Thread: handbrake problem

I did the very same thing to mine a while ago. You have bent part of the hand brake from memory. I couldn't fix mine and went and bought a new lever - it was less than $20.

This happened to me......you have to get a srew driver in where the rod is ans bend it slightly I think or pliers.

I never got around to doing it myself but the garage guy showed me and he completely fixed my handbrake that had been playing up for nearly a year by sticking a screw driver in and playing with the rod. It took him less than a minute and its like brand new now

Thanks for the replies will try to fix & post results soon.Dont feel like taking console out again tonite.

you don't need to take the whole console out....just take off the leather boot you have on the hand brake and you will see access to the rod there...when i said it took the mech less than a min to do while I was standing there I wasn't joking

Easy to go off the end of the ratchet when removing the console.

You will have to disconnect the cable and pull the hand lever back so the pawl comes of the rack again. See 1st pic below.

Before moving the hand lever down over the ratchet, depress the button fully. The pawl should be in a position like in the 2nd pic - note where the rod between button and pawl is located (deep in the handle) and the teeth on the pawl (opposite end to rod) are close to the edge of the handle.

If the pawl has gone over centre and the position of the rod and pawl are reversed (this is what has happened to you), release the button and use a screwdriver or similar to push the rod into the handle as you depress the button (since yours has gone overcentre, a bit of force may be required).

While the button is depressed, fully lower the hand lever. The pawl should look like 3rd pic (this is with the hand lever up a few clicks - not fully down).

To prevent this from happening next time, after you disconnect the hand brake cable, pull the hand lever up a few clicks (taking care not to go off the ratchet) then fit the clevis pin (for the handbrake cable) back into the hand lever. The clevis pin will prevent the pawl from going over centre when the pawl goes off the ratchet.

Thanks for all the help, problem all fixed.I got the pawl and rod back over centre fine,still would not work .Found after taking the black knob off the rod had bent out of centre, thus not allowing plastic knob to slide freely.A gentle bit of bending with screw driver fixed this so all is well .