Emergency Brake on my car is low
#1
09-18-11, 05:32 PM
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: United States of America
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Emergency Brake on my car is low
My daughter borrowed my 1989 Mercedes yesterday and drove it about 50 miles on her return trip back to my house. I remind her every time she borrows it to release the emergency brake something she doesn't have to do in her newer car.
The foot pedal to set the brake now goes down to the floor much further and rather quickly. She admitted she forgot to pull the brake handle release on her return trip. My question is this.....Did she harm anything, wear down the brake pads or is it something else ? Thanks for any replies as I'm now a senior and not mechanically inclinded.
The foot pedal to set the brake now goes down to the floor much further and rather quickly. She admitted she forgot to pull the brake handle release on her return trip. My question is this.....Did she harm anything, wear down the brake pads or is it something else ? Thanks for any replies as I'm now a senior and not mechanically inclinded.
#2
09-18-11, 08:54 PM
You need to have the brake hubs pulled and have the parking brake shoes inspected for wear and likely glazing from overheating if in fact she drove with the parking brake still on. I think on your car the rear parking brake hub and disc brake rotor are a combination unit, with the parking brake shoes hidden inside the brake hub. There is a possibility that the parking brakes will only require an adjustment, but they will require a complete inspection first to determine that. It is also very possible that the hub will need to be machined and the shoes replaced completely. Only an inspection will confirm this.
#6
09-20-11, 07:42 PM
I think those models did have a combo disc brake rotor and parking brake hub/shoe setup as Chandler wondered about. My guess is that parking brake linings and hub are toast as I wrote, but an inspection will tell the sad story.
#7
09-21-11, 08:38 AM
Member
You have reminded her more than once to release the brake before driving the car.
You shouldn't have set the brake if you knew she would be using the car later, you should have left it in park (auto) or in 1st gear (manual) to avoid this very situation. That being said, it looks like the ball is in her court to repair the car... she won't forget next time if she pays for this repair (as arguably she should) .
You shouldn't have set the brake if you knew she would be using the car later, you should have left it in park (auto) or in 1st gear (manual) to avoid this very situation. That being said, it looks like the ball is in her court to repair the car... she won't forget next time if she pays for this repair (as arguably she should) .
