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[Martin_1962]

Also - on facelifts (and Ithink also on mini-facelifts?) you are not suppose to be able to remove the key from the Ignition if the car is not in Park, but this does not work any more on mine - never actually looked into it to check what went wrong...

I know - mine was in R not P!!!!!!!!

[Markjay]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=450954&in_page_id=1770

[theolodian]

Also - on facelifts (and Ithink also on mini-facelifts?) you are not suppose to be able to remove the key from the Ignition if the car is not in Park, but this does not work any more on mine - never actually looked into it to check what went wrong...

I know - mine was in R not P!!!!!!!!

A few weeks ago I was so careful setting the handbrake on a hill that I forgot to put it in Park.  Came back and wouldn't start.  Looked down and it was in Drive.  Thankfully it hadn't moved!  Park is 500 times as effective as the handbrake on my car.

[Danny]

This is no laughing matter - an ambulance crushed a 4-years old child to death recently, it is said to have had both the gear in 'Park' and the hand break on yet it rolled... to all those who said (in another thread) that they don't bother with the hand brake - better safe then sorry.

How could that happen?

There were kids playing inside the ambulance, it was on a school demonstration, so it is possible that one of them shifted the gear and released the hand brake, but it is still strange because it is not easy for a toddler to do this... also, they said that an engineer inspected the ambulance and found no mechanical failure, i.er. the Park and hand brake both work, but they didn't say if they found engaged after the incident...

did the child die then? first reports hadnt said so

[Markjay]

This is no laughing matter - an ambulance crushed a 4-years old child to death recently, it is said to have had both the gear in 'Park' and the hand break on yet it rolled... to all those who said (in another thread) that they don't bother with the hand brake - better safe then sorry.

How could that happen?

There were kids playing inside the ambulance, it was on a school demonstration, so it is possible that one of them shifted the gear and released the hand brake, but it is still strange because it is not easy for a toddler to do this... also, they said that an engineer inspected the ambulance and found no mechanical failure, i.er. the Park and hand brake both work, but they didn't say if they found engaged after the incident...

did the child die then? first reports hadnt said so

It says 'Toddler crushed to death..' so sadly the answer is yes. And he was 2, not 4 as i said before (he was in a group of 2 to 4 years old, I didn't read properly)

Very sad  

[Matchless]

sure theres a how to for adjustment on here  :-/ but its fiddly and mine still isnt perfect either,,,

How to for service but doesn't cover adjustment.

Strip the rear brakes, deglaze the drum with emery paper, file 6 - 10 mm leading and trailing edges on the shoe friction material. Make sure that the operating levers pivot properly, they can seize up. Refit the drum.
Get underneath and drop one of the exhaust heatshields so you can see the handbrake cable adjuster.....loosen it right off.
Adjust the handbrake shoes through the hole in the drum until they just lock the drum, pull the handbrake lever hard a few times and bang the drum with a wooden mallet or bit of wood to help the shoes to centralise.
Now back off the shoe adjuster slightly untill the drum is free, dont over-do this but dont leave them binding either...the difference is only one notch.
Tighten the cable adjuster so the brakes are locked on the third click.
Replace heatshield etc.

On an auto, if you use the handbrake to control speed on the morning-reverse-off-the-drive then it will keep the shoes and drum face in good condition.

[theolodian]

sure theres a how to for adjustment on here  :-/ but its fiddly and mine still isnt perfect either,,,

How to for service but doesn't cover adjustment.

Strip the rear brakes, deglaze the drum with emery paper, file 6 - 10 mm leading and trailing edges on the shoe friction material. Make sure that the operating levers pivot properly, they can seize up. Refit the drum.
Get underneath and drop one of the exhaust heatshields so you can see the handbrake cable adjuster.....loosen it right off.
Adjust the handbrake shoes through the hole in the drum until they just lock the drum, pull the handbrake lever hard a few times and bang the drum with a wooden mallet or bit of wood to help the shoes to centralise.
Now back off the shoe adjuster slightly untill the drum is free, dont over-do this but dont leave them binding either...the difference is only one notch.
Tighten the cable adjuster so the brakes are locked on the third click.
Replace heatshield etc.

On an auto, if you use the handbrake to control speed on the morning-reverse-off-the-drive then it will keep the shoes and drum face in good condition.

Where were you on Saturday?  

I didn't have to drop any heat shields.

[Markjay]

Also - on facelifts (and Ithink also on mini-facelifts?) you are not suppose to be able to remove the key from the Ignition if the car is not in Park, but this does not work any more on mine - never actually looked into it to check what went wrong...

I know - mine was in R not P!!!!!!!!

Checked mine - definitely FUBAR - key comes out of ignition barrel in any gear.

[Paul M]

I *always* make sure the handbrake is working properly, had to get it adjusted recently but mine works perfectly well and will hold the car on steep hills with a bit of effort. I usually leave it in 1st gear out of habit, and just in case the handbrake fails while parked, but that's more a belt and braces approach -- it's still the handbrake that's actually braking the car to stop it moving (hence the name, funnily enough ).

The only time I make an exception is if the car is going to be parked for a few weeks and it's on a flat, in that case I'll leave the handbrake off and just leave it in gear to prevent the handbrake from sticking.

A car with a dodgy handbrake is dangerous IMO, even when mine had too much travel it still worked fine (the lever was almost out the sunroof though lol). Well worth getting it sorted, if it doesn't work properly after adjustment then either the cable or mechanism has probably seized.

[stevief]

A "failed" parking brake is the only motoring offence I have had in 30 years and it only rolled far enough for the shoes to engage, inches more than feet. Subsequent attempts could not replicate the movement but I was still charged as the parking brake was supposed to stop the car moving on its own from rest without back up from the gearbox.

I was suspected of misbehaving so was stopped and this was the only way they could charge me although I have heard of cases where unintended take offs such as Martin's have resulted in fines and also insurance company refusal to pay out on damage due to insuficient maintenance.

Maybe some of the Police members can clarify the situation but it is galling when you get done for something that should be easily maintained.

Steve

[Markjay]

A "failed" parking brake is the only motoring offence I have had in 30 years and it only rolled far enough for the shoes to engage, inches more than feet. Subsequent attempts could not replicate the movement but I was still charged as the parking brake was supposed to stop the car moving on its own from rest without back up from the gearbox.

I was suspected of misbehaving so was stopped and this was the only way they could charge me although I have heard of cases where unintended take offs such as Martin's have resulted in fines and also insurance company refusal to pay out on damage due to insuficient maintenance.

Maybe some of the Police members can clarify the situation but it is galling when you get done for something that should be easily maintained.

Steve

If they got you for that then I am assuming that they checked the washer fluid level and tyres pressures but couldn't fail these?  

[stevief]

A "failed" parking brake is the only motoring offence I have had in 30 years and it only rolled far enough for the shoes to engage, inches more than feet. Subsequent attempts could not replicate the movement but I was still charged as the parking brake was supposed to stop the car moving on its own from rest without back up from the gearbox.

I was suspected of misbehaving so was stopped and this was the only way they could charge me although I have heard of cases where unintended take offs such as Martin's have resulted in fines and also insurance company refusal to pay out on damage due to insuficient maintenance.

Maybe some of the Police members can clarify the situation but it is galling when you get done for something that should be easily maintained.

Steve

If they got you for that then I am assuming that they checked the washer fluid level and tyres pressures but couldn't fail these?  

Almost but not quite. If it had been the driver who pushed the car to initiate the move I would have been okay but it was just my luck to get the co-pilot who obviously scoffed the majority of the free buns procured from the local bakers so no chance .

Steve