soft emergency brake

[bicsintegra]

I drove my M today for the first time on almost 2 weeks and I put the e brake on and the car kept rolling like the brake was not even engaged. I had the pedal all the way down to the floor and the car kept rolling. I have noticed in the past the ebrake was a little soft but this feels like no e brake at all. Has anyone else had this experience?

[rxmclaren7]

you may need to check the rear brakes...it is my understanding that there is a window in the rear brakes covered by a rubber plug that will allow you to look at the e brake shoes! it may just be they are stuck in the open position...i had to take my rear brakes off to relube the moving parts...my e brake works great now!

[EniGmA1987]

Might need to replace the ebrake shoes, it does wear over time like normal brake pads. If someone was ever driving with the ebrake on then it probably got worn out after just the 1 drive and wont work well anymore.

[bicsintegra]

thanks for all the replies I will have to check them soon.

[The00Dustin]

I never use mine for driving, but always engage them when parked. I have had to have them tightened at least 3 times in the almost 5 years that I have owned my 06 M45.

[TDot]

How do you tighten them, mine are a little loose.

[svard75]

[jiggersplat]

Thanks svard. I need to do this too.

[Carfreak70852]

I replaced my parking brake shoes not too long ago and one of them had completely disintegrated. Please check them before you go tighten your pedal.

[TDot]

Thanks svard. Damn, this list of things to do keep piling up on this car once it gets warm. Now I'm getting an egg smell on hard acceleration telling me I need to change my cats smh.
How easy/hard is it to change the shoe? Any instructions around if needed?

[steve_c]

I replaced my parking brake shoes not too long ago and one of them had completely disintegrated. Please check them before you go tighten your pedal.

Same here.....my left side E-brake shoes were very worn, but one of the right side E-brake shoes broke apart at the bottom leading edge of the shoe, resulting in metal to metal contact with disc drum.

I did see a You-Tube video with same symptoms!

I ordered E-brake assembly springs & adjusters along with new shoes, but most all the hardware was in decent shape.

[TDot]

I went ahead and adjusted my brakes. I did it at the wheel then the pedals. For the first couple of weeks they felt great. But now they are back to being useless. The brakes have plenty of meat on them. I notched it up 13 times...two from being unable to put the rotors back on (yes i know i didnt have to take the rotors off, but i prefer that way).

Is this normal for this car for people who use their brakes on the regular (I use it every time i park)?
I hate to be like the dealer, but is this due to the aftermarket rotors like some type of coating on them? I dont think its this because the brakes felt great the first 2-3 weeks.

[TDot]

Bump

[TDot]

Nobody?

[EdBwoy]

I'll take a stab at this. How's your brake fluid level?

[jiggersplat]

Is the cable housing secure and in good condition at both ends? If it's like the Maxima I replaced the cable on, there is a single cable from the ebrake handle (pedal in our case) that connects to two more cables, one going to the left rear and one going to the right rear. Weird things can happen if one of the two rear cables operates more smoothly than other. Check those too.

[EdBwoy]

The good olé maxima days... with the pinched, rusted and snapped e-brake cable that pretty much wouldn't engage.

I'll try to go thru the FSM and get under the car today and see exactly how this ebrake is set up in the 06 M and what could go wrong in addition to what's been posted above.

[TDot]

Thanks.

Brake fluid is great...but what does the brake flyid have to do with the e-brake? I thought the flyid is only for the regular brake.

I have no idea about the housing or where to look for it. Which fsm should i look in for that, and what exactly should i be paying attention to?

[jiggersplat]

looks more or less like this



The metal wire inside the black sleeve should move back and forth freely when not connected to anything. Both ends of the black sleeve need to be fixed in position or the cable system will not work. From the rear wheel they probably run up under the car somewhere, possibly behind some heat shields up near the transmission tunnel. There's probably a "y" connection there somewhere where a 3rd cable will run to the pedal.

[EdBwoy]

Thanks.

Brake fluid is great...but what does the brake flyid have to do with the e-brake? I thought the flyid is only for the regular brake.

I have no idea about the housing or where to look for it. Which fsm should i look in for that, and what exactly should i be paying attention to?

Even before looking at the manual, I wanted to say there's 50% chance the brake fluid has got nothing to do with the E-brake. It's just that sometimes the E-brake cable operates the rear caliper piston. For drum brakes, the "brake cylinder" that pushes the shoes, usually does so due to the fluid's hydraulic pressure. Ya know, the easy stuff to look at.
I didn't get a chance to look under the car today, but I looked at the 2006 M FSM, Section PB- parking brake. Just looking at that it does seem like it's all mechanical, and if the brakes were to act as you describe, then I'd be looking at the adjuster or toggle lever.

Can you get a partner to push the E-brake while you look under there to see which cables are moving and which ones are not? Video cameras work just as well.
When you apply the brake, jack up the rear and try to spin the wheels, do both of them move freely or just one?

[TDot]

Ill try these suggestions and report.

[Blackzilla]

I'd like to see how it goes for you TDot I'll be tackling this here soon