car rolled into road

[krisby]

Got back from work an hour ago, just been watching some TV before bed and heard some numpty parping his horn outside my house, so I went to go outside and tell him to STFU when I realized my car was blocking the road.

Quickly grabbed my keys and ran outside, handbrake was on, though I do recall it making a hollow clicking sound when I parked up earlier. So put it back in the drive and the handbrake actually felt better, pulled it and it went up high, rather than stopping after 2 or 3 clicks, but I still left the car in gear just in case.

So what is the norm for the handbrake, should it come up quite far? supposed to be self adjusting I thought and have been quite perplexed by its holding ability, or lack of.

[Craig1985]

Has yours had the spring mod? All vectras have had a recall?they normally apply a sticker on the visor advising you to leave in gear. Also press and hold the foot brake before applying the handbrake , thi takes up the slack. Also another thing have you checked your rear pads lately?

[Ziggy]

Always leave your car in gear!!

[dh.dti]

Always leave your car in gear!!

[spoons]

In my opinion its a design fault with front wheel drive cars.

Most of the braking force (something like 80-90%) is delivered by the front wheels, so they make the front brakes just big enough to cope.

But the back brakes are undersized for the weight of the car when being held with the handbrake. There is hardly any clamping force... and thats before they cool down after driving, which makes the setup contract and there is even less clamping force

I've pulled my handbrake on when the Vectra was moving (in a controlled environment and not on a public road) and hardly anything happens !! - its crap.

If I pull my handbrake on the Fiat 500, I do a handbrake turn its that strong.

Leave it in gear when parked and dont trust the handbrake... it is the only answer

[Big Dave]

Always leave your car in gear!!

Same advice given in the handbook and by The Highway Code.

[marc vectra sri]

Sorry to hijack but I have noticed now and then that my handbreak makes a clunk sound when I apply any ideas

[vxvirgin]

Like this?:

http://www.vectra-c.com/forum/showth...andbrake+clunk

[gibbon7000]

Sorry to hijack but I have noticed now and then that my handbreak makes a clunk sound when I apply any ideas

I have this on both my Signums and I think its the handbrake lever catching where the seat belts locks in. If you keep your seatbelt on and apply it shouldn't happen cos its pulled out of the way.

[krisby]

Not sure if the recall has been done, I did email NOW vauxhall a few weeks ago about it but they haven't replied (interesting how when I contacted them to spend money they called me within 2 hours, when it costs them money no response).

Rear calipers and pads done 2 weeks ago, so its not them.

I will have to get in the practice of leaving in car, never had to before, always owned a car where the handbrake actually worked and thought people that left car in gear on anything other than 30+ degree slope were mental.

The slope of my drive is next to nothing, maybe a few degrees, but clearly was enough to roll all the way out into the road.

I liked the idea about reapplying the brake when you hear the clunk, hadn't thought of that one, and I do notice the manual does say not to hold the button when applying, let it click.

Anyway, thanks guys, I'll chase Vauxhall again.