Handbrake

[Cookie]

Have had my Kluger back to Toyota twice now for the handbrake adjustment and it still doesn't hold. I am not talking a steep hill, only my driveway (see avatar), there is no hope of it holding on a boat ramp or steeper hill.

1st time they said it was adjusted to 'within spec,' 2nd time they said it was adjusted to within one notch of full adjustment and that I should not expect the handbrake to hold on it's own and should put the auto in Park to stop the vehicle roling down a hill. If I do this when I start the car to drive off it's hard to put into drive and makes a loud thud/clunk noise to do so....don't think its doing the auto any good.

Another Kluger, same model holds easily on my driveway without being in "P" while mine rolls at normal rolling speed with h/brake full on, on all the way to the flat of my garage.

Anyone else got a problem handbrake or a solution for Toyota?

[holmesie]

Silly question, but are you pushing the brake down far enough when you use it? My wife was had a similar complaint to yours, but I found she wasn't pressing it down far enough for it to hold the vehicle? The brake only releases on the second push, so the first push should go down as far as you can get it to go, mine holds fine when used this way...

hope that helps!!

EDIT: I just re-read your post and that bit about the other Kluger holding fine suggests there could be something amiss with yours, but I don't know what!!

Edited July 12, 2008 by holmesie

[Blackkluger]

Since mine was adjusted, it is better, but still not very good at all.

[Cookie]

Silly question, but are you pushing the brake down far enough when you use it? My wife was had a similar complaint to yours, but I found she wasn't pressing it down far enough for it to hold the vehicle? The brake only releases on the second push, so the first push should go down as far as you can get it to go, mine holds fine when used this way...

hope that helps!!

EDIT: I just re-read your post and that bit about the other Kluger holding fine suggests there could be something amiss with yours, but I don't know what!!

If I pushed it any harder it would go through the firewall :(

[SamF]

Silly question, but are you pushing the brake down far enough when you use it? My wife was had a similar complaint to yours, but I found she wasn't pressing it down far enough for it to hold the vehicle? The brake only releases on the second push, so the first push should go down as far as you can get it to go, mine holds fine when used this way...

hope that helps!!

EDIT: I just re-read your post and that bit about the other Kluger holding fine suggests there could be something amiss with yours, but I don't know what!!

If I pushed it any harder it would go through the firewall :(

Hi Cookie

The Service guy that suggested you should use the transmission detent to hold the car on a hill is a fool. If the handbrake cannot hold the car on a hill, then what is the point of it. Mine was like yours and a took it back twice before they adjusted it correctly. They gave me the same line that it was adjusted within spec and I had to call them a bunch of fools before they fixed it.

My advise is to go back and demand to see the Service Manager and insist that he ensure the handbrake is adjusted correctly.

Edited July 12, 2008 by SamF

[CroToy]

on steep hill you should use both transmission and handbrake ,

but,

handbrake MUST hold by itself.

Tell your Service Advisor that he is full of s..t !!!

They come bit loose from factory but at Service it can (MUST) be adjusted..........mine was !

Edited July 13, 2008 by CroToy

[Taka]

I can't find my handbrake...

anyway, the P is hold by a pin.

If the service guy asks you again to use a pin to hold a 2 tonne car. Record it, I will email them to all the Toyota's service department and get him laughed at. I cannot believe someone is so naive.

[CroToy]

I can't find my handbrake...

anyway, the P is hold by a pin.

If the service guy asks you again to use a pin to hold a 2 tonne car. Record it, I will email them to all the Toyota's service department and get him laughed at. I cannot believe someone is so naive.

I did already told my service guys and they had their share of laugh

[Cookie]

Got a call from my dealer this morning asking me to come up and pick up the assist service manager and take him to my driveway to show him how it doesn't hold.

Did the above and he was horrified at how the car just rolled straight down my drive, the h/brake not doing a thing to even slow the car down. It's now booked in again (3rd time), for a whole day and they will supply me a loan car..........................

Edited July 14, 2008 by Cookie

[holmesie]

hope you get some satisfaction this time Cookie

[Kruzenvax]

Was he also horrified by - as far as I understand the histroy of the issue - his own guy telling you it's normal?

Got a call from my dealer this morning asking me to come up and pick up the assist service manager and take him to my driveway to show him how it doesn't hold.

Did the above and he was horrified at how the car just rolled straight down my drive, the h/brake not doing a thing to even slow the car down. It's now booked in again (3rd time), for a whole day and they will supply me a loan car..........................

[PC XT]

Ours has never been great and never been adjusted you just squash it to the floor like a and orange is under your foot and road, it works!

Must remember to get the to adjust the foot brake next service! B)

[Cookie]

Well the dealer had it for a day and still couldn't get it to hold so it's booked in again next week to have new shoes and cable fitted <_<

[CroToy]

Well the dealer had it for a day and still couldn't get it to hold so it's booked in again next week to have new shoes and cable fitted <_<

weird

Hope it gets sorted next time :)

[Cookie]

Continuing story of the 'handbrake'...........

Dealer had the car for 4 days, yes, thats another 4 days, and replaced the cable, shoes and machined the discs and once again adjusted it.....I took it home tested it on my driveway and .....it still didn't hold at all !!!!!!!!!!!

Straight back on the ph to dealership.......yes, booked it in again! Result? another day at the dealer where they 'adjusted handbrake after cable settled in' and guess what???? yes, it was improved, doesn't roll quickly down the drive with h/brake full on now, just creeps slowly down!!!!!!

