donkey

Anyone ever had their parking brake stick in cold weather? Today it happend to me for the third (and last) time.

Around christmas time it got down to 13 or so degrees here in Nashville. Left my car out of the garage by accident. Got in, drove off. Noticed that it felt sluggish, then it went away and I forgot about it. The next day it was down in the low teens again, and it stalled when I let out the clutch. Figured it was the parking brake or something and just drove off, after a few minutes it was fine. I had no time or interest to investigate further. Drove down to the coast (over 1000 mile trip) that next weekend, and as I was showing the car to someone else we noticed the rear rotors were burnt up...really bad. Then it hit me what had really happend. Took it in and they repaired the car under warranty in Mobile, brake pads were dust, calipers trashed, rotors gouged and cracked - entire rear braking system was replaced.

So, today as I'm leaving office depot the parking brake won't release yet again.

It's 20 degrees on the bank sign I'm staring at and the sun is starting to go down. So, I call Ford roadside assistance and they send a tow which shows up quickly. The tow truck driver had his wife with him, so there was not room for me and my wife, that was fun. Called Ford back to ask how I was to get home and what I'm supposed to drive and they would not provide transportation for me, and my dealer just sent me back out in the now sub 20 degree weather not even offering to call me a cab. They are not going to have a good day Monday morning.

This is the third time I have been left stranded by that car, and it's going to be the last. Between the design defects I've experienced and the attitude of the dealer, I'm done. Mustang for sale. Ford has just lost another customer, not that they really care anyway.

If anyone has experienced this problem and found a resolution, please post.

the cable guy

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(donkey @ February 18, 2006, 8:16 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Anyone ever had their parking brake stick in cold weather? Today it happend to me for the third (and last) time.

Around christmas time it got down to 13 or so degrees here in Nashville. Left my car out of the garage by accident. Got in, drove off. Noticed that it felt sluggish, then it went away and I forgot about it. The next day it was down in the low teens again, and it stalled when I let out the clutch. Figured it was the parking brake or something and just drove off, after a few minutes it was fine. I had no time or interest to investigate further. Drove down to the coast (over 1000 mile trip) that next weekend, and as I was showing the car to someone else we noticed the rear rotors were burnt up...really bad. Then it hit me what had really happend. Took it in and they repaired the car under warranty in Mobile, brake pads were dust, calipers trashed, rotors gouged and cracked - entire rear braking system was replaced.

So, today as I'm leaving office depot the parking brake won't release yet again.

It's 20 degrees on the bank sign I'm staring at and the sun is starting to go down. So, I call Ford roadside assistance and they send a tow which shows up quickly. The tow truck driver had his wife with him, so there was not room for me and my wife, that was fun. Called Ford back to ask how I was to get home and what I'm supposed to drive and they would not provide transportation for me, and my dealer just sent me back out in the now sub 20 degree weather not even offering to call me a cab. They are not going to have a good day Monday morning.

This is the third time I have been left stranded by that car, and it's going to be the last. Between the design defects I've experienced and the attitude of the dealer, I'm done. Mustang for sale. Ford has just lost another customer, not that they really care anyway.

If anyone has experienced this problem and found a resolution, please post.
[/b][/quote]

You probably have grounds for a lawsuit. It has become apparent that Ford as a company has no concern for this type of issue, so you'll probably be stuck dealing with the dealership forever if you don't sue.

dustindu4

first we got ambulance chasers

now tow truck chasing lawyers?

ford4v429

A guy at work works part time in a garage- he checked out my car the first day I drove it in, first thing he said- 'please dont do that in winter'(heavy russian accent) pointing at my parking brake...I guess he was seeing several a week, all makes can do it...

