Friend drove my car with the parking brake engaged.

[Savij]

He drove my '93 626 (v6 with disks at all four wheels) with the parking brake engaged for about 1/2 a mile. Not a long distance, but I tend keep it fully engaged when parked so there was smoke pouring out from the rear breaks by the time he noticed it and disengaged the parking brake. After that, the car was driven for another mile and allowed to sit for about 4 hours with the p-brake off.

Could this have done any damage? I noticed the car shaking a little at highway speeds, but I'm not sure if it was because I was paying more attention or if it was new. The brake itself seems to work ok and the p-brake seems to hold the car on an incline. The lever may have felt a little different when i engaged it. Once again, I don't know if it's new or if I just paid more attention to it.

Should I have the car checked out? Is it going to be expensive to fix if damage was done?

 

[Zenmervolt]

If there was smoke coming out of the brakes, you're probably looking at new pads and rotors s the very least.

I would take the car somewhere that specializes in brakes and ask for a routine brake inspection. Don't tell them what happened, just ask for a routine inspection and see what they say needs to be done.

ZV

 

[Savij]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
If there was smoke coming out of the brakes, you're probably looking at new pads and rotors s the very least.

I would take the car somewhere that specializes in brakes and ask for a routine brake inspection. Don't tell them what happened, just ask for a routine inspection and see what they say needs to be done.

ZV

Will it be ok driving it for now, or should I get it looked at right away?

 

[nakedfrog]

Does the pedal still feel normal?

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: Savij

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
If there was smoke coming out of the brakes, you're probably looking at new pads and rotors s the very least.

I would take the car somewhere that specializes in brakes and ask for a routine brake inspection. Don't tell them what happened, just ask for a routine inspection and see what they say needs to be done.

ZV

Will it be ok driving it for now, or should I get it looked at right away?

You are fine to drive it for now. You may NOT be fine to STOP it for now. I would get an inspection (may places will do this free/really cheap) ASAP.

 

[NutBucket]

Does that car have a separate parking brake? If it does you'll be fine to drive but you'll likely need some new pads/shoes for the p-brake.

 

[dud]

Can you imagine the heat that built up (in the rotors) while the car was being driven? I'd be surprised if the rotors didn't deform (warp) in some way.

If you are concerned ... take it in and have it checked.

 

[Savij]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
Does that car have a separate parking brake? If it does you'll be fine to drive but you'll likely need some new pads/shoes for the p-brake.

I think they are seperate but I'm not sure. I know that the P-Brake cable broke at one point and the normal breaks were fine if that means anything.

 

[NutBucket]

Nah, that doesn't mean anything.

 

[railer]

the p-brake just manually actuates the rear brake calipers.

IMO not a big deal.....that's what brakes are for...they're a wear item.

Your rear pads typically wear at much less the rate of the fronts, so this little adventure just evened them out. If it stops fine, doesn't squeal or hop during braking...then you're fine.

 

[jagec]

How do people not NOTICE these things?

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: railer
the p-brake just manually actuates the rear brake calipers.

IMO not a big deal.....that's what brakes are for...they're a wear item.

Your rear pads typically wear at much less the rate of the fronts, so this little adventure just evened them out. If it stops fine, doesn't squeal or hop during braking...then you're fine.

You may have experienced this problem or not, but I'd say unless there's a vibration or noise, the only thing that it may need is for the parking brake to be adjusted.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/d...dbury/probemx/p_p1.htm

 

[mitaiwan82]

I rent a lot of cars, but I don't always know everything about them. So a lot of times, I drive for like ten miles with the emergency brake on. That doesn't say a lot for me, but it really doesn't say a lot for the emergency brake. It's really not an emergency brake, it's an emergency "make the car smell funny" lever.

RIP mitch

 

[AsianriceX]

Originally posted by: railer
the p-brake just manually actuates the rear brake calipers.

IMO not a big deal.....that's what brakes are for...they're a wear item.

Your rear pads typically wear at much less the rate of the fronts, so this little adventure just evened them out. If it stops fine, doesn't squeal or hop during braking...then you're fine.

That's not always true.

My parents used to have a 1991 Subaru Legacy with 4 wheel disc brakes. We were replacing the rear rotors when we discovered that there was a mini drum brake where the parking brake would engage the shoes onto the inner part of the rotor.

 

[SVT Cobra]

1/2 mile? It's fine unless the brakes feel different.

 

[Parasitic]

Should be fine. My mum once drove almost 10 miles at highway speeds from the mall to halfway back our house with the hand brake on.

 

[ViviTheMage]

sucks, my jetta will beep loudly to make sure I take it off.