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Parking Brake Freezing?

15K views 15 replies 13 participants last post by  mnowaczyk 
#1 ·
Has anyone had an issue with the parking brake freezing while engaged? My left rear wheel refused to roll this morning after releasing the parking brake. Roadside assistance got it towed to the dealer who just said they can't find a problem with it and everything seems to be working normally.
I know I never had the problem with my Prelude or my wife's Santa Fe. Anyone else?
 
#2 ·
Do you use it daily? Most of these problems occur when the e-brake hasn't been used consistently. I use mine daily and have no problems with it.
 
#3 ·
Had the exact same problem. I believe there is a TSB on it. I had mine replaced on warranty. ( After it was released at the dealership...they replaced the cable when I went in for another unrelated issue.) It happened about a week after I got my truck.

Shovel Head is right..use it or lose it. I never use mine and now I'm afraid to use it for any length of time because I fear it will stick again...
 
#5 ·
Living in the nothern parts of the US while in the Air Force and overseas in cold areas, we never used the emergency brakes to park a vehicle if the tempurature was expected to go below freezing. We used wheel chocks instead. Parking brakes will freeze if there is any moisture on the drume/disks and pads or shoes. Also, the lubricants in the cables gets really stiff and can actually act like a frozen brake. Example: Offutt AFB, winter of 1983. 20 degress and 50 MPH wind. Young airman set the parking brake on the colonels staff car when closing down for the day. In the AM, the colonel is late getting to a briefing at SAC HQ because the car won't move.

I have seen it happen in Korea, Europe, and even here in Northern Virginia.

Watch Ice Road truckers on TV? They don't set the parking brakes. :)
 
#6 ·
I live in Western Massachusetts. We get plenty of snow, ice, and salt. I use my parking brake daily and have never had a problem with it. The problem is not with the pads and rotors. Mine will freeze up just from rust due to rain. Once the wheels have broken free and the brakes applied to clear off the rust, no further problems. If the brakes are dragging it is most likely a cable issue. Cables freeze up when you don't use them.
 
#7 ·
Thanks all. I did use it every time I parked it on my driveway since there's a slight incline. It was cold, our first freeze here in West Texas I believe, so maybe there was enough to freeze that brake in place. The dealership told me that they cleaned and lubed the cable and all, but couldn't find anything that caused it. I'll be happy as long as it doesn't do it again.
Thanks again.
 
#8 ·
I tried flying a plane a few months ago and could not make it move. I could not believe it! I had instructor once tell me to never use the emergency brake and I always thought - yea right. Until now. I had full throttle on with 3 passengers on board and the plane would not move. The emergency brake was off but it was stuck on. The FBO later put me in a different plane and all was good. Later I found out that they had to connect that plane to a truck and pull it until the brakes released. This was a 2007 Cessna 172 SP with G1000 cockpit. A $250,000 aircraft. Yet the brakes got stuck. I'm now a believer that emergency brakes can stick and I will never use another one.
 
#9 ·
It was actually a service news that Honda issued. It states that where the E-brake exits the cab trhough the floor is where the problem may be. They say that since its the lowest point on the floor water puddles up there and enters into the E-brake cable. Than it freezes in the colder weather.
 
#11 ·
Since the thermometer still under 0°C, I don't apply the parking brake because, I am sure he will stick again.:mad: One morning when I want go to work, the right rear wheel refused to spin. This spring I will make a good cleaning of the rear brake system :cool:
 
#12 ·
01-20-2009. I also have that problem w/ a frozen E-Brake at my right rear tire in the not always frozen Atlanta, GA. I have called two dealers, and Honda.com Customer (No Service) Department at 1-800-999-1009.

I was repeatedly told to tow it in at my loss. Additionally, It was up to the Dealers decision to charge or not to charge for any brake repairs needed. I asked how could "ridgelineownersclub.com" who are having problems have Honda acknowledge this as a design flaw?

I was told to have Ridgeline Owners w/ this problem to call the above Honda.com toll free number and ask for a case number or have your dealer report it w/ Honda. For now, I will take some of your previous advice of not using my E-Brake cable. I will place stops on the ground of my sloped driveway and let the stops act as my anti-roll brake. I plan on taking my E-Brake drum assembly and/or Cable apart to free it up. If you think you do not have this problem, try exposing your truck to water and park it out in below freezing weather, and see in the morning if it sticks?
I refuse to pay $110+ to tow and HOPE HONDA will cover the cost to replace the E-Brake cable or Brake parts for free?
 
#13 ·
I feel your pain and could not agree more. If you are anything like me, you want things to work like there engineered to..I may take up your advice and give Honda a call, maybe if we get enough on it Honda will move. I had to put mine on the jack, take the wheels, and run the adjuster in. Have not called my dealer yet to see if this would be covered. Not be able to use your E-Brake is a joke even on a new truck.When I traded my Ram, I was under the impression Honda did not have to many problems. My Ram never froze up, not to mention my Durango.
 
#14 ·
Haven't had the issue, but there is a TSB... here is the first part of it:

Brakes - Park Brake Won't Release In Cold Weather

TSB 09-014
February 27, 2009
Applies To:
2006-09 Ridgeline - ALL
Parking Brake Won't Release in Cold Weather
SYMPTOM
The parking brake won't release in very cold weather.
PROBABLE CAUSE
There is water in the parking brake cables. It may have come from inside the vehicle, or from the rear of the vehicle where the cables attach to the rear brakes.
CORRECTIVE ACTION
Replace the parking brake cables.
 
#15 ·
I was leaving the gym this evening and I think my truck has developed this problem. I released brake and it didn't seem to recoil as much as usual. Parking brake light goes off but there seems to be little resistance if I try to reengage it and the truck definitely feels like it's dragging. I was only a block from home so I just drove it there. My question can I drive the truck to my dealer tomorrow which is about 3 miles away or do I need to get a tow? Is the brake fully engaged when this occurs or is it just dragging slightly? How much damage can I do by driving it?

On another note I think I found a leak that may have contributed to the problem according to the TSB. I was cleaning the truck this weekend and noticed the carpet was slightly damp underneath the drivers side factory rubber mat. Read up on the problem here and I discovered my drivers side mud flap was indeed clogged and I think that may have backed up and caused the leak. I cleaned out mud flap and dried the carpet but I am now wondering if it led to the parking brake failure. Cold and snow storm is in my area now so the leak probably led to the E-brake cable freezing.

Should I drive it tomorrow or have it towed?
 
#16 · (Edited)
I’m digging up old bones here, but getting ready to replace my rear brake calipers due to something dragging on the left rear wheel, surely a caliper from the titanic as I already gutted my ebrakes due to not being able to get them to work correctly. I think my cables got stretched. I see the corrective action is to replace the cables.

I don’t want to destroy my parking paw, as that’s all I’ve got right now. I’m thinking I should really get my e brake back in action. I’m willing to consider replacing whatever needs to be replaced.

Edit: I couldn’t find a thread on my attempt to replace the shoes, but can see I attempted some time after ~May 2021 and ended up disabling the e-brake. I need to find my YouTube video for the drilled and slotted rotors I installed bc I wonder if they were the root cause of my e brake issues. I am confident that was way before the e brake issues though.
View attachment 434190

Edit: looks like Feb 2020 is when I put on drilled/slotted rotors so it’s possible that about a year of the rotors messed up by e brake.

 
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