The Confusing C4 Corvette Parking Brake Handle
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- Опубліковано 7 вер 2024
- Today let's take a look at the supposedly simple parking brake handle installed on the C4 Corvettes, and explore why it's such a confusing design that ends up frustrating owners and often winds up broken after being mishandled over time.
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Thanks for watching👍
Thanks for watching👍
Everyone I've let drive my 92 flat can't figure it out!! Even with me giving step by step instructions!! I always have to get out and unlock the brake myself.😂😂😂😂
Yea, it's funny how confusing it is even after you tell them/show them how to do it😁.
I have a 1990 6 speed Corvette and I find it very hard to disengage it. I have to pull it back up a bit further to get it disengaged. I’m out of town now, but when I get back home, I’ll try what you say. My husband has no problems with it but he’s also taller and stronger. Maybe smarter, too! Also, I’ll have him grease it. I doubt that’s ever been done. Thanks for the hint.
Hey Tala, very cool to hear the feedback from a lady Corvette owner👍. You're correct about the design of this handle While it's an interesting and cool piece of engineering, it's overly confusing and complicated for quite a few owners. They even had a instructional sleeved placard slipped over the handle on the later C4's when delivered to explain the process, but it still didn't help much😁.
Tell me how the hint goes once you get home.
I’ll never understand how people struggled with figuring out *a parking brake*
It's those extra steps that confuse everyone😁.
The old Camaros had the reverse lock also
Yep. I believe most of the GM cars with manual from that era had some form of lockout for safety reasons.
On my LT-4 the parking brake release does not operate quite that efficiently. You have to release the parking brake and then pull up the parking brake handle a second time to fully release the brake. It has worked this way since day one.
Yep, not a surprise. It's a fairly complex mechanical assembly, and in a bad spot for dirt and debris to get all over it and gum up the works. Thanks for chiming in👍
Great video BUT you are so jerky with the camera and keep moving the brake handle assembly around so fast. Helped some
Thanks for the feedback, glad to hear it was helpful👍.
Very informative, though I found it a bit late. My parking brake is engaged, but I can't get it to release. Looks Like I have to dismantle the system in the morning and figure it out.
Yep, most likely that's the best course of action. If you removed the driverside seat, you'll be able to pull the parking brake handle cover and see what the mechanism is doing. Let me know how it goes👍.
@@VetteSource Yes, it wasn't engaging. One tap with a hammer and punch popped it out of where it was stuck. Your vid was tremendously helpful in figuring it out.
That's awesome! Glad to hear it worked out that easily👍.
when i try to pull it down with the button down, it goes down smoothly till half way when it gets considerably harder and i he button wont pop out and the parking brake light won’t go off
it makes a rough scratching noise when i try to pull it down with the button as well
Hey I just bought a 92' Yellow Manual C4, and my parking break does not work. Whenever I pulled it up a few hours ago messing around with it it engage the light on my dash but not the actual parking break itself. I then tried to disengage it the proper way they are designed and the light wont come off now. So I have no parking break and the light is on. I took the plastic cover off to observe the design of the break and it seems that I was actually able to push the assembly back, but now it is just locked there and whenver I push the button in to put it down the teeth on it just slides off the assembly almost like it was stripped and doesn't push it back to how it was. I want to fix this myself and not pay a bunch of money to a mechanic but I don't know what exactly I would have to fix.
Cool, nice find. The pull handle may have been pulled to hard in the past, causing it to be clocked incorrectly in relation to the bellcrank that tightens the cable. Best way to get a complete look at it is to remove the seat so you can make sure the spring loaded rod is engaging the bellcrank in the proper position. Also check for dried grease and/or dirt that can gum up the works. Let me know how it turns out, Worst case scenario if it's broken I have more in stock.
That just Happened to me this Week..
93 c4 6speed
Mine is super stiff and won’t go all the way up. ? Any help ?
Responded to your other comment👍
I think the actuator on mine is locked up since I cannot get mine to release. 6:05 to 6:20 in the video to reference. I can feel the button slide over something that it cannot engage. 😢
OK I finally got it but I had to pull the handle almost an extra 45 degrees further back than I thought. It clicks so I thought it would break if I pulled any further. 😵💫
Yep, sounds like you need to get in there and spray some lubricant on the mechanism. It's easier if you remove the seat so you can access it properly. I have a video for that here -
ua-cam.com/video/V-Rev8Ep_UI/v-deo.html
Good stuff. Thanks. BTW, what color is the c4 in your video? My 92 has the identical color as yours. Mine was registered from the previous owner as green. He said it is actually "seabreeze'. I registered it as blue.
Hey Rocky, glad you enjoyed it. This color is Bright Aqua Metallic. It's an unusual color produced in pretty low numbers during the years it was offered from 1992-1996
You didn't apply the brake , as per the owners manual , before pulling up on the lever or pushing down on the lever . Why not ? Hard to understand the operation when a demonstration deviates from the owners manual directions .
Dale, appreciate the feedback. I didn't apply the brake pedal during the demonstration because it was easier to show the handle movement and operation from outside the car rather than in it. Thanks for watching👍
@@VetteSource So from your reply applying the brake isn't needed , as per the manual states . Not trying to be difficult just trying to understand why the manual states to apply the brake and you clearly don't and it appears not to matter . Is applying the brake overkill for safety sake or is it part of function ?
Dale, no problem, I understand. You are correct in that the application of the brake pedal is an extra safety measure to ensure the car won't roll forward or backwards while activating the parking brake.
Most of the time it would be unnecessary to have your foot on the brake pedal, as the transmission would be in gear after turning the car off, rather than in neutral.
