Parking Brake Issue.

[dothedeww]

06 XLT
62000

I've been telling the dealer that the parking brake isnt working right, although they swear it is. I just want to make sure I'm right.

You can put the parking brake to the floor and drive with very little resistence.

So today I tried it on my snowy road at 10mph. The right rear locked up, teh left rear kept spinning ,and spun me around, into teh grass and up onto 2 wheels for a second.

Is it only supposed to lock up 1 tire or is it supposed to lock up both.

If did have a left rear axle seal replaced, could that be the cause of the left rear parking brake no working?

Thanks!

 

[bender]

I don't know the answer for sure on an 06 explorer, but it is very common for the parking brake to be linked to only 1 rear wheel. sounds like it is operating normally. if you were on 2 wheels at one point it sounds like you were going faster than 10mph.

what scenario makes you think it is not operating properly? if it spun you around like that it sounds like it would do it's intended job of keeping the car from rolling while parked.

 

[dothedeww]

Cable

The thing that lead me to believe its not working properly is that there is a parking brake cable leading to the left and right rear.

And i was only going 10 mph, but it slid sideways and the left front dug into the grass.

 

[bender]

ok then it does sound like both rear wheels should be engaged. i wouldnt think the axle seal would be directly responsible for the e-brake, but maybe they disconnected something when replacing it, and didnt reattach it? if the dealer did the axle seal, i'd have them check and confirm, have them show you it works if they insist it does.

 

[dothedeww]

Dealer

Well apparntly when the rear axle seal goes out the rear diff fluid gets all over the parking brake shoe and saturates it to the point where it doenst work. That why I thought that.

The dealer swears it works because when they put it on the lift and engage the parking brake the tire wont spin. Well heres teh issue - its in park. DUH its not move, its in gear. They dont seem to get that it needs to be in neutral to do a true test on teh parking brake.

Thanks

 

[bender]

wow, sounds like the dealer has some issues. Good luck.

 

[michael loibl]

I have yet to ever come across a car on which the parking brake only works on one wheel (By design).

The fact that the tech couldn't spin the tire by hand with the brake on while on the lift is not an accurate test because that is way less force than the vehicle on a hill would exert on it.

As for the vehicle being in park, if the brake was off then the wheels would be able to spin...in opposite directions due to the differential. If Either brake was working, than neither rear tire would spin in park.

 

[dothedeww]

Alright

Alright, so tell me if this is how it is supposed to work or not.

I jacked up the rear end and checked the braking power.


Without any brakes on the tires spun different directions. (correct)

I put on the parking brake. The back right tire will not spin at all.
The back left tire will not spin forwards but it will spin backwards.

Is this correct or is there something wrong with the left rear?

 

[michael loibl]

was the second half of this test done in park or neutral...either way something is not right. No way should you be able to move either wheel either way with brake on enen half way

 

[patrick112390]

Well apparntly when the rear axle seal goes out the rear diff fluid gets all over the parking brake shoe and saturates it to the point where it doenst work. That why I thought that.

The dealer swears it works because when they put it on the lift and engage the parking brake the tire wont spin. Well heres teh issue - its in park. DUH its not move, its in gear. They dont seem to get that it needs to be in neutral to do a true test on teh parking brake.

Thanks

actually im pretty sure yours parks through the front wheels.....

 

[michael loibl]

was the second half of this test done in park or neutral...either way something is not right. No way should you be able to move either wheel either way with brake on enen half way. If it was still in park, even one fully functioning rear brake would keep both sides still except perhaps a small inch or so of play because in park one side cant spin without the other spinning an equal amount opposite way.

 

[dothedeww]

Test

2nd test was done in neutral to free the wheels. The left one spun backwards easily, and forwards with a little bit of force, but the right one would not move at all. Is that because its in neutral? Or is something up with this?

 

[michael loibl]

the left one is not working properly. Could be broken, could be greasy.

Try having someone else slowly appy the parking brake while in neutral while you keep spinning the right wheel

As soon as it becomes difficult to turn, see how far down the parking brake pedal is...probably not even halfway.. Then go try the left at his same pedal position and I'll bet it is barely doing anything.