Also sometimes not always it gets stuck on one side even though it's right down and shows no light that it's still on doesn't always stick but happens quite a lot and I have to drive till I hear a slight clunk then I can feel it's released its self . One garage I took it too had a quick look and said I need 2 new back calipers and break pads and disks on both sides . Said he would call me back with a price but hasn't bothered so I'm booked in to some were else Friday but was just wanting some advice on what people think about what the first garage said to me ? From what I can make out that's going to cost a fortune to get done ! My cars Clio 197 cup 2009 and done 61,000 miles what's the chance I'm going to need to new calipers with the described problem I'm having ?
Hi my hand brake has started to lift up way to high and isn't holding the car properl
- Thread starter Em 8023
- Start date
matt9566
Paid Member
I've just had a similar problem to yours. Handbrake lifted all the way to the top and barely held the car, the brakes did stick on but only like once or twice ever.
Took it to the garage and he did have a look at the calipers and brakes for me but said they seemed fine, Put a new set of handbrake cables on and problem solved. I have heard of the calipers seizing though so maybe I was just lucky.
Took it to the garage and he did have a look at the calipers and brakes for me but said they seemed fine, Put a new set of handbrake cables on and problem solved. I have heard of the calipers seizing though so maybe I was just lucky.
The self adjusting mech is pants, mine too.
You can adjust the Pistons manually but that's only good until the pads wear more.
You can adjust the Pistons manually but that's only good until the pads wear more.
DannyAG200
Gold Member
I thought my caliper may have been seized but works out my handbrake cable is frayed inside.. best way to find out is handbrake on hard till it does your locking wheel symptom. jack the rear of the car up, wheel off and let handbrake off, unplug your cable from the caliper and then pull the cable see if returns and then check caliper is springing back too 
hope this helps
hope this helps
Thanks everyone , my car is going in to the garage first thing in the morning , went to speak with them today and they said they will find the problem tomoz so fingers crossed it's not the most expensive option going but my luck it usually turns out to be the worst case sinario so I'll let you know . Thanks for all the good advice
the calipers self adjusting as the pads wear and take up any "play/slack" - if they are adjusted correctly ie calipers & cables and maintained correctly should give many years of trouble free use...
what usually happens is the handbrakes are over adjusted or adjusted incorrectly which leads to the faults described
Hopefully the garage will check the auto adjuster is working as intended before diagnosing a replacement caliper needed.
I have a similar issue when i adjusted my handbrake in prep for MOT (my fault) but i removed the pads to check piston moved freely and then didnt seat the pads back fully by stamping on the pedal, meaning the handbrake came up way too high ,which i then (over) adjusted.
MOT place said i would probably need a new caliper, but after stripping it down and checking everything worked as it should, it needed the pads reseating properly and the handbrake adjuster in the car winding back and they were as good as new and flew through the MOT.
Hopefully it will be a simple fix. I am curious though, did you change anything causing the handbrake to come to the top ? If it suddenly just did it then a cable could have snapped.
I have a similar issue when i adjusted my handbrake in prep for MOT (my fault) but i removed the pads to check piston moved freely and then didnt seat the pads back fully by stamping on the pedal, meaning the handbrake came up way too high ,which i then (over) adjusted.
MOT place said i would probably need a new caliper, but after stripping it down and checking everything worked as it should, it needed the pads reseating properly and the handbrake adjuster in the car winding back and they were as good as new and flew through the MOT.
Hopefully it will be a simple fix. I am curious though, did you change anything causing the handbrake to come to the top ? If it suddenly just did it then a cable could have snapped.
Hi well good news was my calliper was working fine after they pulled it all off to check and I just needed the handbrake cable replacing . Also had new discs and pad at the back as they were pretty poor so alls sorted now thank you again everyone for all the advice
Montana to answer your question nothing was changed at all for the problem to start for me just one day went to pull up my hand break and it lifted right up way to high and never worked properly again after that
DannyAG200
Gold Member
thought so only because it happened to me, it frays inside then when it wants to take slack up the frayed parts catch on the tubing and dont allow it
only because it happened to me, it frays inside then when it wants to take slack up the frayed parts catch on the tubing and dont allow it 
