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Parking brake stuck?

57K views 48 replies 18 participants last post by  Chrysler1924 
#1 ·
Hi gang, Just purchased a 97 Town & Country. I quickly found out that the parking brake would not hold. I removed both rear wheels and found the rear cable ends were not connected to either rear wheel. I connected them and the parking brake will not engage. I know the cables are not seized because I can pull them. I cannot move the lever that the cable connects to, therefore I cannot press the parking braking pedal. Anyone run into this before?
 
#32 ·
:)

Don't sweat it. Once you do the first one it's a breeze. Once you get the dash stuff removed (about 10-15 minutes), all you need to do is remove the fuse junction block with the 3 bolts on front. Move it aside, Then, the pedal assembly has three bolts holding it in.

I think You're going to agree this is not a difficult job after you fix the first one AND....
it is REALLY nice to have ebrakes again !:beerchug:

What makes you sure that you have the same problem though?
 
#33 ·
One thing I think I learned from this job is that there are two "tricks" to preserving the ebrake assembly from early failure.

1). As you suggested, put a foot on the pedal to catch the pedal as you release the brake by pulling the cable,..and e-a-s-e the pedal up.

2). Never use more force on the e-brake than you really need. The slack governor assembly has a ratchet and gear assembly of it's own inside from what I could see and continuing to force the pedal down past the point that the brakes are holding does little but stress the device unnecessarily.
 
#35 ·
Good thing I found this thread. I've been having issues with my new (to me) 99 Grand Voyagers parking brake. I've adjusted the rear brakes which helped alot but it still dosn't grab as good as my 94's. I'm thinking of maybe using/modifing a 2nd gen parking brake mechanism.

I always use my parking brake as my other two cars are manuals and it's a lot easier on the motor mounts.

I wish I could affix a euro-chrysler van style floor mounted hand brake, like the old awful Ford Aerostars had.
 
#37 ·
Well, looks like I'm hauling the '96 out of mothballs to take to work tomorrow morning.

I didn't manage to get the parking brake pedal mechanism replaced today. I *did* however manage to tear apart the entire lower dash assembly. Door sill, kick panel, knee bolster cover, metal reinforcement, a bunch of screws and loosen that blasted wiring junction. But I'm still attempting to figure out how to move it out of the way enough so I can get at the pedal to remove the mounting bolts.

@mistypotato was thoughtful enough to give me the hint to completely unplug the wiring junction. (I didn't do this because it didn't say to do that in all THREE resources I was using for this job, and I get nervous playing around any vehicle computer electronics.) Perhaps once the junction block is unplugged it will move enough to give me sufficient clearance to do the job.

Frustrating.
 
#40 ·
Bummer,
I swear it's easy. Once you get there, you'll look back and say the same. You're just caught on a few snags. If you didn't pull the two big white plugs out of the bottom of the junction block you aren't gonna be able to move it out of the way.

Now, I was a bit nervwous also moving the electrical box around but you only need to move it a bit so you can get to the 3 bolts. I assure you I could change an ebrake assembly in 30-45 minutes now that I know the steps.

PM me and I'll give you my cell number if you want to chat about it. Just remember what I said about NOT pulling the grenade pins until AFTER you have the cable securely in the slot for it on the slack take up mechanism. I took out the long straight one ahead of time with no problem. It's not critical, but the other shorter one pulls like **** on the cable once you pull the pin....so you better have the cable in there already.
 
#39 ·
I've been easing up the pedal ever since I had my 1990 many years ago. I've always babied these e-brake pedals but they continuously fail.
 
#41 ·
Go figger, right? That's always a kicker, when you DO take care of something and it breaks. You don't suppose... because these are engineered for soccer moms... they're designed to be abused? Naaah! But if you've babied them all these years on several different vehicles and they continuously fail, perhaps, following logic, you should start letting the pedal fly up? I'm not making fun, I'm just trying to figure this out and learn from your experience. I'm as puzzled as you are.
 
#43 ·
I honestly have to say my van sits on my highly slanted driveway every night and I have not once applied the parking brake, it currently has 310,000km (192,600miles approx.) on the original engine, transmission and solenoid pack, other than regular fluid/filter changes I've done nothing to the trans. So I'm not 100% sure how much the parking brake would help at this point. Do others recommend using the parking brake? I only really use them on manual cars.
 
#45 ·
I have had different experience, I had a 90 GV and kept it for 15 yrs, over 100k miles much in the mtns. and I set the parking brake almost every time I park to keep strain off the tranny cable and pawl. Had two break on my 81 Aries and since then I have always used the e brake when parking. I had to replace the cable on the 90 GV about 2003. If you use it consistently I think it is beneficial for the system, occasional use probably makes the problems worse. I have always kept the components and pivots lubed. The 2000 Caravan actually adjusted the rear brakes by using the e brake and those who don't use it are not getting full braking capability. I use a little different method than the one given, which is good. If there is a significant incline, (or deep sand can preload the weight on the pawl as well) I always set the e brake with my foot on the brake and in neutral, then allow the weight to roll back onto the e brake, then I shift into P. Never been stuck since doing it that way.
 
#46 ·
Just to give a little history in my situation: My 99 Spinach-Van is a rust-bucket from the rust-belt and I don't think the parking brake had ever been used before I bought it. So, of course, it was well rusted and stuck quite a bit until I could get it worked in and lubricated. And then the left side cable snapped about a year after I bought it.

Usually I use my parking brake quite often. Keeps it from getting like the one on the 99. The GF's new-to-us 96 has no rust and the parking brake works well so we use it all the time.

I'm disheartened to hear all the trouble Chrysler1924 is having. He's doing everything right, and the reward he gets is one mechanism failure after the other. Just doesn't make sense. Wish I had an answer or suggestion, but I'm lost here.
 
#47 ·
TC Wagner: "The 2000 Caravan actually adjusted the rear brakes by using the e brake and those who don't use it are not getting full braking capability"

This is so true. I live on the prairies. It was only the thought of going down the mountains on my annual holiday without an e brake that motivated me to fix it. In the process of fixing it I realised that the back brakes were hardly working - that really freaked me out.

Thankfully I just took the brakes apart put them back together and they seemed to work. The place where the cable goes from one to two had siezed up. It is halfway along underneath drivers side.maybe that was the problem

The more I use the e brake though the better they are
 
#48 ·
I replaced mine recently with a dealer new unit and logged the date and event into my maintenance history journal.

I use it constantly so I'll make it known if and when it fails and how long it lasted under daily use.
 
#49 ·
Well, two mechanics at the dealer tried to get it off when I stopped by earlier. To no avail. Full story at the other thread. Van goes to the dealer Monday before I absolutely lose my mind.
 
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