A Sticky Brake Situation (Parking Brake Service and Maintenance)
February 15, 2026
We've all been there. You park your vehicle on a steeper than usual hill and worry about it rolling down while you're running your errands. So you decide you'll use the parking brake. When you get back, you release the parking brake, hit the ignition, put it in gear and—uh, oh—you can feel the parking brake is still on. It's stuck. What do you do now?
Welcome to the world of infrequently-used parking brakes. Yes, they do stick for several reasons. It's common for components to corrode and get locked up. Sometimes if you have applied it extra hard, it can jam. Could be a rusty cable, could be a spring that doesn't return the brake to its disengaged position. Some pieces just break when they're stressed for the first time in a while. A caliper or the pivot arm it's on can also stick.
There are a few things you can try to unstick it. Carefully rock your vehicle by putting it first in drive and then reverse. You have to be careful doing that, though, because sometimes you can damage the transmission. You can try working the parking brake control a few times to see if that will loosen the corrosion. If you can't unstick it, you can try driving slowly a short distance to a repair facility near you. Sometimes it won't cause damage to the brakes but it depends on how tightly the parking brake was applied and what was stuck. You may also have to have your vehicle towed to a repair facility.
In any case, once you've seen these symptoms, have your vehicle brakes looked at by a professional who can fix the root of the problem. Better yet, don't let your vehicle get in this condition; regular maintenance and inspections by a trained technician should prevent you from getting in a jam somewhere thanks to a stuck parking brake. You could use a "brake" like that.
Mobil 1 Lube Express Austin
12538 Research Boulevard
Austin, TX 78759
5122198223
http://oilchangeaustin.com
More articles from Mobil 1 Lube Express Austin
The Key Won't Turn! (Ignition Problems)
March 15, 2026
You've just arrived at the store shopping and you're ready to head home. You put your key in the ignition and oh, no! The ignition won't turn! What do you do now? Don't panic. There are some things you can do to get going again. The first thing to do is see if you have a locking steering wheel... More
In the Hot Seat (Repair and Maintenance of Seat Heaters)
March 8, 2026
It's chilly outside. You flip on that switch that looks like a picture of a seat with little heat waves rising from it. You expect soon you'll feel that warmth but wait! It's not getting warmer. Oh no, what's wrong with my seat heater? There could be lots of reasons it's not working, and it cou... More
In a Fog (Fogged Windows in Cold Weather)
March 1, 2026
It's bad enough in cold weather when ice and snow block your visibility. Add to that fog on the inside of your windows and you could be driving blind. So here are a few tips on how to keep your windows from fogging up when there's a chill in the air. You probably know fog is really condensation... More