how bad is this for mot failure please

masterwilde

Parking brake lever has no reserve travel (3.1.6b)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.B.7)

This is for a mk3 mondeo estate

Is this a simple adjustment, or is it much worse?

JustinR1979

Could be a turn of an adjuster, possibly under handbrake gaitor - to get through mot.
Could be worn linings.
May need adjusting at the wheels.
No big deal at all, just needs to hold the car before reaching last click.

masterwilde

i hope so, as garage has quoted for all the rest and its not too bad at around £300 but were very cagey with this stating they cannot quote until they can see which part is faulty and get the part number to quote it.

JustinR1979

masterwilde wrote: »

i hope so, as garage has quoted for all the rest and its not too bad at around £300 but were very cagey with this stating they cannot quote until they can see which part is faulty and get the part number to quote it.

Is understandable, a 5 minute tweak may well get it through, or all the adjustments may need doing and new linings on the rear.
Think of a pushbike, you have your main adjustment at the wheels, and fine tuning at levers. Sometimes there's not enough adjustment left at lever (handbrake).

masterwilde

thanks for calming my nerves as currently looking at new old cars

arcon5

Disc or drum brakes at rear?

masterwilde

arcon they are discs at the back

JustinR1979

Would have a peak under handbrake gaitor see if there's any adjustment, as there's been no mention of rear pads being low.
I'm a Vaux man, not worked on many fords

JustinR1979

I think by 03 they may have gone over to auto adjust.
My Passat has this, is pretty crap really.
Jumping up and down on brake pedal while ripping the handbrake up and down can adjust them up a bit sometimes.

harveybobbles

Probbaly be calipers. Think mine were £30 ish each side from Andrew Page.

But might be worth replacing the cables as they stretch. Had to drop the exhaust on mine to do.

Auto adjust came mid/late 2001.. I know, ive had issues with mine for about 4 years. Ended up welding a bracket and spring on the rear caliper to make sure the thing would release.

JustinR1979

harveybobbles wrote: »

Probbaly be calipers. Think mine were £30 ish each side from Andrew Page.

Auto adjust came mid/late 2001.. I know, ive had issues with mine for about 4 years. Ended up making a bracket and spring on the rear caliper to make sure the thing would release.

Do you find if you park on a slope, you apply handbrake with foot on brake, so when you take foot off brake some braking effort is released?
I dunno if mines a poor design or playing up.
Give me the old drum/disc set up on the old cavaliers, could get that locked solid on the first click.