Personally I'd guess the chassisbath car washes that can save the car from wrath of salt, also blast into the brake cables.

looking under my car, the caliper ends have accordion boots on them(and need them as they are vertical), the splitter has conventional exposed ends, but cables appear to have a white teflonlike coating- look pretty good. the front cable/lever attachment? didnt look. I think about the ONLY thing that could possibly be better would be to add accordion boots from rear ends to ends inside splitter...but doubt if they would be high pressure resistant to carwash spray... some cars are problems, others not...I'm betting carwash nozzle/pressure/angle is one of the biggest reason in random sticking. Cables look pretty high quality, but ends are exposed to carwashing- eventually water will get in. not just ford has this issue.

donkey

Since they replaced the entire rear braking system, I've only driven about 1000 or less miles and due to the cold weather only washed the car once...by hand. Never used a machine wash in my life. I wish it was that easy of a fix, when it worked I really did enjoy that car. Unless I (read she) really, really likes that C6 we are looking at tomorrow, back to the Japanese my money goes...

Mongoose

If you knew the E brake was freezing up why did you continue to use it. Does not look like a smart move. Maybe donkey is more than just a name.

donkey

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mongoose @ February 19, 2006, 12:07 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
If you knew the E brake was freezing up why did you continue to use it. Does not look like a smart move. Maybe donkey is more than just a name.
[/b][/quote]
I did not know what the problem was the first two times, if I had I ceartainly would not have risked the car catching fire by driving it like I did. This time I did, and did not drive the car 1 foot. And I did not spend nearly $30k to be stranded and left out in the cold by Ford.

ford4v429

http://www.ridgelineownersclub.com/forums/...754&postcount=1

I'd suggest you go to dogpile.com, and search '[insert brand here] parking brake freezes'...do some searching before you decide to jump ship...anything as complex as a car is not likely to be perfect, and for a certainty, not 100% will be trouble free.

spend your money how you wish, but personally if Ford had built the Mustang in Mexico, I woulda walked away and cried- I wouldnt want to reward them for domestic branded imports any more than domestically built foreign cars if possible- at the rate things are going that choice wont be too far out...I truly believe the 'impeccable quality' of the imports is a farce. Dealer service is another story, and I do feel for you on that issue- Fords customer service is in need of a desperate overhaul.

before you jump ship, I might suggest you PM 'kzinti' over at blueovalforums.com- I bet if you asked, he could fwd your concerns to someone that might be able to get you some help. I think the NADA has lobbied too hard for too long at building the brick wall between customer/dealer/factory, and I do think in their restructuring, crap like this needs straightened out- pehaps you might be able to actually help correct the problem by bringing this stuff to light with some folks in position to change it- never know, maybe they'll offer some kind of compensation(like extending warranty or such). Friggin dealer gets paid for warranty work- they could care less if their service dept is slow...hopefully ford will eventually remember who their customers are- and its not the dealer. If dealers are going to survive in this internet economy, they'd better get with the program.

WERKED 66

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(donkey @ February 19, 2006, 11:52 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
I did not know what the problem was the first two times, if I had I ceartainly would not have risked the car catching fire by driving it like I did. This time I did, and did not drive the car 1 foot. And I did not spend nearly $30k to be stranded and left out in the cold by Ford.
[/b][/quote]


what needs to be done is the cables need to be coated in white litium grease...your problem will be solved..

Enfynet

I just had this happen to me yesterday. I decided I'd try not to use the ebrake until I have time to get it in for service. The rear brakes being toasted is not something I'd like to see happen...

NHstang

I've had lots of cars do this. Just don't use the parking brake when it's going to be below freezing. You can't avoid getting the cables wet, they're exposed. Then they freeze to whatever they're touching. So unless you park on a hill and absolutely need the brake, just leave it in 1st.

grrr428

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(donkey @ February 18, 2006, 11:11 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Since they replaced the entire rear braking system, I've only driven about 1000 or less miles and due to the cold weather only washed the car once...by hand. Never used a machine wash in my life. I wish it was that easy of a fix, when it worked I really did enjoy that car. Unless I (read she) really, really likes that C6 we are looking at tomorrow, back to the Japanese my money goes...
[/b][/quote]

I couldn't find much on "frozen emergency brake", here's one:
http://shell.deru.com/~sgn1/AW11/Brakes.htm

It could be they replaced all the damaged parts but didn't replace the cause. It sounds like a relatively rare case, compounded by driver error. They got the tow truck out there quickly but couldn't get you? Didn't they have a shuttle van?


