[JohnYoung]

Anyone notice their handbrake getting a little less effective.

I know handbrake cables stretch so probably just the cable bedding in from new but just curious

It still works but maybe one or two more clicks

 

[wil]

yes john , my handbrake is poor, not something I would expect for a car with only 20,000 miles on it. I always leave my car in gear and if I'm on the flat, I don't use it at all. it also tends to lock on really badly. I know lots of cars do this if left for a while but the cactus is the worst I've had for this.

 

[JohnYoung]

Yes I have always left the car overnight without the handbrake (its on the flat off road at rear of house) unless windy with all my cars.

Handbrake cables do stretch and I have replaced a few in my time and I am sure if memory serves me right that new cables always stretch a bit when you install them and after a while you always have to adjust them. I know on cars with calipers at the rear they self adjust but I have little experience with drum brakes to be honest as all my cars have had disks at the rear.

Don't get me wrong the handbrake works and still is OK just noticed a very slight difference which is probably normal. To be honest I only think I noticed anything because the handbrake is so good especially compared to my old Mazda 6 which was always bad even though it somehow always got through its MOT fine. One of the first things we noticed when we got the car was how good the handbrake was and also the hill start assist

 

[Mrsstuzilla]

yes john , my handbrake is poor, not something I would expect for a car with only 20,000 miles on it. I always leave my car in gear and if I'm on the flat, I don't use it at all. it also tends to lock on really badly. I know lots of cars do this if left for a while but the cactus is the worst I've had for this.

Ours locks terribly too in damp weather. Raised it with Citroen and they didn't seem overly concerned. :/

 

[Cloud9]

I find that the handbrake has to be tugged up really high to be effective...pupils don't always do this, and then wonder why the car doesn't stay still :idea: ....I wonder whether these push-button handbrakes are a better idea?

 

[The2ems]

Mine is fine. Has never locked, and three clicks is enough to hold it unless on a hill. Maybe then 4 clicks. Certainly no worse than any other car I have owned in 48 years of driving.

 

[BristolRich]

I think the issue with ours is not so much the effectivness of the brake, its the "feel" through the lever as you apply the brake. Two clicks and on a steep hill ours will hold, however when pulling up on the hand brake lever the feel is such that you "arent quite sure" if it is going to hold or not.

 

[JohnYoung]

I find that the handbrake has to be tugged up really high to be effective...pupils don't always do this, and then wonder why the car doesn't stay still :idea: ....I wonder whether these push-button handbrakes are a better idea?

Push button auto handbrakes are awful things. I would not buy a car with one. We test drove a car a few years back (Honda) with one and the car was only a few months old. The salesman was telling me how they are the new thing etc and I told him they can keep 'the new thing' anyway on test drive it kept jamming on.....just more to go wrong. Manual handbrakes have worked fine for years and should be left alone.

The cactus actually had an excellent handbrake as I said but just noticed it's a click of two higher than before but still working fine.....it was just an observation and I think the brand new cable bedding in and maybe it will self adjust

 

[Rattlegun]

I find that the handbrake has to be tugged up really high to be effective...pupils don't always do this, and then wonder why the car doesn't stay still :idea: ....I wonder whether these push-button handbrakes are a better idea?

Driving Examiners have refused to do driving tests in electric handbrake cars before now, as it helps with the hill start, but then lots of cars do that now anyway, like some cacti.

 

[JohnYoung]

I find that the handbrake has to be tugged up really high to be effective...pupils don't always do this, and then wonder why the car doesn't stay still :idea: ....I wonder whether these push-button handbrakes are a better idea?

Driving Examiners have refused to do driving tests in electric handbrake cars before now, as it helps with the hill start, but then lots of cars do that now anyway, like some cacti.

Yeah I questioned that with some driving instructor on here - I asked if the hill start assist does not make it 'unreal' when doing hill starts