Hello and happy New Year to all Jag lovers here

I was wondering if any could help me to understand little problem I have. I drive manual S-Type, but it seems to have electronic hand break control - I am assuming similar to one on automatic models

Usually handbrake works fine, but if I leave car stationary for a week or so, the handbrake does not release, after I push the release lever down.

The handbrake light goes off all right, but the car does not want to move

The only way I found to release handbrake, is to gently release the clutch, trying to overpower the handbrake. After couple of seconds of such "abuse", handbrake releases with a reasonably loud "pop" and jerk. After this sort of "treatment", the handbrake seems to work fine until next time I live car for a week

I live in reasonably warm climate, so freezing is not an issue i think

Have any of you experienced anything like this and would you have any tips to share (on top of obvious - "do not leave car parked for more then a week" one )

Thank you

 

Hi Lev,
It sounds like the pads are siezed in the calipers, take off the back wheels and remove the two bolts that hold the pad cradle to the caliper( the ones with the smallrubber gaiter around them) Knock it off the disc and tap out the pads. Clean off all the rust and muck and put a dab of copper grease on the edges of the pads where they touch the cradle.
Put it all back together and it sould be fine.You shouldn't need to re-calibrate the H\Brake,but if you do there will be a thread on how to do it somewhere on the Forum.
Also with electronic H\Brakes you should be able to pull away without having to release the H\Brake lever, the brakes come off automatically when you press the gas peddle.

Hope this helps,

Johnnybee.

 

It may not be that complicated, the pads may just be sticking to the discs, especially they work ok when you free them.
If you hold the hand brake lever down when you shut off the ignition the handbrake will not engage, try that first but make sure the car can't run away!

 

Johnbee, norri - thank you for your replies

Cleaning calipers and pads is a good idea and I will do that as soon as it gets a bit warmer. Meanwhile I will be parking without handbrake as norri suggested and leaving car in a gear instead - I did know about that trick

Thank you

 

its normal, theyre not freezing, theyre sticking from rust buildup on the rotors from humidity and rain. The longer it sits and more moisture in the air the worse it will be..It builds a rust lip around the edge of the pads cause the pads cover the rotor. This is why Jaguar puts protective covers over the rotors on new car. Without it the rotors rust so bad that not only can they stick, but once the cars sold it may have been sitting on theback lots for months never being moved. When it gets driven the rotors are clean where the pads covered them and when you brakeyou'll foreverfeel a pulsing vibrating brake pedal everytime you brake cause the rotor is slightly thinner from rust eating away metalexcept were the pads where

 

BRUTAL

Thank you for response.

Once again, it seems like it is best not to use handbrake if car is going to be parked for long time. At least the rust build-up on a rotor will be even - am I right?

Thanks

 

I played with handbrake a bit today and realised that my car does not have that "auto-release" feature described by Johnnybee, despite the fact it is mentioned in the user manual. I guess it is optional feature.

This means that the behaviour I was experiencing, was definitely sticking handbrake pad, rather then some fault in auto-release electronics. Saying that, handbrake did work fine today and car was stationary for some time.

I will see how it goes...

Thank you

 

Is the auto release the same on a manual?
I'm thinking it would be possible to be sitting on a hill with the handbrake on andthe car in gear push the accelerator and roll back into another vehicle.
Just wondering.

 

I don't think so. If I remember correctly (from what I read), auto-release only operates when in gear (first or reverse only) and accelerator pushed.