81corolla

True or false:

After applying the parking brake the rx300 should
NOT roll at all when driver removes foot from brake
pedal?

In my case, the answer is false.

Here's how I park the vehicle:

1. come to a stop
2. keep right foot on brake pedal
3. shift to PARK
4. apply parking brake (left foot obviously)
5. release right foot from brake pedal
6. car rolls (same amount as if I skipped step 4.)

This doesn't seem right. Your experience?

My random thoughts:

I was told there's only a small pin holding the shift lever
in PARK. Thus using the parking brake lessens the load
on the lever. True or false?

How many "clicks" should the parking brake use?
Should the brake lever be perpendicular to the ground?
IOW, how far down should the parking brake go down?

Lastly, the rear pads were replaced before I got the car.
I don't know if that would make a difference; just sharing.
Is there a way I can cinch up the parking brake cable?

Thanks for your help (again).

(The irony is that on my old car the parking brake cable
just snapped and I'm replacing it. :-)

HarrierAWD

In my case, my RX300 does roll a little after I apply the parking brake if the hill is steep enough. For safety, I turn the front wheel against the curb.

I apply the parking brake first, let go the brake to let it roll a littile until it stops, then shift to park. It does lessen the load on the mechanism so you won't have trouble shifting out of park. Your parking brake might be too loose and need adjustment. It's about 4 clicks down, but I never really count it. It should not reach the floor because you need to push it down further to release it.

salimshah

Brake linkage might need adjustment. (it is supposed to automatically adjust).
Try driving the car back and forth and depress [PARKING] brake pedal with full force ... maximum travel .. please makes sure your face does not hit the steering ... or all loose things are removed and no one else in the vehicle. This should tighten the self adjusting links and burn off any glaze. If it still does not fix the problem, have a qualified mech take a look. The AUX brakes must be able to slow down the vehicle in case the main brakes fail.

Also make sure your head restraint/support is adjusted properly as you will hit it when you stop moving in Reverse.

Edit Notes: I have not been able to confirm there is auto-adjust in the parking brakes. Mechanism, from pictures, seems similar. I hope some one can cofirm or refute. Also depressing normal brake will not do anything to the parking brakes ... these two are totally independant.

Salim

HarrierAWD

That's adjustment for cars with rear drum brake. Won't work for RX with disc brake.

BlackRX300

Different vehicles may be different on setting the parking (emergency) brake, but try this:

Apply the parking brake first, while the trans is still in drive, then shift to park. Most vehicles will not roll any (or very, very little) if the parking brake is applied before shifting to park.

Hope this helps.

p.s. My mother-in-law had a Buick that would roll almost 6-10" after shifting to park and applying the parking brake. My jeep cherokee would not move at all after applying the parking brake.

salimshah

You could be right on this. I will double check and post correction.

Salim.

81corolla

To: BlackRX300

That's a good idea and here's what I can report.

I apply the parking brake first but if I leave it in drive and let my foot off the brake pedal,
the car moves forward (or reverse.) The car beeps indicating the brake is on. But
shouldn't the car stall?

On my manual shift car, I would apply the parking brake, shift to first,
and then let the clutch out slowly and the car would stall. This was a good
thing as it meant I still had a good clutch (no slipping.)

But on an automatic, I don't know the "correct" behavior.
If the car isn't supposed to stall, then is the parking brake really doing its job?

Thanks.

BlackRX300

The vehicle is not supposed to stall with the emergency brake on and in drive. It should react the same as just applying the brake at a stop light with the vehicl in drive. The emergency brake will not cause a vehicle to stall no more than pushing in the brake pedal in and coming to a complete stop.

When parking follow this order:

1. Apply the parking brake with the vehicle in drive and foot on the brake pedal.

2. Shift into park with foot still on the brake pedal.

3. Remove foot from brake pedal.

4. Turn key to off and remove.

5. Exit vehicle.

salimshah

Ok I checked ..

I wagely (sp?) remembered that the parking brake has nothing to do with the disc mechanism.

The parking brake assembly is "DRUM" type. Shoes are inside the hub/drum. There is adjustment hole in the drum which is accessable once the wheel is removed. If you remove the plug, the adjustment procedure is like the old brakes ... use a flat head screw driver to ratchet it up or down.

It is hard to tell by looking at the picture if threre is an auto adjustment .. based on travel ... or not. I see no reason why it would not be there.

Salim