Emergency brake pedal stuck down - Problem is not the cable but is the mechanism.

[haulin8or]

Ok, I let my 14 yo back my Excursion out of the garage so he could get the lawnmower out. Later, my wife and I were heading out for a date and after I pulled on my brake release began backing down the driveway. It sounded like it released as normal, maybe a little louder. As I was still backing, my parking brake alarm went off. I pulled on the lever again and nothing. I pushed down on the pedal again and went to release and it will not release now, the peddle is stuck down and the e brakes are fully applied. The cable looks almost brand new under the truck. I use the e brakes daily so it is not an issue of corrosion from non-use. It is as if the e brake essembly under the dash will not release the gear. Has anyone had this issue before and if so, what can be done? Is there anyway to get the pedal to release other than pulling on the lever? I have to say, the spring tension down there makes me uneasy getting my digits around there poking and prodding. I spoke with my son this morning and he said he really jammed on the ebrake hard (lack of experience) to make sure it held. Well...it's holding.

[DaveBen]

Sounds like time to dismantle the rear barking brake assembly, at the rear wheels, and check it for rust and such. Clean it up real good and assemble it using lube at the appropriate points. Then work your way toward the cab and barking brake pedal.

Dave

[f100cleveland]

Try pushing down on e-brake pedal fairly hard then pull the release lever then release your foot pressure. Might be bound up with to much pressure to release normally. Ya I would be uneasy with trying to release it with any body parts in harms way too.

[Dogman]

I think there is a adjustment nut on the cable under the truck. You may need to back it off a little so the brake can be release. Then you need to pull the e-brake apart and check it out.

[haulin8or]

Ok, here is an update. Sorry so late, I have been on Grand Jury duty for the last two days and unable to get on the computator. Well, the darndest thing happend after I left my last post. I went back out to the Excursion, looked back under the dash again at the pedal system. I took some needle nose pliers and began to pull on the release cable wire (that goes to the handle). I am not quite sure what happened after that as the pedal began to slowly ratchet back up into normal position. I really can't explain what made the thing come back. All that I know is that I had to get the thing fixed before yesterday so that I could make it to my Grand Jury appointment and I did not want to have to cut the cable in order to do it. Had to have been a total God thing as I prayed before I went back under the dash to tinker some more and boing, the thing just started going back up by pulling on the wire, which I had already done a few hundred times!!

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions above and for listening. I wish I could tell you a physical thing that I did to fix it but... can't. I have told my son just to leave the eBrake alone from now on, we are not on that steep of an incline!

Oh, by the way, it seems to be working normal again too

[BIG JOE]

A little WD-40 maybe.. on the Ebrake assembly.. pieces, parts and cable

Joe

( I found a WD-40 pencil/dobber at Home Depot.. for places you don't want over-spray ??)

[haulin8or]

Thanks Joe, great idea. I think that may help things out a bit.