Handbrake broken???

[rosso rocket]

NOTE - This is in my VW Golf Mk4 - Just popped into town earlier this evening and I thought it a bit odd, when I stopped and put the handbrake on, it nearly came off in my hand!

I normally just push the button in and pull up acouple of nothes and release to park the car. This time when I put the handbrake on, it went right up, way past the normal locking point! Whoooah!:zx11:

The car was parked on a slight inclince when I left it so I popped it into a high gear, just in case.

Drove home a couple of mile than parked up. Put the handbrake on and went up as if it wasn't connectoed to anything!

Not sure what to do now........:confused:

Have left the car parked up outside, in gear, on a level road.

Is this a quick fix or a garage job do you think?

The lever somewhat 'waggles' around as if its not connected to anything - has a cable broken somewhere or could it be a linkage or cable clamp thats failed?
Any ideas would be most apprecaited.

[zollaf]

could be a broken cable, i would say that is most likely, or it could be a problem with the caliper itself, like a broken lever, internal break, or even a pad fallen out if its not had a service lately or a caliper is sticking on. you will need to look at the rear brakes and see whats moving when the hb lever is pulled up.

[Crasher]

Sounds like a broken cable but I have never seen one. God I remember the days 20 years ago when I would keep a whole shelf full of just Beetle, Type 2 and Golf 1 handbrake cables (plus a few odd balls like type 3) and I would sell loads of them! Now all I sell is the Mk1 rear disc conversion cables and that's about it, which git invented the reliable handbrake cable? Not fair!

[Guest 2]

Whoever thought an electronic handbrake was a good idea? ;)

[zollaf]

electronic handbrakes are great.

for those that sell bits or repair them.