# POLL: Parking brake - major thud when using it when the car's moving?



## wwroller (Sep 18, 2004)

Hey everyone. Picked up my 05 three days ago and absolutely LOVE this car!

I do have a concern about the parking brake. I thought it was broken when, at any speed (even just a couple MPH) if I pull the lever (even very gently), the brake makes a major clunk that sounds and feels like it's going to destroy the whole system.

I took it into the dealer and had them look into it. They told me that it was normal operation, and that the 'Vette is the same way. Not that he was lying to me, but I had the salesguy let me take out another one from the lot, and sure enough, exactly the same thing happens on the other car.

Are all of you experiencing this too?

--WW


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## 84racebird (Jan 4, 2005)

Sounds like the same thing that happens to mine. Seems like the brakes just instantly lock up. I'm not worried about it.


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## GTOBert (Jan 26, 2005)

Mine is the same also. Do you think it is OK to slow down like that. I always did that in my Z28 when the radar detector went off so I wouldnt alert the cop that I was braking. Now I don't want to do any damage to the GTO so I have avoided pulling up on the parking brake.


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## wwroller (Sep 18, 2004)

GTOBert said:


> Now I don't want to do any damage to the GTO so I have avoided pulling up on the parking brake.



Same here. It just seems like such a severe shock to the system that I can't believe it's actually normal. It's strange to me that there haven't been any big discussions about it on the board... If pulling the handle causes this shock, I would have preferred they just made it a kick pedal -- what's the point of a hand brake that can't be used except when parked? Oh, well. I guess compared to how great the car is otherwise, it can be overlooked!

But I'd still like to know whether this condition is present on all of them. If it's hit and miss, then I want mine fixed! Who out there has a GTO that does not do this?

--WW


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## yamaal14 (Feb 8, 2005)

mine does the same thing. Doesn't worry me at all. Has anyone noticed a problem with the accelerator?


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## SpunkyRacer (Nov 9, 2004)

I did not have a problem with mine when I was I my accident. It actually worked pretty well as I was being pushed through and intersection by a trash truck trying to avoid the car turning in front of me.


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## PhantomTiger (Feb 15, 2005)

Have yet to apply my park brake while driving to note. Unfortunately, until the rain is gone, my GTO stays in the garage. When the weather improves late next week, I will go out and test it. I will let you all know then!! Clunking during easy activation of the park brake, would seem not normal to me...but I will wait till I can either produce or not produce this condition before making judgement.
The other side to this, even if our GTO's compare, that does not mean it is not an issue. Hopefully with the results, the cause(s) can be determined.

PT


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## bsmcall (Sep 11, 2004)

Being mechanically inclined, I can't help but intervene here.

I wouldn't doubt that the rear differential is counterrotating to point it deflects into something. You are accelerating (decelerating) and applying forces totally opposite to 99% of the workload the driveline is engineered to satisfy. 
There is so much compliance built (engineered) into the rear suspension that if you park on a grade (uphill) with the parking brake on (I have an M6) that the rear end of the car will sag. 

BTW, do the headlamps dim occasionally like my '04 and my former '98 Z28. I know its normal, but that bothers me more than the park brake clunk.


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## PhantomTiger (Feb 15, 2005)

Is it not true that the GTO has a IRS-_independent rear suspension_ and not a live axle? Which would make the rear differential mounted solid to the vehicles chassis. In turn, the differential does not move, but the constant velocity jointed axles do, along with the control arms, etc....So wrapping up of the differential, or the suspension to point of contacting the differential with the chassis would not be the issue, that is not to say that something else in the drivetrain, suspension, etc. is not making contact. :confused


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## Stealthgto (Feb 15, 2005)

wwroller said:


> Hey everyone. Picked up my 05 three days ago and absolutely LOVE this car!
> 
> I do have a concern about the parking brake. I thought it was broken when, at any speed (even just a couple MPH) if I pull the lever (even very gently), the brake makes a major clunk that sounds and feels like it's going to destroy the whole system.
> 
> ...


I owned a Corvette Coupe at one time and the same thing happend to me. Yeah, it's normal.


_"Pontiac the mark of great cars"_ :cool


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## Guest (Feb 20, 2005)

*parking brake*

parking brake only,miniature brakes,not interstate ducking the radar mcdonnell
douglas,boeing thrust reversers or flaps ,parachutes,speed brakes :willy:


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## wwroller (Sep 18, 2004)

ramairws6 said:


> parking brake only,miniature brakes,not interstate ducking the radar mcdonnell
> douglas,boeing thrust reversers or flaps ,parachutes,speed brakes :willy:



Maybe so, but why place the system on a hand-lever then? Why not go grandma-style and put the "parking only brake" on a floor pedal? Besides, I have had a bunch of cars over the years just like most of us, and I have never experienced anything like this from the E-brake / parking brake of any car I have ever driven...

-WW


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## wwroller (Sep 18, 2004)

PhantomTiger said:


> ...but I will wait till I can either produce or not produce this condition before making judgement.
> The other side to this, even if our GTO's compare, that does not mean it is not an issue. Hopefully with the results, the cause(s) can be determined.
> 
> PT



Thanks, I'll look forward to hearing how yours behaves...





bsmcall said:


> I wouldn't doubt that the rear differential is counterrotating to point it deflects into something...



I heare you, but that's definitely not what I'm experiencing. It's too sudden, too abrupt, and occurs w/o any suspension movement. It's in the brake system itself...

Re: the momentary fading headlights like your 98 Z28 (and my 94 Z28), I haven't noticed anything yet.

-WW


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## MY05GTO (Feb 16, 2005)

wwroller said:


> I do have a concern about the parking brake. I thought it was broken when, at any speed (even just a couple MPH) if I pull the lever (even very gently), the brake makes a major clunk that sounds and feels like it's going to destroy the whole system.
> Are all of you experiencing this too?


My 05 is doing the same thing. Less than 200 miles on the car so far. I've driven many a manual trans car with a hand brake and never heard any make this noise. I'm not convinced it's normal.


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## wwroller (Sep 18, 2004)

*Update..*

Well, a holden technician on another board seems to have helped clear this up. Check out this thread:

http://www.newagegto.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=2887&st=0&

Maybe it's normal, but I still think it's :shutme


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## westell (Oct 4, 2004)

same thing here. scared the b'jeezus out of me. i was just testing it and only applied a minimum amount of brake and kaboom. i thought something sheared loose, it was that loud.
engineer i'm not, got a couple race cars and when i hear something like that it usually costs me money.

oh, and headlights dimming - yes, just like my 02 SS camaro and '94 Z28


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