Parking Brake Button Sticking?

[XanRules]

Howdy all.

Run into this twice now this week out of nowhere - when I stop and turn off the car, the parking brake button sticks in, preventing me from pulling the lever up to engage the parking brake. Trying to pull the button out doesn't work, but if I repeatedly mash the brake pedal while pulling up on the parking brake lever it will eventually pop out.

Car has 40k on it, front and rear pads and rotors were both replaced last year and have plenty of life left. I'm kind of stumped as to what to look for next.

Thanks!

 

[CarGuy]

If I'm not mistaken it's a spring inside the parking brake assembly that is sticking.

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[XanRules]

If I'm not mistaken it's a spring inside the parking brake assembly that is sticking.

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How do I get there from here? Worth noting that it has been below freezing outside both times this has happened so that makes sense.

 

[CarGuy]

How do I get there from here? Worth noting that it has been below freezing outside both times this has happened so that makes sense.

I'm not sure how to disassemble the parking brake mechanism. Did something sticky like soda get spilled on the brake assembly? I'd be inclined to spray some WD40 in there in the gap between the button and the handle or I'd at least try that. Or see if anyone has a YouTube video on disassembly.

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[XanRules]

I'm not sure how to disassemble the parking brake mechanism. Did something sticky like soda get spilled on the brake assembly? I'd be inclined to spray some WD40 in there in the gap between the button and the handle or I'd at least try that. Or see if anyone has a YouTube video on disassembly.

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Nope, I'm almost exclusively a water drinker and it just randomly started the other day. Weirdest thing! The spring in the mechanism is within the parking brake like, in the car/center console, right? Presumably we are not talking about something outside the vehicle in the parking brake assembly in the rear hubs, right?

Thanks!

 

[CarGuy]

Nope, I'm almost exclusively a water drinker and it just randomly started the other day. Weirdest thing! The spring in the mechanism is within the parking brake like, in the car/center console, right? Presumably we are not talking about something outside the vehicle in the parking brake assembly in the rear hubs, right?

Thanks!

Yes the spring is inside the button/handle just like the reverse lockout spring on your shift knob. I can't see it being in the lines, or pads or any actual part of the brake system. I mean I could be wrong but I'm confident that the issue is inside the parking brake mechanism which is inside the car.

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[sonicmn]

There are a couple springs, on an 2004 VWR32 my buddy had it was a frozen actuator at the rear parking brake assembly that was causing the issues with the brake (tho on that the cables were coming un-hooked at the console in the middle and the parking brake was dragging, the lever would ratchet and stay locked just fine and release, but the caliper itself had the issues outside the car)


I would think since its the button itself that's not popping back out thus not locking the lever up its probably in the parking brake handle as @CarGuy is suggesting.

Unfortunately the service manual does not show disassembly of the "parking brake control" (lever) to diagnose a broken spring in that system. it just shows how to remove it and replace.


Any chance you have the service manual for the ST? it does a nice job of showing how most of the sub-assemblies go together and how to diagnose. if not, I can share the one I got on the forum a while back.

but to disassemble the parking brake assembly you have to take apart the console, its not all that difficult, just plan on it taking an hour or two to take apart and put back together. the videos on replacing the shifter bushings do a good job about how to take apart the console to get at the assembly. beyond that point you may be on your own as to figuring out what's inside the lever.

 

[sonicmn]

Here are a couple pics of the parking brake lever assembly removal if that helps at all