1973 CADILLAC SEDAN DEVILLE - PARKING BRAKE INFO REQD

[BIG RAB]

I've just imported the above car into the UK and see it has a foot parking brake.

When I press the parking brake pedal and hold down the brake engages, as soon as I take my foot off the pedal it springs back up and the brake seems to disengage.

Like the Mercedes I have, I take it the brake should hold after taking my foot off the pedal ??

There is no ratchet type noise like the Merc when I press the pedal down, this holding the pedal in position.

Should there be

Also, the red 'brake light' on the dash remains illuminated after moving the car with no brake drag etc experienced, goes off after about 20 mins driving.

Could this be a sticking switch ?

Any info would be appreciated.

[Mike Josephic CLC #3877]

On the 1973's you will not hear any ratchet noise
when applying the parking brake.  It releases
automatically by vacuum when you place the car
in Drive or Reverse.

The brake should hold when you remove your foot
providing it's working properly.

The brake light staying on could indicate several
issues including a problem with your brake system.
The fact that it goes out after awhile seems to point
this way.  It also could just be the adjustment of
the switch in the parking brake mechanism.

However, this all needs to be checked to insure safety.

Mike

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

If the car has been sitting for a while and all the vacuum has bled off the pedal should stay down. If it does then your neutral safety switch may be out of rig. Do the backup lights come on with the gearshift in the right location?

[BIG RAB]

Thanks for the info so far.


When I press pedal then remove my foot, should pedal hold in that depressed position or return to it's normal position ?

Regards

[Roger Zimmermann]

If the system is functioning as intended, when you push the pedal, it must stay in the depressed position as long as the gear lever is in P or N. It will release automatically when the lever is moved to D or R and the engine is running.
The brake pedal will not release when the engine is not running. It can be released with a manual release lever, located on the inboard side of the parking brake assembly.

[BIG RAB]

Roger,

Thanks for that.

After depressing it does not stay in that position and releases no matter what.

[cadillacmike68]

If it won't stay down when the engine is off, then something is stuck.

[Scot Minesinger]

Just to be clear, it makes a huge difference what gear you are in and if engine is running or not, release of brake should only happen automatically when car is running because it relies on vacuum:

Engine running, parking break pedal stays down in P or N, releases (acts like a normal break) in R or D (and 2, L).

Engine not running (any gear) pedal stays down

Generally the tendency of problems is that the break does not release, not that it releases always automatically when it should not.

BTW I had to drive a 2007 Suburban once a short distance using e-brake, and it did not have the auto release feature in D - what a pain, had to manually release every time needed to slow down with break.  The auto release in D would have made the drive way easier, but it is no Cadillac.