Parking brake handle went limp- cable disconnected?

[Bluemill]

Hi Supertechs,


My C5 coupe is now at 122,000 miles, and has been running well for many years. I did a beer run this afternoon and while at the retailer, I set the parking brake as per usual, and it worked fine. When I got home a few minutes and 4 miles later, I pulled on the emergency brake, and it had no resistance, i.e., went all the way up, and I knew I had nothing. To make sure I pulled out on my driveway, which is about 150 ft. long and slightly pitched. I took it to the top of the hill and coasted and tried to stop the car with the handbrake, also to adjust, as I was coasting in reverse. Nothing. It's like the cable just let go, as if the plug at the end of the cable slid off.


The service brake is fine so I brought it back to the garage and parked it in first.


What is the first thing to check, second, etc. The service manual is a bit intimidating as far as the possibilities... The good news is that I'm retired and have a lot of time to attack it, the bad is that it's freaking cold in January in the Boston area!


Thanks for any advice!


Best always,


Bluemill

 

[LLC5]

Hi Supertechs,


My C5 coupe is now at 122,000 miles, and has been running well for many years. I did a beer run this afternoon and while at the retailer, I set the parking brake as per usual, and it worked fine. When I got home a few minutes and 4 miles later, I pulled on the emergency brake, and it had no resistance, i.e., went all the way up, and I knew I had nothing. To make sure I pulled out on my driveway, which is about 150 ft. long and slightly pitched. I took it to the top of the hill and coasted and tried to stop the car with the handbrake, also to adjust, as I was coasting in reverse. Nothing. It's like the cable just let go, as if the plug at the end of the cable slid off.


The service brake is fine so I brought it back to the garage and parked it in first.


What is the first thing to check, second, etc. The service manual is a bit intimidating as far as the possibilities... The good news is that I'm retired and have a lot of time to attack it, the bad is that it's freaking cold in January in the Boston area!


Thanks for any advice!


Best always,


Bluemill

I would start by pulling the back rotors and checking the parking brake shoes on both sides, you can also check cable movement at the shoes.

 

[Bluemill]

Thanks LL. You are always there for me. It's 15 degrees F in the garage right now so I doubt I'll be chasing this repair today. I hope I don't need new cables, especially the upper one, as they do look buried under a lot of work!
Still got my Ridgeline, and did the timing belt at 107,000 miles.