bottom