"Pumping" Parking Brake in the Cold Weather

[cymx5]

I haven't been too deep under this car yet, 2007 MS3. My car has just about 60k miles on it. All major mechanical parts are factory. I have not done any 60k mile maintenance on it yet (which I should do since I just got an emissions test notice yesterday ...hope the turbo doesn't start smoking at the test...since I'll be over 60k miles it may get expensive!!!).

Now that it's down below 40F, my parking brake tends to feel quite loose for the first pull, when I go to park. It seems to tighten up after I 'pump' it 2-3 times. It holds fine otherwise.

This could all be coincidence that I notice it in cold weather (this is a cable brake correct?). Or, I think it may also just be the combination of worn brake pads and a need to bleed the brake system. Or, if the parking brake is completely independent of the hydraulic brake system, maybe I just need to adjust the cable? What are your thoughts?

 

[SallySpeed3]

Have you replaced the brake pads yet? Only reason I ask is I just passed 50k and I'm surprisingly still on the stock pads although they will need to be replaced soon

 

[cymx5]

Not yet. I did swap on my snow tires last week and the pads still have a fair amount of thickness. I would agree I'm surprised they have not hit the squealers at 60k, but they looked in pretty good shape.

 

[blue-sun]

When I installed and fine tuned my jbarone Short Shifter, I noticed that there was alot of play in my e-brake, it was pretty simple to remove the slack in the e-brake. Try that.

Also, I just hit 50k of mostly highway miles on my MS3 and when I checked not too long ago, my pads were all plenty beefy.

 

[cymx5]

Am I reading that right, the e-brake adjustment is in the front of the car?

I'm awaiting shipment for my SSP, so if this is the case I'll work both at the same time.

 

[anm6]

Hmm noticed the same thing on my car this AM, I do not need brakes, I'm at 15k only.. Was 16 degress the last few days.

 

[blue-sun]

Am I reading that right, the e-brake adjustment is in the front of the car?

I'm awaiting shipment for my SSP, so if this is the case I'll work both at the same time.

The adjustment for the e-brake handle is in the cabin of the car.

See the video for the SSP fine tuning here:

http://www.jamiesplanet.com/Support/FineTune.htm

while you're in there, you'll see the e-brake and how much play/slack is in the cable, there's a bolt on the end of it (either 10 or 12 mm IIRC) that you can tighten to taste. mine was super loose before and it's tight now.

 

[Wurf]

I had the same issue the other day and did the following.
Started the car. Pressed on the brakes and pulled up on the parking brake at the same time pumping it.
E-brake grabs nice and low like it used to after wards. Previously I tried pumping it without pushing on the brakes and that didn't work.
I cannot believe the brake system does not auto-adjust itself for wear.
I am at 17k and only started noticing this in the cold weather too. Seems to me like something could be sticking.

 

[RuZec]

I am stationed in Minot, ND and we get in the negatives! The only reason I think that our e-brake sticks is because of the cold weather. Nothing else, nothing more.

 

[cymx5]

At least I'm not alone then. Is this car a cable parking brake or does it interact with the hydraulics too?

 

[cymx5]

I've got a few words of advice from folks on the Miata forums. A few suggest that a rear brake caliper slider pins and/or piston may be sticking. This could cause the lack of resistance, since, if the piston is sticking it has "already traveled" a portion of the distance that it would normally travel to lock the parking brake. By pumping the handle, it is suggested that the piston frees itself, which then restores the normal travel and feel to the brake.