Thread: Electric park brake adjustment - after manual release

There is a reconnect / calibrate function in diagnostic tools.

I understood that unless there was module damage the EPB would relatch when you first pull up on the lever. Second lift applies EPB.

Yesterday I had same following a week away in fine dust and sand. Fortunately it waited till home as next morning a huge scream and warnings on releasing EPB to drive away. The unit was recently adjusted so I was surprised. This has happened to me once before and on both occasions the EPB did release on the second or third try (turn car off and on) without using emergency release. Consider that noise your last and final warning but not a sign of damage.

I normally use a hose to wash out the hub which works well but yesterday for giggles (actually there are zero giggles doing this at floor level) I took off discs and removed and cleaned the assembly both sides.

The dust inside was a lot and I’m told the screech can come from lots of dust packing against the pad and making the unit feel it is out of adjustment on use.

I was really surprised as other than dust the pads and parts were in great shape with heaps of friction material on them and cleaned up like new. The rest I just cleaned and rebuilt with a bit of copper grease on the slides and adjuster. An absolute bugger getting the big spring back in and clips on the upside down passenger side!! Drivers side went easier. (Take a photo first and Bodsy Brake Bible)

Reinstalled discs adjusted pads and it works fine and happy again but another hose out would have been fine and unlike compared to UK rust disaster videos after 12 years like new in there.

I don’t have auto brake apply and have used it reasonably sparingly.

So clean it out as much as keeping adjusted.

The warning screech is because the shoe adjustment has slackened (wear or cable stretch) and the screw drive in the unit is pulling together.

Removing the wheels and adjusting the shoes within to the correct position will see it all back to normal (assuming you haven’t jammed the unit solid).

A clean out and re-grease is always a good idea.

I had a simillar issue and following Tombies advise I cleaned the brakes and adjusted the shoes. What annoyed me is that I had only got the car serviced a month before and because of the Covid lock down I had not used my car very much. The amount of adjustment was quite a lot. Yes I can accept the cable can stretch etc, but the brake is supposed to be adjusted at each service. My thoughts are that it was not done. Next time I am going to mark the backing plates and see if they are inspected/adjusted when I get the car serviced.

There’s a small plastic cap between wheel and disc that is removed to make the adjustment.

Just mark that up!

I’ve done that sort of thing on heaps of car components when dropping in for a service. Amazing how many items don’t get touched - this is over years and years of many different vehicles.

Originally Posted by Tombie

There’s a small plastic cap between wheel and disc that is removed to make the adjustment.

My recent experience showed me that cleaning the excessive dust out is as important as adjustment.

I guess the service agent would use comp air in this hole but using water from hose as I have done previously produces an satisfying flow of dirty water out the bottom.

With regards to the Brake Bible, is the D3 and D4 identical in the repair methods?

Originally Posted by John_D4

With regards to the Brake Bible, is the D3 and D4 identical in the repair methods?

Yes as rear disc brake stayed the same