Parking Brake Woes, Replacing parking brake dash cable

I've just bought a 96 2.1 VSX Estate. The previous owner found himself with the parking brake locked on to the point where the dash mounted release wouldn't release the mechanism. In a desperate attempt to get going he cut through the primary cable which links through the bulkhead to the two in the engine bay. In doing so the release cable has jumped out of it retaining position.

I've removed the dash panels and can see the parking brake release mechanism and the cable. But am struggling as to how to reconnect them. Access is limited, do I need to remove the steering column to get in there. Any one else had a similar problem. Any advice on refitting both cables would be great. Thanks MC

Hi mcmoonter

I currently have a later car with the dash removed and can see all the parking brake cabling. The main (Top) brake cable runs in a U shape from alongside the steering column into the engine bay then round into the tunnel under the car that houses the exhaust pipe. Here there is a fulcrum on a piviot to operate the 2 lower hand brake cables. This is mounted on the passenger side of the tunnel under a cover. Haynes has pictures. If the top cable is broken then one or other of the lower cable inners usually drops out of its location in the linkage and has to be reassembled before you can reconnect the rest of the cables. I will have a look at how the top end cables are accessed and let you know about routing of the release cable.

Regards

XMexc

This post has been edited by xmexclusive on January 18, 2007 06:45 pm

Hi Mcmoonter.

If you haven't already, you may as well check the condition of the two lower cables while you're at it. The constant action of the steering causes the outer sheath to fracture just about where the cable enters the wheelarch and if you're going to be grovelling about with the equalizer, you may as well get it over with in one shot !

Mike.

This "locking" in the on position sometimes happens when you're too firm pressing the pedal down. It actually releases again if you pull the hand release and depresss the foot operated pedal down simultaneously. No good for you now I know...

The primary release cable is fed from the knee pad panel round, as xmexclusive says in a U back to the foot pedal; it can be fed in without the column IF you cheat and aren't so precious about the replacement's routing - I've done it on mine although it was a fiddle...

You've then got the primary cable down to the lower wheelarch cabling to look at though it must work quite well if it managed to lock the car stationary!!

Andrew



This post has been edited by Andmcit on January 18, 2007 07:09 pm

Hi Mcmoonter

Welcome to the club. You should be able to sort your problem out with the help available here. Does your car have the Reg letters N--- YBL by any chance?

Peter.N.

This post has been edited by Peter.N. on January 18, 2007 03:52 pm

Thanks folks, first foray into XM ownership and this forum.

I've ordered a Haynes manual to try and get an exploded diagram of how the mechanisms all connect together. Trying to work blind and not knowing if the part I need to connect the release cable to is actually there is wearing me down.

If the worst comes to the worst and I run out of knuckle skin and expletives. Can anyone recommend an independant Citroen specialist in the Fife/Edinburgh area?

I stay near Kirkcaldy in Fife.

Thanks Peter.N.

Are you telepathic?

The registration number is N476 YBL. How exactly did you know that?

MC

I know this one!

Please sir, can I answer it, pleeeeaaaase.... (waves hand..)

All Citroën Uk's cars at their HQ in Slough are registered ...*BL - I've got B123 EBL, a S1 CX GTi Turbo1 that was one of the first in the UK and given to road testers to abuse...

Andrew

Or is this because Peter knows the address or current wherabouts of EVERY S2 XM estate
in the UK with a cunning and devious plan to get hinself the lowest mileage one...

Lock up your estates, Peter's after one...!

Andrew

This post has been edited by Andmcit on January 18, 2007 06:01 pm

There had to be a logical reason.......... I though I was possibly one of a hundred previous owners who had been lured into the purchase of hydropnuematic heaven only to be challenged by a satanic parking brake initiation rite. Students of Citroen who this forum sees initially as wide eyed and willing but who die a slow skinless knuckle death wishing they'd bought a Golf.

Previous owners whose headstones bore the legend 'Death by N476 YBL'

MC

Andrew, reference pushing the park pedal down before releasing the hand release, I always do that because I don't like the pedal flying out uncontrolled - you never know what damage it may cause.

Similarly, I always apply the foot pedal fully before engaging the lock. Saves wear and tear on the ratchet.

Similarly again, when stopped in traffic I always engage neutral to save the torque converter from churning away at the oil, and keep my left foot firmly on the park pedal to hold the car still. That way the people behind me don't have their eyeballs glazed by my stop lights.

Derek

And I thought I was unique

I hate the ratcheting sound of the foot lever and always depress the foot lever first then
locking the hand lever, though the springing off is so quick and generally quiet it doesn't
trouble me so much on it's release. Never troubled me!!

Isn't using neutral on the autobox good practice anyhow as otherwise you'll always be
holding the car against drive. It's either that or using Park if you're stopped at a long
wait lights/junction. I like using the footbrake to hold the car without using the actual
handbrake hand lever without the neon rear end which you see EVERYONE else lazily
doing.

Actually, a pet hate of mine especially at this time of year is EVERYONE and his wife
driving with their blinding spotlights on ALL the time. I'm not old enough yet my eyesight
is affected by oncoming car's lights, but it's still damned arrogant/selfish driving in my
view. Do these idiots actually want to blind me for a few crucial seconds into driving
into them as we pass!?

Andrew

This post has been edited by Andmcit on January 18, 2007 10:09 pm

Andrew - yeah it P****S me off as well! If they are particularly annoying I give them main beam just late enough so they can't get me! Childish I know - but tremendously satisfying! And while we are on a whinge - how many cars are driving around with one headlight these days? And even wagon drivers have given up indicating!
I feel better now!

This could turn into a real gripe thread!!

"Dismay in the life of..."

Gaining a head of steam when thinking of my other driving frustrations, another real
pet hate is the the muppet driver addiction to rear fog lights in all weather conditions
regardless of visibilty...

So, suffering retina burn especially in the ringing wet, blinded by these hideous inventions,
you miss the subtle change in the tail/braking lights as those other funny pretty liittle
amber lights at each corner DONT come on when the car in front stops dead and turns...
These amber "thingies" are only used for believed invisibilty/cloaking purposes giving
immmunity from adverse judgement from other road users when double parked sitting
outside the corner shop or sitting in disabled spaces/double lines...

Bah humbug and all that!!
Victor Meldrude would be proud of me...

Rant over, it's safe to come back out from cover...

Andrew

This post has been edited by Andmcit on January 18, 2007 10:27 pm