Not sure if this is an issue or not but I have noticed that if the car is not driven for a while and parked with the handbrake on it can stick when taking it off.

So after starting the car and releasing the handbrake the car doesn’t move, only with a small amount of acceleration does it do a loud clunk from the rear and then start moving normally.

Is this something that the cars have a tendency to do or is there a need to look into adjusting to make them less tight?

Thanks in advance.

Kit 2009 pre-facelift 3.6 TDV8.

Rust will stick the brake material to metal if left in contact for a while in wet conditions 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

I tend to leave hand brake off, unless parked on steep slope. Previous cars:
S-Max 2007-2013 (only diesel I've had, good car but expensive when diesely bits go wrong, so what's the point?)
Galaxy 2001-2007
Mondeo Estate 1997-2001
Sierra Estate 1993-1997
Uno Turbo 1987 -1993
Fiesta 1984 - 1987
Fiat 127 1982 - 1984

Thanks.

Yes guess rust is the main reason.

I remember someone mentioning the handbrake also acts as a security measure of sorts (is there any merit in that?!), but as it's parked on level ground normally I may start leaving it off as you suggest. 2009 pre-facelift 3.6 TDV8.

Last edited by KitTheRam on 4th Apr 2023 10:55am. Edited 1 time in total

Not used a handbrake in years, Park is better and will hold on any hill.....

Handbrakes just, as the OP has found, rust the pads to the discs, especially with salt on the road, as JayGee points out...

Yes it's not strictly legal to leave it off but they haven't caught me yet, and I like being a rebel..

Just my 2p....  Pete
__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-

I don't think a loud 'clunk' sounds good, and ideally there should not be ANY discernible 'clunk' when moving off.
If it were me, I would be planning to have a good look / overhaul the hand brakes and check the mechanisms / cables / discs / callipers at the same time, just to be on the safe side. To me, in this case slackening off the hand brakes a smidgeon would probably just be by-passing the problem not curing it. With any brake systems, it's best to err on the side of caution and deal with it sooner rather that later.

Agree that brakes are not to be messed with but rust making it stick after it gets wet makes sense.

It’s an intermittent problem but thinking about it after driving in damp conditions of late is when it seems to stick.

Going to get it checked out but the brakes feel fine and we’re changed by JLR just over a year ago. 2009 pre-facelift 3.6 TDV8.

The disk brakes will stick on if left in a wet condition for long enough. Mine made a loud bang and freed up with a jolt the other day after nearly a week with rain. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

An automatic is safe to leave in park because the gearbox locks itself and is arguably safer than a parking brake, that without proper adjustment, is more likely to fail.

I've recently switched to using mine at weekends only, and have an electric car for the runaround town and commute now. I find the parking brake isn't so much the issue, but the pads rusting to the discs. Some light throttle unseizes them (with a loud clunk) and then a couple of decelerations is enough to clean the surface of the pads and discs again.

I don't use the parking brake for fear of it seizing if not used regularly. 2015 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 SDV8

Thanks. Handy to know I’m not the only one who experiences the ‘clunk’ from time to time and I also presumed that park’s enough, but I’m quite new to the world of FFRR’s and I’m used to driving cars that need the hand brake applied - so feels odd to walk away from a car with it off!

GaryRR - what’s the reason you use it at weekends? 2009 pre-facelift 3.6 TDV8.

I use the electric car as my weekday car for errands around the city, commuting to work, going to the supermarket/gym etc, simply because it's smaller and easier to park, and because it costs pittance to run (c.4p per mile vs 25p per mile - a big difference!). But also, it's potentially unhealthy to keep heat cycling such a large engine block for short 2 mile journeys. They also take their toll on things like the battery and starter motor. Electric vehicles have no such issues with short or long journeys.

I keep the Range Rover as the weekend car, and i also tend to go to places with my partner further afield - they're some of the best long distance cruisers. So, I actually do about the same mileage in both vehicles - about 600 miles a month. The Range Rover's are clocked up doing longer distances, but over 1 or 2 days a week. The Zoe's mileage is clocked up running general daily errands 5-6 days a week. 2015 Range Rover Autobiography 4.4 SDV8

Ahh, sorry, I stupidly read it as you only use the handbrake at weekends! Ha, I’m going mad.

But yes, I too only use it for longer journey's as have access to cars with a little less thirst for the shorter ones! 2009 pre-facelift 3.6 TDV8.