"Got in, drove off. Noticed that it felt sluggish, then it went away and I forgot about it. The next day it was down in the low teens again, and it stalled when I let out the clutch. Figured it was the parking brake or something and just drove off, after a few minutes it was fine. I had no time or interest to investigate further. Drove down to the coast (over 1000 mile trip) that next weekend, and as I was showing the car to someone else we noticed the rear rotors were burnt up...really bad. Then it hit me what had really happend. Took it in and they repaired the car under warranty in Mobile, brake pads were dust, calipers trashed, rotors gouged and cracked - entire rear braking system was replaced."

ford4v429

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(grrr428 @ February 19, 2006, 1:54 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
It could be they replaced all the damaged parts but didn't replace the cause.
[/b][/quote]

good call- I didnt even notice he didnt mention them replacing/cleaning-greasing cables- DOH

Shifty

Try putting in Dot 5 brake fluid. Your brake fluid might be freezing up.

Enfynet

Yeah, that was my 1st thought is that the cable might have frozen. I just don't understand how it could appear without any prior problems after 2 winters. I thought maybe it was because of the extreme weather change (rain & 50° to snow and 5° within 2 days)

Shifty

You wanna talk about weather changes? At the beginning of last week I wore shorts and a t-shirt to school. Today the high is in the 30's. lol.

Enfynet

That sounds like my friend in tx... 80° a week ago and 35° yesterday.

donkey

The parking brake assembly and all cables were replaced and lubed per spec. The brake fluid was changed, all adjusted to spec. The cable itself is free, just went back up to dealer to remove some things from the car. The brake still won't release but it is also still below freezing here. I have owned many cars, and rented a ton of cars up north in the dead of winter and not one has ever had a frozen parking brake.

It's quite possible I'm expecting too much from this car. Things like it start and run every time I get in, and that the dealer at least offer to drive me home after it has left me stranded in 20 degree weather.

It's not the product. I fully understand that things break and parts fail, stuff happens that's life. What really matters is that a company have processes and procedures in place to ensure at least a minimal level of customer satisfaction and that they stand behind their product. Based upon my direct experience with four Ford dealers and three seperate times being stranded by this car, Ford has set the bar pretty low. And yes I understand what I was getting in to by buying one of the first 1000 units of a new model.

I started making excuses the second day I owned the car. When it would not start on day 2 and had to be towed back to the dealer, I waited patiently for 2 days for them to fly someone with a part out to fix it. I also excuse the many obvious NVH issues. Sure the struts pop after being fixed, and that shimmy in the rear end is "normal" and no I don't mind resetting the clock every now and then after the 3rd new radio resets. That whine from the transmission does bring back great memories of my grandmothers 1978 oldsmobile. And on occasion when the engine cuts out when I really have to move, oh well that's just some saftey system protecting my car. So what I said when it took 5 days to get brake parts. Oh that handle always falls off when you move the seat to get in the back. I could go on...

Part of me will be jealous the next time I see a Mustang GT at the light next to me. This was my first Mustang and I really enjoyed driving it. Hopefully I'll get the opportunity to own another one some day but it's going to be a while before I ever think about buying a Ford again.

If anyone is looking for a black on tan 05 GT with 29,500 miles that has everything but the shaker 1000, let me know. I am less than 5 days away from accepting the trade in offer. Car is in Nashville, TN.

grrr428

Donkey,

That's too bad. I don't think it's even remotely typical the experience you've been having. But it always seems to be one car that has a bunch of problems. Not blaming you.

My experience with Fords (and Lincoln/Mercury) has been excellent. I'm not loyal to any service department, at least until I find someone I really like.

You need to talk to a Zone Manager. The awful truth would be: you get them to fix everything, sell it, and the next owner doesn't have ANY problems!

Boomer

Don't forget to put in the advert. that the rear brakes were just replaced [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif[/img]

Sorry to hear about your problem...
...but this would happen with any car.
Happens on my truck a lot....so I don't use the cable in the winter.