Thread: Electric Brakes and Mud

I've had EPB problems (all the bongs and messages) and I have no confidence that it can be fixed and made reliable. I rarely use the EPB around town and just leave it in Park unless I'm parked on a slope when I will use the EPB. When off-roading how can you safely not use the EPB? I would never get out of the D3 on a steep slope with it left only in Park. This is when you really need the EPB to work .

I wish the D4 comes out with a more relaible system. A simple mechanical sounds good to me.

Chris

Try parking brake Mark 1. Usually available at no cost from construction sites.

Are you talking about the wife or a lump of 3x2

I was thinking of a house brick.

Originally Posted by Jamo

On the D3 the EPB activates a set of drum brakes inside the rear disks. The brakes can be adjusted without removing the rear disks, but not cleaned. To clean it's off with the wheels and the off with the disks.

Mud can get inside causing the system to get out of adjustment.

As an aside: If you're doing more than 10kmh when you activate the EPB, the abs module tells the system to apply force to all four disks, thus changing from a park brake to an emergency stopping brake. If the disks fail, then the systmen will apply the drum brakes but at a controlled rate.

Jamo got it right The gearbox that tensions the cables to the EPB drum brakes has a tension sensor or travel sensor. If mud or sand get in between the brake shoes and the drum the gearbox tries more tension and the override clutch screams. This highly technical setup allows the EPB to apply more tension so that if it is applied and the car still moves it can apply more tension to the brakes clever but not too good out bush. I have cleaned and adjusted mine twice, once with mud and then with sand With the sand the EPB brakes jammed on solid and would not release. The trick was to turn off the ignition and back on and then reverse slowly and apply the EPB. After a couple of goes it cleared the jammed brakes but the clean and adjust was still needed because of the screaming clutch But the EPB is great on hillstarts fully laden

Originally Posted by WhiteD3

It's happened to me a number of times and has either rectified itself within an hour or so or I've had it into LR for them to clean it, at no cost I might add.

Just remembered that a member in our club with a RRSport says that he gets the orange EPB light on when travelling on dirt roads. He uses a high pressure sprayer to clean the EPB brake area and that seems to fix it Maybe that would work for cleaning out the mud without a dismantle but be careful with the high pressure sprayer around brake hoses and tyre sidewalls

My 6 month D3 came up with an EPB error message a few weeks ago, and shut the engine off as I was towing. Taken back to the dealer, who told me I was making it up, and I had just ran of diesel (tank was 2/3 full, and I suspect siphoned off at their dealership overnight). So last weekend, EPB fault almost caused car to catch on fire. Red hot, lots of heat damage. No error messages this time, and no clue there was a problem except for a momentary vibration from the right side of the car. Thank god I pulled into a truck stop. How do I trust the car again? Stranded towing horses, twice in 5 weeks.

Really useful info - thanks. But has anyone else had their EPB come on for no reason whilst driving? I've been towed off twice for this in five weeks, and only have done 22k on the vehicle. It sounds like mostly the fault is happening when the EPB has been applied, and then won't disengage?