Parking Brake not working - Taurus Car Club of America : Ford Taurus Forum

04 SABLE · 01-02-2013, 04:30 PM

2005 Mercury Montego
I swear, it seems like a never-ending saga of brake problems with this car

. I replaced the driver's side rear caliper because it was locking up and causing my pads to burn. Now that I've replaced it everything seems fine. No problems braking and no excessive heat or anything like that. However, the parking brake doesn't do anything now. When I push the pedal down it has almost no resistance. If I put the car in Drive or Reverse the car rolls freely as if the parking brake isn't even on. I hardly ever use the parking brake but I'd like to have it functional. What do I need to do to make it work? Is there something that needs to be adjusted after installing a new caliper?

I can see the wire for the parking brake move and I can see the parking brake "lever" on the calipers move as well, but it's like it's not applying the brake all the way for some reason.

Breeves002 · 01-02-2013, 04:31 PM

There should be a parking brake adjuster. You need to let the slack out or th cable. Look under the car and see if it is hanging low or loose.

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04 SABLE · 01-02-2013, 04:43 PM

I looked under the car and didn't see anything hanging loose. I also compared both rear brake calipers and the parking brake lever(the thing with the big spring) on both of them does move but the one on the passenger's side seems to have less movement than the one on the driver's side; but both do move.

Breeves002 · 01-02-2013, 06:02 PM

So they aren't moving enough. I don't know how, but there is a way to adjust the Parking brake so its tight.

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ricer333 · 01-03-2013, 10:22 AM

You should see something like what the right side of the picture here has: 1997 Grand Marquis: adjust..parking brake..Mercury Grand Marquis - JustAnswer

It's a rectangular open box sorta thing with a threaded screw and the cable goes into. Follow the cable down through the floorboard and back to the rear tire. I have yet to see a car that doesn't have one of these setups on it.

04 SABLE · 01-03-2013, 11:46 AM

The only place I remember seeing anything like that was close to the wheel on either side. I have to remove the tire in order to get to it. Does that sound right?

Breeves002 · 01-03-2013, 12:52 PM

It should be somewhere along the drivers side where the cable runs. Just look for it. I have no idea where it will be though.

Ill see if I can find it on all data.

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Breeves002 · 01-03-2013, 12:57 PM

Looks like this is how you release the tension. My guess is the opposite would put tension back in the system?

04 SABLE · 01-06-2013, 02:08 AM

So I did a little more searching and found that the Montego apparently has a "self-adjusting" parking brake which means that there are no places to adjust the parking brake. I wound up just pumping the brake pedal about 50 times and then pumping the parking brake pedal about 50 times as well. I then left the parking brake on overnight which supposedly helps it adjust. All is fine now. The parking brake grabs exactly as it should and the car doesn't roll like it did before.

That makes me happy since I'm about to take a trip up into the mountains with it. Don't need it rolling away!

01-02-2013, 04:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
04 SABLE Member Member Number: 6236 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Clay, AL Chapter: Southeast Drives: 2005 Mercury Montego Premier Visit: My Garage Posts: 207 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 8	Parking Brake not working 2005 Mercury Montego I swear, it seems like a never-ending saga of brake problems with this car . I replaced the driver's side rear caliper because it was locking up and causing my pads to burn. Now that I've replaced it everything seems fine. No problems braking and no excessive heat or anything like that. However, the parking brake doesn't do anything now. When I push the pedal down it has almost no resistance. If I put the car in Drive or Reverse the car rolls freely as if the parking brake isn't even on. I hardly ever use the parking brake but I'd like to have it functional. What do I need to do to make it work? Is there something that needs to be adjusted after installing a new caliper? I can see the wire for the parking brake move and I can see the parking brake "lever" on the calipers move as well, but it's like it's not applying the brake all the way for some reason. __________________ 2005 Mercury Montego Premier--Current car 1995 Ford Crown Victoria LX--Current car 1995 Ford Crown Victoria Base--Beater project car 2004 Mercury Sable LS Premium--TOTALED by drunk driver at 89,000 mi.

01-02-2013, 04:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
Breeves002 The Big Cheese Member Number: 49890 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: St. Louis, MO Chapter: Midwest Drives: 2008 Mercury Sable Premier Visit: My Garage Posts: 4,018 Trader Score: 6 reviews Rep Power: 10	There should be a parking brake adjuster. You need to let the slack out or th cable. Look under the car and see if it is hanging low or loose. Sent from my iPhone using AutoGuide.com App __________________ Sam 2008 Mercury Sable Premier 2012 Kia Soul Base AT 1.6GDI Moved On: 2000 Sable LS Premium Duratec View what I have for sale: HERE ENTER NOW FOR May's WAGON ONLY CAR OF THE MONTH!! *CLICK HERE*

01-02-2013, 04:43 PM	#3 (permalink)
04 SABLE Member Member Number: 6236 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Clay, AL Chapter: Southeast Drives: 2005 Mercury Montego Premier Visit: My Garage Posts: 207 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 8	I looked under the car and didn't see anything hanging loose. I also compared both rear brake calipers and the parking brake lever(the thing with the big spring) on both of them does move but the one on the passenger's side seems to have less movement than the one on the driver's side; but both do move. __________________ 2005 Mercury Montego Premier--Current car 1995 Ford Crown Victoria LX--Current car 1995 Ford Crown Victoria Base--Beater project car 2004 Mercury Sable LS Premium--TOTALED by drunk driver at 89,000 mi. Last edited by 04 SABLE; 01-02-2013 at 04:46 PM.

