caseymaxima

iTrader: (1)

Hi everyone,
The past two days have been below freezing here in NJ and when I get in my 1996 in the morning the parking brake sticks on. After you drive a bit it will free up, however I am toasting my rear brake pads in the process. The cables were replaced in May, and it was not raining so water could not be in there. When it is sticking, the first 3 or so clicks of the parking brake have no tension at all, however when it is free, it has tension from the first click. Any ideas?


Thanks,
Zack

allensteiner21

iTrader: (6)

don't use it. you can leave your car in gear (1st or reverse) when you park and it won't roll away - unless you have it in reverse with the *** end facing down hill. you know how it works.

Maxtank

iTrader: (8)

This is kinda common. I had a rear caliper lock on me a few years ago. Other than new calipers, there isn't much you can do, as far as i know. But like what was said above, use it only when necessary.

wirelessdude04

iTrader: (24)

happened to my cousin today.. Didn't do anything just came back a few hours later and it was unseized

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

It will roll away if it's on a steep grade, that's why you use the parking brake.

Gear selection (1st vs reverse) doesn't matter, regardless of which direction you're facing when you park.

allensteiner21

iTrader: (6)

not talking bout gay bay grades but just regular driveways - won't roll if the tranny is good and if facing uphill in 1st or downhill in R.

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

Once again, direction vs gear doesn't really matter. It's not just a properly working trans, but a healthy engine as well.

allensteiner21

iTrader: (6)

true

lilaclucymaxima

iTrader: (16)

Happened to me. Replaced all my calipers, still happened. If you look at your rear brakes, you can see where the e-brake cables lock into the braking system. That bracket is what is locking up. Mine is pretty rusted and corroded. I just don't use my e-brake from november-march up here in RI Sucks though, my driveway is pretty steep, so I just park in the street because it rolls when I leave it in gear on my driveway. I'll probably take it apart in the spring and really clean it. Hope this helps.

ozzombie13

iTrader: (3)

mine did it just the other day. my rear calipers are fairly new, cables too. i waited a few hours and it was free. so i went and sprayed the spring and all around it with some pb blast no problem since

ImmaSquashYou

iTrader: (7)

if his calipers are seized, it doen'st matter if he uses his parking brake or not, its still seized. You cannot press on the brake pedals and NOT use the rear brakes. Literally impossible. However, if you are stating that your calipers are pressing together after you use the parking brake but not when you normally brake, then its probably the spring that is seized that returns the caliper.

Also, i wouldn't ever just leave my car in 1st gear without the parking brake on.

agmetal

I've had this problem twice now...actually, my car is sitting parked on the street right now, a couple blocks from home, where I drove it with the brake sticking...it's exactly as described by the OP. I just had my rear calipers replaced a week ago, so that shouldn't be the issue, right?

Chris96I30T

My car is sitting right now with the same Issue. I replaced the one caliper on 26Nov2008, and the other yesterday, and it's freezing today. If i get under the car, should i try to move the ebrake cable bracket, or try to release the cable from the bracket? Does yanking yard on the ebrake work ofton? Any info is apprecated as i work 50 miles from home.

-Chris

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

So the actuator arm for the parking brake is sticking on the rear calipers? Tap those back into their resting position, should release the parking brake. If you think you'll pull it out of habit when you park later, pop the cables out.

Chris96I30T

I hope so. My ebrake handle is very loose for about the first two notchs than it cranks once it's up an inch or two. My calipers are new, so i don't think it's that. If the ebrake cable is frozen will it cause both brakes to lock most times? Only one of mine is locked.

I had the same problem yesterday, I thought it was the caliper(since i replaced the other a few weeks back) so i put a new one on. If it's not the frozen E-brake cable than the brake hose is the only other thing i can think of to cause it.

Thanks for the help!

Chris

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

The parking brake cable splits before the gas tank, so the problem area on the trailing arms can be localized to either one side or the other, or both.

wwjd180

iTrader: (1)

I actually didn't have any problems with my brakes for 3 years. Then last november, my e-brake cables had to be replaced. So it was replaced. Shortly afterwards, one of my rear calipers froze. Had it replaced and a month later, the other caliper froze. That also was replaced. A couple of weeks ago, when it was very cold, I noticed that the caliper was frozen again. I raised and dropped the e-brake a few times and it let up. I didn't have any problems with the e-brake until this morning. I wiped off the snow and started to drive, only to hear the sound of my back left wheel scraping the ground, as it the wheel was locked and the ABS light turned on. I turned around and parked it at home, but this is really getting crazy. Unfortunately I park on an incline so I generally use the e-brake, and like I said, I had no issues for quite some time. Now this is like the 5th instance of my e-brakes or related components acting up this winter. Quite frustrating...

maxed98

Just from experience on other vehicles I have had, this happens when you drive it and park and pull the brake, well the brakes are hot and you just pulled the pads against a cool smooth surface and they stay there and kinda of mate to the rotor if that makes sense, cause this usally dont happen when its warm outside.

