Thats what I do. Only happened twice though on very cold nights after it rained. I have had severl other cars with parking breaks that freeze up though. My used cars down in my 'ebay land' at the dealership do it occasionally too.

 

Does this happen only when moisture/water has reached the cables? I have not driven the Stang in wet weather but I always use the e-brake when parked in the garage. I leave the shifter in 3rd gear as well.

 

Pretty much only affects Mustangs that have been out in the rain. Yours should be fine.

 

I never use the E-brake in my garage because it has a level floor.
Why 3rd gear?

 

theedge67 mentioned that the return spring on his trans (not the 3650 in the s197) failed over time from parking in 1st gear. Parking in 3rd doesn't extend/compress any of the return springs.

My garage is level as well, but I don't want a field mouse or squirrel bumping the car

 

You have holes big enough to let mice in !!!!
How does he know that it failed from parking or something else?
Failed over how much time?
Why doesn't it do anything to the springs?

 

The springs in the shifter assembly on my old '89 mustang were pretty shot after many many years of parking in 1st. I don't know that parking in 1st was the exact cause, but it seems likely and understandable. The return springs that keep the shifter in the neutral area between 3-4 are extended when it is parked in 1st. When kept that way at all times the car is not being driven, (23/7/365), they lose their tension. The gear shift was very easy to push over to 1-2 area, but pushing it to 5-R area required a little effort, just as it did when new.

JUST TO BE CLEAR THOUGH this did not cause any driveability issues, or problems shifting for ME, as much as it did for OTHER drivers not familiar with the problem. They would try and grind it into 1st when trying to go to 3rd. If you don't understand how much the spring assist helps you shift, try this experiment:

Put the car in 2nd. With the clutch pushed in, take 1 finger and push straight forward gently on the shifter. Notice the shifter moves forward, then jumps to the right once it has cleared 2nd gear. Thats the spring assist. Same works for 5th-4th shifts.

Anyway, not a HUGE problem, just something I am mindful of when I park the car. I park with the car in neutral and e-brake on if it's level. If it's on a hill, I will still park in 1st + e-brake, but that is not very often so I don't worry about that.

Also make sure and ALWAYS LOCK the car if you have a manual. It is very easy for kids (or childlike malicious adults) to get into the car and take the car out of gear and release the e-brake and give it a push! Autos are less susceptible to this since you must have the key to get it out of park.

 

Well if your going to have to get the ebrake switched out you may as well upgrade to the PIUP/Shelby Leather ebrake. I think you'll only have to pay the difference between the two which is $20 if that. Ask your dealer when you take it in.

Pic of my leather ebrake.

 

Mine did it again today so I put it in the shop and its getting fixed now. Needed an oil change/rotation/inspection anyway

 

Thanks for reminding me. My dealer never called me when they got parts in.

 

I'm in the frozen e-brake club as well. They're replacing the cables, hopefully it works. Chicago sucks this time of year. Go bears.

 

I had the same problem with my 2005. Found TSB 06-5-4 that addresses the problem and dealer fixed it at NC. See the following link for a copy of the TSB: http://www.2005stang.com/viewtopic.php?t=1069

 

My car just had the same problem. It has NEVER seen rain and is always garaged. I had read the TSB and didn't think it applied to what mine was doing as it hasn't even been that cold here yet. It didn't actually freeze, just started coming up further before it started clicking to set, and the brake light would come on the dash if you barely touched it. Dealership had to order new cables.

 

TMS is good!

i just had this happen to me tonight

mine is an auto, but i usually use the parking brake

tomorow when it is 48* ILO 11* i hope it breaks (lol) loose

 

They replaced my cables and its tighter than new now.

 

I've heard of that procedure before. What is the recovery time for a surgery like that?

 

Had this TSB addressed earlier in the year (January or so). Now it is happening again. Only instead of being stuck up (I learned my lesson) it is now stuck down. Not as big a deal. But this is annoying.

 

One thing I learnt in my 24 plus years living in Alberta is not to use the parking brake in winter....here we tend to get the - 30 degree weather. I recall having to have an Aerostar Van towed to Ford to thaw out before the emergency brake would release. Unless you have to park on a hill (incline or decline) there should be no need to use the parking brake.

 

Unless you have a manual and want to warm your car up. Can't very well leave it in nuetral running without the parking brake on. Total PITA in the winter, total.

 

Just had this problem occur this week. Found out this is not covered under warranty.

Does not seem right to me. Paid $1300, for extended warranty (72,000, 6 years) and this is not covered. Thought I had the FORD exented warranty but have Fidelity warranty. I was fooled by the dealership when I bought the car. I called the dealership that sold me the warranty and was very upset what I heard. Basically, I heard from the dealership is, "You are out of warranty and the warranty we sold you does not cover it."

Am I expecting to much for this to be covered under warranty?