Has anyone had problems with their parking brake. I use mine all the time, but at most inclines it's useless. I don't think i should have to pull so hard up on it that no one else can get it back down. I have an SS BTW. I now always shift into gear for safety.

 

You should always put it in gear for safety anyway. Go to an empty parking lot and start backing up. Use the parking brake to stop and it should reset the tension.

 

Not sure if this applies to the rear disc brakes that we have on the SS. I know this is the procedure for self-adjusting rear drums though...

Mine seems to hold well, but I have noticed I pull up on it pretty hard also. I would have the dealer adjust it for optimum holding power.

 

Yeah I always put it in gear, but now it feels like the gear is all I should bother with. I'll take it to my dealer for an adjustment.

 

Agree with the "in gear thing", crafty.

But, not sure of your suggestion or if you're correct on the self adjusting mechanism for the PARKING BRAKE. Works on the rear drums for regulating/adjusting them but the Parking/Hand Brake is a separate mechanism that is controlled by an adjustable cable (generally located under the car).

GM, upon assembly at the factory, has a standard template for hand brake adjustment, which I think is not acceptable. They are usually to "loose" on all my GM vehicles. So I tell the dealer, upon delivery, to readjust the hand brake.

After about 10,000-15,000 miles it should be done again.

In the test cars before introduction, part of the test schedule involves parking on diferent inclines to witness the hold capability. I believe they are 30 and 45 degrees. In fact, on the AZ HHR group tour of the Proving Ground our escort used one of the hills. Maybe one of them can remember the percent of incline.

 

Mine sucks basically useless. my 06 cobalt SS was the same.

 

You know, in the 2 1/2 years that I've had my HHR, I can't ever remember using the emergency brake. Ever..............

 

Do you have a manual. If not, thats why....or else thanks for telling us so we can all make sure we don't walk/park near your vehicle...lol

 

We've never used ours either. Of course, we live in flatland and have an automatic so it is not really needed anyway.

 

I've never had the chance to park on a hill with the HHR. I've got to get out more often