ZaxWhite97Max

iTrader: (4)

Just drive to a heated car wash every morning

GCS

I have a fully stock 97 with manual trans. I live in Delaware County, PA, just south of Philly, and yesterday I left rear wheel was almost fully locked up due to the E-brake sticking. I didn't realize it until I got a block away from the house - streets heavily covered in snow - and my neighbor yelled to me that the wheel was just dragging along. I turned around and went back to the house. After getting it in the garage and putting it up on jackstands I found that the cable linkage was frozen and the caliper rails were really dirty and had ice formed on them. After checking the rest of the wheels I found that all but the right front were not spinning freely. So I took the calipers off, degunked the pins and thoroughly cleaned the calipers and around the e-brake linkages in the rear. I put them back on and problem solved. I also sprayed lubricant into the cable housing ends at both front and rear and added lithium grease to the T-Connector area and under the console as a precaution. These brakes are poorly designed for cold weather.

96mAx2fast

iTrader: (2)

I'm also in Jersey dealing with the same annoying cold weather. I replaced one of my ebrake cables ( and it solved my problem. Raise the car in the back and have someone raise and lower the ebrake handle. Watch each of the rear calipers to see if one does not release. It is a pretty common problem. Sometimes it is the caliper that is bad but most of the time it is that issue. These cables are super expensive and a pain to change, as you have to remove screws and crap under the heat shield of the exhaust. It took me about 2 hours to do in my yard working with only a jack and towers. If you check it out and determine that you need a driver's side cable, I can give you mine for cheap. Let me know how it goes...

timbrooks77

Happens every time its cold

97SEdriver

iTrader: (3)

you all have checked that the cable isn't pinched right?

This happened to me a few times when I was up at Blue Mountain (near allentown).

There is a TSB about when you put the car on a lift there is potential to pinch the e-brake cable, eventually it erodes and seizes...which will seize which ever side caliper it's connected to.

The location is in front of the rear wheel, iirc near the trailing arm

kismias7

I had the same thing and got the same answers you got. It is an easy fix. get under the back end of the car and wd40 the ebrake spring. My bro is a mechanic and Im not... but it worked w no problems at all over the last 2 months.

fabulous

its the rear passenger side caliper.... it happened to both my maximas..

eloleo81

I use my parking brake all the time on my 96 max and I haven't ever had this problem even in Chicago winters... hope it doesn't start..

S1cTech

Possibly the springs for the return are not strong enough or you have a hole in the cables were water got inside or they are just crappy cables. Don't go cheap, buy the professinal cables, they are even better and thicker then Nissan ones. I doubt it is your calipers being bad, That was what I thought at first, but it was actually a bad cable that got pinched between my rear trailing arm and it put a hole in the stock one and in return rusted and rotting the inside of the cable. Thus turning my rotors into the new Red fire mod.

S1cTech

dot

JSMax

iTrader: (13)

my return spring has been weakened over time. Eight dollars at the dealership and it fixed my sticking caliper. I also had the really loose first two clicks that others have stated in this thread. Mine was just the drivers side. She was cherry red and smoking really bad the other day. Shot some white lithium grease in there and it works 60% better.

Xfactor22

iTrader: (13)

this happened to my friends 96 and we thought the occurence was something more extreme and took apart the rear breaks, only to find out that when it warms up it unsticks.

agmetal

How expensive/difficult is it to replace the E-brake cable?

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

Last time I checked prices, about $100 per side. Dave B will likely be cheaper, though.

Maybe an hour for both, if it's your first time or you have a lot of rusty components.

insane imports

I had the same problem. I replaced both rear calipers, pads and rotors. Both e brake cables seemed to move freely by hand, so i didnt replace those. One month later the pass side rear was locked up again, so i replaced the pads again and rotor, they were all messed up from the caliper being locked periodically. This time with the advice of a friend of mine who is an ase certified auto mechanic i replaced the rear rubber brake line on the pass. side. He said with the fitting in the middle the line is basically set up for failure.

So far it has been working, but i havent been using the ebrake as much. Keep in mind i am also in WI which gets cold as well.

S1cTech

$77 bucks at Nissan. But just get the professinal one?(its thicker and better then the OEM one) at Rockauto for $55 =]

Also, Nissan will charge $94 bucks too do it. It is a ***** to do without a arm lift. I didn't have one. So I took it to them. They even had a hard time with it because of so much rust. The exhaust is in the way as well.