Handbrake Won't Release: What Helps

Why the brake is stuck

A mechanical handbrake is operated by a cable. If moisture gets into the cable and it freezes, the cable can seize up. On vehicles with rear drum brakes, moisture can collect in the drum. If the car sits for a long time with the handbrake applied, rust can also form there. With an electric parking brake, prolonged standing in severe frost can likewise cause the rear axle to lock.

What you can try

1. Pull away carefully. Sometimes the brake releases after just a few centimetres. Rolling gently forward and back a few times often helps.
2. Warm it with a hairdryer at the rear axle, if you can reach it. A hot-air gun or an open flame are off-limits, though; they can damage rubber parts and paint.
3. Wait it out: ice often melts by itself in a thaw, or after driving into a garage.

Signs the brake is still dragging

• The vehicle only moves with noticeably more throttle
• There's a burning smell or smoke from a rear wheel
• A rear wheel is noticeably hot after a short drive
• The car pulls to one side, or there's a squealing noise

Preventing it in winter

In frost, and when parking for a long time, don't leave the handbrake pulled on hard. On level ground, engage a gear instead, or position P on an automatic. On a slope, also place a wheel chock under one wheel. The same applies to an electric parking brake: in severe frost and long standing times, don't leave it engaged continuously if the situation allows otherwise.

If nothing helps: towing

If the vehicle won't move at all, or a wheel is locked, don't pull it with a rope or bar. A locked wheel drags across the asphalt, destroying the tyre, and the axle can be damaged. Tell us on the phone that a wheel is locked, whether it's the front or rear axle, and whether the vehicle has an automatic selector. We'll then work out how to load it. More rules on towing are in our guides Tow rope or towing service? and Towing an automatic car.

Fault message on the electric parking brake

If the display shows a fault, or the parking brake won't release, it's sometimes down to a weak battery. If you can release the brake after a jump-start, that was the cause. If it persists, a garage needs to look at it. See Jump-starting and a flat battery.