Never applied my handbrake

docmatt

We all make mistakes, just one of those things. 1st time in 60 odd years for you. Chin up :beer:

Norman_Castle

I've always left mine in gear but if you start doing that after sixty years you're likely to forget and keep starting it in gear.

paddedjohn

My Fiat Ducato vans handbrake is between the seat and the door and it's easy to get caught on it while exiting the van do for the last 12 months or so I havnt used it and just leave it in gear.

Strider590

facade wrote: »

If it is a vauxhall, they are renowned for the handbrake releasing itself if you even touch the button when you apply it. There were a couple of models recalled to fit ratchets that actually worked.

I never touch the button unless I am releasing it, as I like to count the clicks to see if anything needs adjusting.

The issue was caused by people holding the button down when pulling on the handbrake, on occasion the button was able to hold onto the ratchet even though not fully in position ( /\ instead of \/ ) it would then release one half notch which (combined with pads/discs cooling) could be enough to let the car roll.

This thing of holding the button down when applying the handbrake is a bit weird about 50% of people do it. Some people believe it stops wear on the mechanism, some people don't like the noise.

I suspect much like indicating right to go straight at roundabouts, it was something taught by a handful of driving instructors many years ago.

I think Vauxhall tried to argue it was being used incorrectly, but did a recall because it should work regardless of how poorly it was used.

Mine had a recall against it, I never got the work done and mine never failed, in fact knowing there was an issue made me park with more care, always turning the wheels so that the kerb would stop it moving.

facade

I think there is a little more than "it releases half a notch to the next full engagement"
Once they start moving they fly off. Happened on my vectra once, made no difference as the transmission was in park, but the handbrake was off, and I knew I had applied it.

I notice on my current poorly built in Sunderland ( from Renault parts) Nissan, that if the lever isn't rocked into full engagement it will sometimes drop fully down at high speed with a large BANG!!!

Again, good job you can't get the keys out except in park.

interstellaflyer

facade wrote: »

I notice on my current poorly built in Sunderland ( from Renault parts) Nissan, that if the lever isn't rocked into full engagement it will sometimes drop fully down at high speed with a large BANG!!!

Again, good job you can't get the keys out except in park.

I owned a 'Poorly built in Sunderland (from Renault parts)' Nissan for 3 years (sold last year at 3 years old) and never experienced that problem. Also never had the issue with the Vecta C and Astra H I owned previous to it

facade

I knew it!
There is a conspiracy, and everyone really does go out of their way to ensure that I always get the only faulty one of everything ever made.

Beats me how they do it

Jackmydad

facade wrote: »

I knew it!
There is a conspiracy, and everyone really does go out of their way to ensure that I always get the only faulty one of everything ever made.

Beats me how they do it

Funny thing that. I get the only faulty one as well.
Wait! there's something wrong with that statement. . .:rotfl:
Anyway we must just be lucky! :cool:

I also reckon I could drive for five days into the uncharted wastes of a desert. Park. Set up camp and go to sleep. In the morning my vehicle would be parked in by four others with no owners anywhere in sight.
I expect you find the same sort of thing happens to you?

bob_a_builder

Same thing happened to my elderly father. They only noticed when Mum said 'Ooh look the neighbors have got a car just like ours" or similar
Car had gone out of their drive, across road and luckily straight into the opposite drive.

It was a Vauxhall too, didn't know it was possible known issue , he got quite a bit of ribbing about it at the time, unfortunately he's no longer here so can't tell him it might not have been his fault after all !

facade

Jackmydad wrote: »

I also reckon I could drive for five days into the uncharted wastes of a desert. Park. Set up camp and go to sleep. In the morning my vehicle would be parked in by four others with no owners anywhere in sight.
I expect you find the same sort of thing happens to you?

Yes! :T

I can park at Tesco right at the far side of the virtually empty carpark, miles from the trolley bays and the doors. (in the exact geometric centre of the space too)

When I go back to the car, there is usually another parked 3" away from my drivers door

And the rest of the carpark is still virtually empty