Dealer has had it for a total of 7 days for this problem alone and as of Wed morning notified Toyota Motor Co of the problem.

[PaulG]

Thanks for the update Cookie. We too suffer from the park brake problem. Sounds like this could be alot more than just a simple adjustment at the next service (due at the 20,000 mark). Look forward to more updates. I will ask some questions of my dealer/uncle-in-law.

[PC XT]

Continuing story of the 'handbrake'...........

Dealer had the car for 4 days, yes, thats another 4 days, and replaced the cable, shoes and machined the discs and once again adjusted it.....I took it home tested it on my driveway and .....it still didn't hold at all !!!!!!!!!!!

Straight back on the ph to dealership.......yes, booked it in again! Result? another day at the dealer where they 'adjusted handbrake after cable settled in' and guess what???? yes, it was improved, doesn't roll quickly down the drive with h/brake full on now, just creeps slowly down!!!!!!

Dealer has had it for a total of 7 days for this problem alone and as of Wed morning notified Toyota Motor Co of the problem.

All I can say is your dealing with a bunch of wally"s (thats another 4 days, and replaced the cable, shoes and machined the discs and once again adjusted it)

They are taking you for a ride in your own car by the sounds of it. I have not looked at my hand brake because it does work when fully depressed on a angled drive way (Tip use park then roll forward take up the slack in the gear box, apply the foot brake as it wont hurt the auto as it (the gear box) is far stronger and the pin as you call it is solid and should be designed to hold the weight of the car even on a really steep hill by its self thats why its called P for park! than any rear hand brakes)

But still all the mechanical adjustment needed should be done inside the car like a normal handbrake untill the brake shoes wear down causing the cable to travel further say at 70,000kms...how many do you have on yours?

I have freinds who works for Toyota as a Mechanic next time I see him I will confirm how to tighten the foot brake up for us all to know

[Kruzenvax]

Disgrace. I too seem to have a slight problem - when I drive (primarily when air cond on) from time to time I hear like a metal clinkin' sound somwhere at the front... will see if my dealer will take me for a ride...

[Cookie]

6,500k's on the clock now but they were first notified of the fault before the complimentary 1000k service.

[PC XT]

6,500k's on the clock now but they were first notified of the fault before the complimentary 1000k service.

Not good! Why machine brakes when they are near new!! I reckon they are spinning you a bit of a yarn!

[fish475]

Yey,

Me too!!!

As you guys know I tow a boat and at the steep sided ramps on the Hume Weir it does not hold. I live on a block that has eleven retainer walls but I've not tested roll back as yet there. As I just park it on the purpose designed almost levelled flat area outside of me garage when its not in the garage, but I don't trust it to hold as I glance down hill neighbourhood thinking about a AMI commercial prospect in the making.

I've had it adjusted also at my last service, but it will be requested again to corrected it at my 20K service which is 4.5k away.

To put it just quite simply, ITS JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH in the era of 2007/2008, that a foot brake just doesn't hold.

Edited August 3, 2008 by fish475

[PC XT]

Yey,

Me too!!!

As you guys know I tow a boat and at the steep sided ramps on the Hume Weir it does not hold. I live on a block that has eleven retainer walls but I've not tested roll back as yet there. As I just park it on the purpose designed almost levelled flat area outside of me garage when its not in the garage, but I don't trust it to hold as I glance down hill neighborhood thinking about a AMI commercial prospect in the making.

I've had it adjusted also at my last service, but it will be requested again to corrected it at my 20K service which is 4.5k away.

To put it just quite simply, ITS JUST NOT GOOD ENOUGH in the era of 2007/2008, that a foot brake just doesn't hold.

Yep tried ours with out car being in park in the drive way and it did not hold first time up and had to be totally mashed to the floor on the second time which just made it hold.....Not good, the wife would have trouble with that type of effort requirement if park gear was not an option.

[Blackkluger]

Mine barely holds when i mash it down to the firewall, but too bad if i accidentally put it into R instead of P, i tested it, straight down backwards FAST.

Getting mine checked again next week, with the side steps which seem one side is not put on properly. Also the new plastic replacement cover at the rear above the towbar seems to have broken a clip. Very weak.

Has anyone else noticed lots of surface rust spots on their towbar whilst looking from underneath? Once we get a few dry days im going to spray it myself, dont trust the dealer to do a good job.

[Cookie]

Please people complain to your dealer about this problem and ask them to log a record of it to Toyota.

My dealer contacted Toyota Motor Co last Wednesday morning, heard nothing until (5.35 pm Fri) when the dealer called and said was Monday is a holiday for us so you may hear something Tuesday but Toyota will definately want your car to look at.......

I am so over this car!!!!! :(

I too use a boat ramp to launch my jet ski.....no way the brake holds backwards, it's just like it's in neutral it rolls back that fast. Lucky I don't need to launch a cruiser of any size.

Blackluger...my plastic on the towbar area did the same thing, dropped one clip.

Edited August 3, 2008 by Cookie

[blink_me192]

If its any consolation, I've found that the hand(foot)brake on our CX-9 doesn't hold either. It just rolls back. The cruiser on the other hand holds quite well. I forgot to take off the hand brake on the CX9 a few times and drove a couple of meters down the road until i realised. That might have been the reason it doesn't hold very well, but then again I've done that on the cruiser quite often as well, but its handbrake still holds.