Handbrake Failure

**Ben H** · 4th July 2006, 21:44

Does this seem to be a common problem for the Vectra C? Read a post by someone regarding theirs failing last night & he was replied to by another 4 or 5 people saying the same, either from ratchet mech releasing itself or from when brakes cooled off & released themselves.

I've not heard of it untill last night, now the missus parks the Vectra uphill from my works Astra

**JP7** · 4th July 2006, 22:09

Not heard of it myself... although I always park in gear out of habit so it wouldn't cause me an issue really.

**Led** · 4th July 2006, 23:41

If the car has been driven hard then the discs would have expanded a little and when they cool you might as well have left the hand brake off

I sat and watched a Cooper S with red discs park up, 5 mins later it wasn't in the same parking bay - made a few people look to see if Mr Beadle was about

Mini boot's aren't that strong.

**leeds vectra** · 5th July 2006, 03:37

It's fast becoming a common fault on the facelift too. I know of at least three people with facelifts showing the fault.

Paul.

**AndrewTi** · 5th July 2006, 18:31

I can vouch for that. 06 model, parked in the same place on my dads drive as I park mine ( when I have it that is! ) pulled the handbrake on, half an hour later its rolled into his Jag. He wasn't amused......

**Gsi3.2** · 5th July 2006, 21:53

that's the beauty of autos..once in park, the handbrake becomes secondary..

there was a french car that used the front discs as the handbrake disc system, can't remember which one??? That did exactly the same..discs cooled and the cars rolled away..

**Inspektor** · 5th July 2006, 23:10

Happened twice on mine! Once I was fueling up , heard a bang then the car started rolling back

Always try to leave it in gear now.

**marichrd** · 6th July 2006, 10:30

The Citroen BX had the handbrake on the front discs.

The Vectra B had a small set of shoes on the inside of the disc (worked like a drum) for the handbrake, so even if driven hard, whent he disc cooled, the brake was still on.

I always leave a manual car in gear, or if auto, then Park. doubles up for safety...