Just a warning, if you drive in the snow/wet at all be cautious about using the e-brake if it is going to freeze outside. Mine froze on last night, it's in the garage thawing out right now. It was parked outside in the cold after driving in some snow, I couldn't make it into the driveway last night due to the snow.

 

There was a lot of Action on this topic in December 04! If you absolutely have to use your Parking Brake don't Crank it up Just Apply Lightly! Automatics Really hardly ever need to Use BTW. BTMO. I just Leave My Stick in First when I park it. Course that is on FLAT ground! An Incline would be a different Story! BTMO!

 

There is a TSB out for this problem. Here you go!http://www.2005stang.com/gallery/alb...%20freezes.pdf

 

Lol, dont use the E-brake right after road coursing the car either, it will get stuck bad.

 

That's probably ok for a car with a hand brake, but I've owned more than one truck (with the pedal style) where the switch failed and the light wasn't on. If you only have the brake on lightly, then you'll drive for quite awile before you smell your rear brakes cooking. If it's on good and hard then you'll know it as soon as you try to pull out. At least with the hand brake it's easy to see that it's pulled up.

That said, a good rule of thumb is never use your parking brake in freezing tempratures. They can freeze on any vehicle. I've had it happen. It sucks.

 

The dealer just replaced my cable assembly to hopefully help that issue this winter. I just need to remember whenever I'm under the car to hit the rubber boots by the rear wheels with some silicone spray to prevent them from rotting out like they did before.

 

You should be cautious. I parked my car went into the store and didn't leave the parking brake on, came out and my car was in the middle of the street, I was like WTF!!, good thing I lined the wheels up semi straight. The street looked pretty flat too

 

Man, that's lucky.....

 

I had a heck of a time getting it into the garage with the brake on AND snow covered driveway!! Took a little while and some fancy footwork but it made it. It thawed out and released after about 45 minutes, but now it seems like it will not engage as far as before. What I mean is before I pulled it up and it would go a good 6-7 inches before it was tight, now it only goes maybe 2 inches up. Wonder why that could be? Self adjusting?? Broken??

 

OH NO!! You took it out in the snow and salt! That had to be a bummer. Mine is in winter hiberation and will wake up in March 07.

 

It's my only car for the time being, so no choice really. I was able to drive the girlfriends car to work yesterday, but she needed it the day it snowed, and today. yuck!

 

I was about to say Get two girlfriends however after giving it a little thought I am sure it would be much cheaper to purchase another car and avoid what a PITA that would be. If I could just teach my dog to drive I would not need a GF at all. LOL

 

The e-brake is rather important for the folks with manual transmissions (no parking pawl). One has to use the e-brake to step out of the vehicle with the engine idling. We're not supposed to but it's a Ford, and with a Ford you tend to have to come out and pop the hood to fix whatever problem arises.

 

Now it is stuck OFF, what a crappy design. It is going to the dealer tomorrow with TSB in hand.

 

Guy at work did that, but his new RX-8 hit a parked car then rolled down a hill and almost jumped an embankment.