JK/JKU Parking/Emergency Brake-National Highway Traffic Safety Admin

[mav204]

to all my jeep wrangler JK/JKU owners, I am looking into working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Admin to get the Parking/Emergency brake to get fixed. We all know that the brake doesn't work, I have been to the dealer to get it fixed, and they say "thats how it is!" Most of us don't use it, cause we drive an automatic, but it's in the Jeep for a reason. When I was out in Colorado and Utah, on the side of mountains, I wanted to make sure the jeep doesn't move, and use it. I know its over kill, but its safety.
Fill out this forum, it takes 5 minutes
https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/?

 

[comptiger5000]

It sounds like your dealer hasn't actually tried to fix it. Have you looked it over to make sure the parking brake shoes are intact, etc. and then adjusted it? A drum-in-disc parking brake will never be as strong as the one on a car with rear drums, but it should still hold the Jeep on a hill if it's not broken.

 

[EMrider]

"We all know that the brake doesn't work...."

No, we don't all know that the brake does not work, or more importantly, why.

Some details and evidence would be helpful.

R

 

[Comanche Scott]

Could there be a problem with your specific vehicle

Before putting the Jeep in park, I set the parking brake and ensure the vehicle doesn't roll.
I've had the Jeep on some pretty severe inclines off road, and the parking brake has held great.
The picture below is just one example. Both front and tires are on a pretty steep incline, and I did not have to pull hard to get a solid setting.

I wonder if there is an issue with your brake?

 

[4xdog]

...I wonder if there is an issue with your brake?

Or perhaps your dealer. Have you tried a different one for service?

 

[(none)]

It's all about the adjustment.

It's a pain, but if you adjust it right, it'll work fine. That being said, neither of my 2 JKs had the parking brake adjusted correctly when I bought them. Then again, neither did my BMW. All have the integral drum brake inside the rotor set up.

 

[Weeds]

My JKU parking brake adjusts the same as my Toyota Camry. I have never had a problem.

 

[Chris85xlt]

i had to adjust mine right after i bought my JK too and seems fine now. When parked on a steep incline i would 2 hand the parking brake handle for 2 more clicks. I have a manual transmission on 35's.

 

[mav204]

I adjust mine all the time, my current problem is that I pull the handle back 3/4 the way before the shoes start to expand. All components have been replaced, including the cable, which has been replaced twice. the pin wheel is holding, cause when the handle is pulled 3/4 the way it starts to hold. The issue I have, i that I'm losing 3/4 of the pull.

 

[SSF556]

My WK has a similar setup and it works awesome when it is adjusted correctly. Read up on how to adjust because there is not a Fiat dealer in this country who will spend the time and effort to adjust it correctly. They will take it around the back and "put a wrench" on it. Bring it back around and tell you it works. To get mine to activate I have to pull 3/4 up and then some.

 

[Comanche Scott]

I adjust mine all the time, my current problem is that I pull the handle back 3/4 the way before the shoes start to expand. All components have been replaced, including the cable, which has been replaced twice. the pin wheel is holding, cause when the handle is pulled 3/4 the way it starts to hold. The issue I have, i that I'm losing 3/4 of the pull.

Yeah, you shouldn't have to do that, unless you drive around doing parking brake U-turns, or drive with it on. Once adjusted it should last for a long time.
If you are having to constantly adjust it, you are either doing it wrong, or there is another issue.
It would be worth looking at your rig and another one side by side. Maybe there is a bent bracket, or a bell-crank issue that isn't evident.

I can park on ridiculous angles, set the parking brake without excessive pressure, release the foot brake and have it hold just fine, while I put it in park and jump out for a "poser shot".

If it were me, I'd find another dealer, or contact 1800 I AM JEEP, for corporate help.
Good luck on this! :beer:

 

[PKayser]

Mine has never never worked all that well. I have a manual and happen to live on one of the steeper streets in San Francisco. I do make sure the wheels are curbed though.


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[mav204]

Fill out the form in the link I posted


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[KevinsMap]

Hi Mav. I hear you, because I did once have this problem... but only briefly. So that makes me another JK owner with the experience of solving this problem permanently. That may not be what you want to hear.

My 2008 Rubicon JKU saw over 100,000 miles and only had to be adjusted once, at about 10,000 miles. It was briefly aggravating, but careful adjustment was the fix. My 2014 is nearing 40,000 and has never had this problem. The three others that belong to friends are just about the same story. One needed adjustment, at the same shop as mine, and that was the end to it.

The dealer did my 2008 adjustment - correctly - but then that dealer has been a Jeep specialist for decades. Not convenient to Akron, but it shows it can be done by a conscientious shop. So I submit that your problem is service. It is not present in all JK's, and it can be fixed.

I hope this helps.