My parking brake is very stiff ? Is this normal ? Parking brake on dash stays on all the time
No, it should move freely. Sounds like you may need to pull the seat -
ua-cam.com/video/V-Rev8Ep_UI/v-deo.htmlsi=oQlU4dcFjwBrx_lS
so you can access the parking brake cover and remove it. Once it's off, you can take a closer look at the mechanism to make sure nothing is broken and lubricate as needed.
@@VetteSource can it be the hand brake switch ?
Parking brake disengages atleast it feels like it. So maybe the switch ?
When you pull it back, should you hear the teeth ratching/engaging? The brake does not lock anywhere when you pull it back. Any adivce on what to look for?
Funny thing about these units is you typically won't hear the ratcheting click like you would on the earlier cars due to the way its designed. You could have a broken, loose, or out of adjustment cable that is keeping it from activating properly. Regardless you will need to remove the seat and cover so you can take a closer look at the assembly and see what it is doing.
👍👍 Subbed
Greatly appreciated, my friend👍
Everyone I’ve shown how to use the parking brake on the c4’s can’t seem to wrap their head around the parking brake being engaged still while it is down lol.
Teaching people how to disengage it is a whole other challenge haha
That's definitely true. I think much of it stems from the fact that since the parking brake handle was introduced, the up position means its engaged. While it is some creative engineering, the C4 setup confuse people to no end. Now if I can just figure out the new electronic parking brakes...
@@VetteSource haha exactly! See I had only been driving for about 2 years before I got my first c4 and since I was still relatively new to handbrakes it was no big deal for me to accept this c4 handbrake style. But I can totally see how someone who grew up with and has always been around normal handbrakes would find this just straight confusing.
For sure, its amusing and aggravating at the same time. I let one of my buddies drive my 91 ZR-1 years ago, and even after explaining to him about its operation, he promptly broke it😁
I just got my 1990 zr1 but, when I put it in reverse it won't go back. So I don't know if the parking brake is on and I got the brake light on my dash
Hey Martin, just to clarify do you mean the car is stuck in reverse and you can't move the shifter back into any other gears? Or is the parking brake handle stuck in one position and can't be moved?
@@VetteSource I just checked every peace of info. I could find in the internet and found out that, i need to pull the knob of the shifter up and put it in reverse making it go back now. Thanks for the info tho
No problem, glad you were able to get it worked out👍.
My parking brake doesn't get any tension on it at all. What's wrong?
Phil, it could be a few different things from the spring loaded pawl in the parking brake assembly, or a problem with the cable assembly.
The easiest place to start is to look underneath the car at the cable while someone is pulling the handle up to see how it's moving.
Let me know how it works out, and I can guide you through some additional steps if needed.
Now how does that parking brake light switch work?
Hey Dave, sorry for the late reply. There is a single bladed connector at the back of the parking brake handle assembly that complete the ground circuit for the "Park" lamp when the handle is pulled up. You may find the wire has become severed or disconnected after closer inspection.
@VetteSource yeah shortly after I posted that I figured out how it works myself, made a quick vid explaining it too lol
Good deal, glad to hear it worked out for you👍.
I’m lookin at buying a 454 for my 78 k20, I need a hand identifying some stuff is there anyway you’d be able to give me a hand? I’ve googled all I can get from the seller and can’t turn up anything
Sure, you can DM me through IG @vettesource or email direct to vettesource@hotmail.com
@@VetteSource I have emailed you, I don’t have insta, barley use Facebook, probably the least tech savvy 23 year old out there
Cool, your definitely ahead of the curve in helping to keep your sanity😁. I will check my email later on and send some information your way👍.
Thanks man it worked.
Excellent! Glad to hear it👍.
do you have a good center console plastic for a 95 auto no suspension selector for sale
Hey Randy, I'm afraid all my used pieces suffer from the same peeling rubber problem as the rest of them. If I happen to come across a good one, I'll let you know. You can also DM me on IG @vettesource
@@VetteSource ok thanks mine is cracked and the cup holder door stays open it smooth plastic they want 150 for a new one was just checking if you had one thanks
No problem, Randy. Just let me know if you need anything else.
I need help in getting mine to work, 1990 C4 Is there someone in Houston Texas?
I am located on the south side of Houston. If you're in the area you can stop by and I can tell you what's going on with it.
@@VetteSource That offer still stand? I’m also in Houston with a 95. Parking brake only engages at top of travel-absolutely nothing prior to top couple inches of travel before it hits the bump stop. Think my mechanism might be broken after removing seat and inspecting it but as of right now I’m not sure
Hey buddy, I'll be pretty tied up the rest of this month. Reach out to me at @8326547367, and we'll see if we can get together.
The parking brake on my 89 c4 is definitely disengaged but the light remains on
Yep, that is usually the lamp switch that is attached to the upper edge of the parking brake handle assembly. I forgot to highlight the switch on the parking brake handle I had off the car. You might want to check and see if the wire didn't come loose from the switch. That can also make the light stay on.
@@VetteSource my parking brake light doesn’t come on at all. I wonder if the wire is disconnected.
It's very possible. That would be the first place I'd look since a failure of the instrument cluster bulb is less common.
I also have a 89 vette, I don't touch my emergency brake. Light is not on .
Hey Kenny, I think the majority of owners don't bother with activating the parking brake, as most of the time you can leave it in gear and it won't move unless struck by another car. However, I can imagine if you live in a hilly or mountainous region the parking brake would be more used more often.
Just like an hq
Thanks for watching👍