01-02-2013, 06:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
Breeves002 The Big Cheese Member Number: 49890 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: St. Louis, MO Chapter: Midwest Drives: 2008 Mercury Sable Premier Visit: My Garage Posts: 4,018 Trader Score: 6 reviews Rep Power: 10	So they aren't moving enough. I don't know how, but there is a way to adjust the Parking brake so its tight. Sent from my iPhone using AutoGuide.com App __________________ Sam 2008 Mercury Sable Premier 2012 Kia Soul Base AT 1.6GDI Moved On: 2000 Sable LS Premium Duratec View what I have for sale: HERE ENTER NOW FOR May's WAGON ONLY CAR OF THE MONTH!! *CLICK HERE*

01-03-2013, 11:46 AM	#6 (permalink)
04 SABLE Member Member Number: 6236 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Clay, AL Chapter: Southeast Drives: 2005 Mercury Montego Premier Visit: My Garage Posts: 207 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 8	The only place I remember seeing anything like that was close to the wheel on either side. I have to remove the tire in order to get to it. Does that sound right? __________________ 2005 Mercury Montego Premier--Current car 1995 Ford Crown Victoria LX--Current car 1995 Ford Crown Victoria Base--Beater project car 2004 Mercury Sable LS Premium--TOTALED by drunk driver at 89,000 mi.

01-03-2013, 10:22 AM	#5 (permalink)
ricer333 Senior Member Member Number: 8134 Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Melbourne, FL Drives: 2001 Ford Taurus SES 3.0 OHV - Vulcan Engine Royal Blue - Paint Code: LA Visit: My Garage Posts: 853 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 0	You should see something like what the right side of the picture here has: 1997 Grand Marquis: adjust..parking brake..Mercury Grand Marquis - JustAnswer It's a rectangular open box sorta thing with a threaded screw and the cable goes into. Follow the cable down through the floorboard and back to the rear tire. I have yet to see a car that doesn't have one of these setups on it.

01-03-2013, 12:52 PM	#7 (permalink)
Breeves002 The Big Cheese Member Number: 49890 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: St. Louis, MO Chapter: Midwest Drives: 2008 Mercury Sable Premier Visit: My Garage Posts: 4,018 Trader Score: 6 reviews Rep Power: 10	It should be somewhere along the drivers side where the cable runs. Just look for it. I have no idea where it will be though. Ill see if I can find it on all data. Sent from my iPhone using AutoGuide.com App __________________ Sam 2008 Mercury Sable Premier 2012 Kia Soul Base AT 1.6GDI Moved On: 2000 Sable LS Premium Duratec View what I have for sale: HERE ENTER NOW FOR May's WAGON ONLY CAR OF THE MONTH!! *CLICK HERE*

01-03-2013, 12:57 PM	#8 (permalink)
Breeves002 The Big Cheese Member Number: 49890 Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: St. Louis, MO Chapter: Midwest Drives: 2008 Mercury Sable Premier Visit: My Garage Posts: 4,018 Trader Score: 6 reviews Rep Power: 10	Looks like this is how you release the tension. My guess is the opposite would put tension back in the system? __________________ Sam 2008 Mercury Sable Premier 2012 Kia Soul Base AT 1.6GDI Moved On: 2000 Sable LS Premium Duratec View what I have for sale: HERE ENTER NOW FOR May's WAGON ONLY CAR OF THE MONTH!! *CLICK HERE*

01-06-2013, 02:08 AM	#9 (permalink)
04 SABLE Member Member Number: 6236 Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Clay, AL Chapter: Southeast Drives: 2005 Mercury Montego Premier Visit: My Garage Posts: 207 Trader Score: 0 reviews Rep Power: 8	So I did a little more searching and found that the Montego apparently has a "self-adjusting" parking brake which means that there are no places to adjust the parking brake. I wound up just pumping the brake pedal about 50 times and then pumping the parking brake pedal about 50 times as well. I then left the parking brake on overnight which supposedly helps it adjust. All is fine now. The parking brake grabs exactly as it should and the car doesn't roll like it did before. That makes me happy since I'm about to take a trip up into the mountains with it. Don't need it rolling away! __________________ 2005 Mercury Montego Premier--Current car 1995 Ford Crown Victoria LX--Current car 1995 Ford Crown Victoria Base--Beater project car 2004 Mercury Sable LS Premium--TOTALED by drunk driver at 89,000 mi.

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