88 brakes locked and key won't remove

[JohnnyD]

Help with 88 parking brake and key!!!

Hey guys and gals...my 1988 just got delivered yesterday and as the car came off the truck...my girl drove it in the driveway...applied the parking brake and now ...all the brakes are locked and the handle moves freely..without pushing the button....in adddition...the key will not come out of the ignition...the manual says to put the car in reverse...she has tried that....does the car have to be running then put in reverse? I am still overseas and she is panicking something bad....I don't want her to worry at all.....Any guidance would be great
:confused :confused :confused :confused :confused

 

[muddywaters]

parking brake

Maybe this will help, You have to pull up , depress button, then push down, watch brake indicator lite to see if it goes out. Ihope this helps you out. muddywaters

 

[JohnnyD]

Thanks...i am emailing her now with that info......

 

[vigman]

Ok try the following ( hard to explain)

1st.. it is WAY easier to pull up the parking break then to release.. you have to pull up till you feel tension ( and I mean solid ) on the cable..press the button in.. continue pulling up just a hair... then lower the E brake lever with the button still held.

That should free it up ( took me a while to get it).

2nd.. I'll bet your wonderful girlfriend is forgetting to lift the reverse saftey release under the shifter knob.. Ign off but key on... push in the clutch.. lift the release... pull the lever twds you.. then UP into reverse.


Try that...

Good luck!


Vig!

 

[Ken]

My E-brake releases just by pushing the button, raised or not.

_ken

 

[JohnnyD]

Ken...the problem she is having is that regardless of pushing the button...the brakes are still locked....is it possible..because it was on a car carrier for a while with the brake engaged that the calipers have become stuck?

the handle goes up and down freely, with or without pushing the button

 

[Ken]

I suppose it is possible that the calipers have stuck in the closed position, but the car would have had to have been out of service for a while to get that far gone (read: rusty). I suppose it could also be a result of something (again, rust) getting lodged in the brake line that prevents the fluid from returning to the reservoir.

If they are stuck, you should be able to free them by backing up to ease the pressure on the pads. I'm at a loss here. :confused

By the way, the parking brake is a drum-style brake system.

_ken

 

[vigman]

Correction Ken

The 88 E brake is a mechanical linkage to the rear rotor pads... not the internal drum brake inside the rotor hub.

And yes It could be a rusty cable binding up...

But I'll still bet she is NOT exerting enough UPWARD force to release the prawl.

And the e brake lever will move up & down freely until you release the tension.

Remember.. you must PULL the lever until you feel tension.. then just a hair more 1/8 to 1/4 inch

Did she apply the E brake..or the guy who delivered the car?

What about the Reverse thing?

Vig!

 

[JohnnyD]

Got the brake off...she figured it out that you gotta put some ass into it to disable it..lol...but...she still can't get the key out!!!

I think she is not locking the steering wheel after turning the key to lock....

 

[vigman]

Ok lets do some fact finding

1) Is she SURE that the car is in reverse? Can she actually back the car up?

2) If the key will not come out.. and you are 100% sure the car is in reverse then the cable linkage is goofed... will look in the shop manual tonight.


Vig!

 

[JohnnyD]

Thanks!!!!

I can't thank you guys enough for all your help!!

 

[69MyWay]

Johnny,

I think she has to depress the lever on the column right next to the key as she twists the key backwards to release it (regarless of the gear). I bet she is not seeing the little lever and just trying to turn the key backwards and it won't because she is not depressing it at the same time.

By doing all three at one time it is suppose to lock it in place so that it reduces the risk of theft (reverse, and remove the key), but otherwise going in reverse has nothing to do with removing the key.

Hope that helps!

 

[69MyWay]

Have her take a look at this picture I am posting. This is on a 1990 steering column with a stick shift trans. Notice the lever/button on the actual ignition switch? You have to press that in while rotating the key backwards or it won't release.

 

[Vettelt193]

Good point Chris.... That is something that I never think about anymore, it has become so 'automatic' :cool

 

[JohnnyD]

Thanks so much!!!

Iwill email her the pic and we'll go from there

Johnny

 

[vigman]

My 88 AUTO doesn't have that!

Weird... might be a STICK thing though!


Vig!

 

[JohnnyD]

Mission Success!!!!!

Thanks again guys!!!

Will probably have more questions as time goes by.

Johnny:BOW :BOW :BOW :BOW :BOW

 

[Vrotate]

Its an 88!

Is it a 4+3?

Vig is right, the 4+3 has a reverse lock out ring.

You have to pull the ring up to put it in reverse...

There is no button to push on the ignition. (to my knowledge)

The key will not come out of the ignition with the car in 1st, 2nd 3, or 4. (motor on or off)

Make sure the reverse lights are coming on

Vrotate

 

[vigman]

Good news

Ready for the next crisis

Vig!