Garage fix handbrake - day after it snaps

Camalot

Camalot

Camalot

Soldato
Joined
7 Mar 2005
Posts
6,735
Location
Wolverhampton
Hi all,

Had a garage fix some M.O.T fails on my car including handbrake travel too far or something. I got it back Friday and drive it home, handbrake hardly goes anywhere when you pull it, maybe 2 clicks and its in place.

Day after i drive to work, pull the handbrake and i hear an almighty crack/snap sound and the handbrake has no tension what so ever. Its like the cable snapped off.

Question is, do i have any right to take it back and request its put right for free?
 
you could try i guess. My thinking is that they've probably just tightened the handbrake cable to its limit and it broke when you pulled it. Handbrake cables are fairly cheap and it shpuldnt cost much to put right at all.
 
They will argue the item was worn and adjusting it to the correct tension caused it to finally fail.

That's providing a securing bracket hasn't given way.

My fallback position would be to pay for the part and ask them to fit it FOC.
 
Just sounds like they have tightened it up a little much and it's failed for what ever reason (age/wear etc).

I'd personally be asking them to be fitting a new one supplied by them in an aim to either get it done FOC or at least supplied by you and fitted for few by them.
 
If the cable itself snapped then it was probably frayed which is an mot failure anyway and probably should have been seen. Otherwise firestars suggestion of paying the cable and getting them to fit it free would be the best option, but you never know, they may do the whole job for free. It won't be caused by them tightening the handbrake assuming they just adjusted it near the front, deffo take it back though cos at best now you only have 1 wheel holding if that.
 
realscot said:
If the cable itself snapped then it was probably frayed which is an mot failure anyway and probably should have been seen.
Click to expand...

Going back to the last handbrake cable I changed, there was no exposed cable, it ran through a plastic reinforced sheath, exactly the same as a brake or gear cable on a bicycle.

There is no way you could see if it was frayed or not.
 
You can normally only see a inch at most of the metal cable itself, they start to stretch and come apart which gives a handbrake with no reserve travel, tightening it to the prescribed amount of clicks (yep that clicking sound is counted and is manufacture setting for tension) then puts even more strain on the already dying cable.

Either way you were going to need a new cable soon anyway, garage were probably just trying to do you a favour by doing a cheap adjustment which may well have lasted some time yet.

Let the garage know and try to come to a mutual arrangement, its easily sorted.
 
paradigm said:
Going back to the last handbrake cable I changed, there was no exposed cable, it ran through a plastic reinforced sheath, exactly the same as a brake or gear cable on a bicycle.

There is no way you could see if it was frayed or not.
Click to expand...

On some cars yes, but on many cars you can see a good portion of the cable, and its usually the exposed parts that snap. Vauxhalls are really common for this and have loads of exposed cable.
 
Had to adjust mine the other day to get it through the m.o.t, costs £64 for one side and £44 for the other. Places like euro car parts don't stock them so it's a dealer part, right pita

What car do you have? As most you can pick up cables for much less.
 
Car is a 2001 ford puma 1.7.

Just went to pick it up and they apologized for the cable. They said it runs out of sight and did not see.

Anyway they charged me a Tenner for the part and free labour, I didn't even ask.

Happy days.
 
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