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Picture this: You’ve just parked on a hill. You engage the car’s parking brake, and as you exit and walk away from your vehicle, it starts to roll down the hill, to its demise. Obviously, not every case of a faulty parking brake will be this extreme, but a parking brake that doesn’t function properly is a parking brake that needs to be fixed. This article will cover how the parking brake in your Land Rover works, what happens if it fails, and where to go to resolve the issue.

How the Parking Brake Works

The parking brake is a necessary part of every vehicle on the market, and every state requires your car to have an operational one in your car. Land Rover no longer produces vehicles with manual transmissions, which require a parking brake to be kept stationary, but their vehicles still utilize a parking brake.

Modern Land Rovers utilize an Electric Parking Brake, or EPB, which is activated via a button near the center console. When the button is pushed, the parking brake is engaged. When functioning properly, a steel cable that connects to your Land Rover’s back tires is tightened when the parking brake is engaged. The force transferred to the brakes causes them to clamp down and keep the vehicle completely stationary.

Signs of Parking Brake Failure

Failure of the parking brake may catch you by surprise. If you notice one of the following signs, it’s time to get your car checked out.

Warning Light

If your Land Rover’s parking brake fails, the brake warning lamp will be activated and will be accompanied by a warning in the car’s message center. If the system detects that the parking brake is failing while in operation, a red parking brake warning lamp will flash and an alert will appear in the message center. Don’t ignore these lights if they are illuminated.

Car Not Fully Held in Place

A failing parking brake will not be able to fully do its job, so you may notice that your car will still lean or roll slightly, despite the parking brake being engaged.

Brake Won’t Turn Off

Another problem that may affect your Land Rover is an inability to disengage the parking brake when you want to drive. This type of parking brake malfunction may be caused by a wide range of issues.

Parking brake failure can be dangerous, so if you notice these issues, make sure to take action promptly.

Fixing Parking Brake Failure

Fixing your parking brake isn’t something you should have to do more than once in your car, and ideally never at all. But if you find yourself in a situation where the parking brake no longer works, keep in mind that the failure is likely due to a faulty parking brake cable.

Over time, the steel cable running to the back wheels may stretch with use. You will need to replace the cable, which will require removing the back wheels to access the brake assembly. If your Land Rover utilizes an EPB, you may need a factory tool to put the system in service mode before you can remove the cable and do any repair work.

This can be a daunting task for many casual drivers, especially considering that most Land Rovers on the road use an Electric Parking Brake. In this case, it is probably best to consult a professional mechanic who specializes in Land Rovers.

Autowerks Will Fix a Faulty Parking Brake

Land Rovers can be one of the most pleasing cars to drive, and we believe that they should also be the safest. Autowerks in College Station, Texas will make sure that if your Land Rover’s parking brakes fails, it is methodically repaired. Our specialty is the maintenance and repair of European vehicles, and we believe that every repair should be done to our best ability.

We have over 40 years of experience repairing and maintaining European imports. We proudly serve customers from the communities of Brenham, Bryan, Caldwell, Madisonville, Navasota, and College Station. We are thrilled that customers continue to choose us to service their vehicles. Our expert technicians and friendly staff will provide you the ultimate customer experience at costs that beat dealership prices.

Because you require the best possible driving performance from your Land Rover, we make sure our staff members are the highest-trained, most-experienced technicians available. Call us today to set up an appointment or stop in to speak to our technicians.