italostalo

Hey guys i just recently purchased a 2008 Cobalt SS I was parking it in my drive way and I guess i pulled on the Emergency brake too hard and I heard a snap, and now i barely get any tension on the emergency brake handle itself. I currently have the Emergency brake up in my drive way, I tried pushing the car forward and backward and it doesnt budge. You guys have any clue if I may have snapped the cable or even broke something in the handle itself?

Thanks!

EXsoccer1921

iTrader: (14)

pull off the center plastic trim piece of the consol and then take off the plastic "boot" of the ebrake. take a look around

AndrewSS/TC

My e brake doesn't work

KCchiefs24

Yeah i just did this a few weeks ago. I snapped the cable except when mine snapped i had no tension at all. Cable doesn't cost much.

USMCFieldMP

iTrader: (1)

Please, please, please... do NOT rely on your eBrake to hold your car in place when parked. ALWAYS leave the car parked in gear. I have seen WAY too many people have their cars parked using the eBrake alone, only to come back out to it crashed against something because the eBrake failed to hold the car. My own car included. I was lucky enough to have mine covered under warranty because of failed parts... others have not been so lucky.

But as others have said, the device itself is pretty simple, so it shouldn't be that hard to see what broke. Also, don't Hulk Hogan your eBrake next time and you won't have this problem.

tbellazzi

iTrader: (1)

Can't agree more with USMCFieldMP but just pop off the center console chances are if you still have some tension that just one of the cables slipped off. Happened to me awhile back and its >5min fix. At which point you can just adjust the tension to your liking. good luck

also wanted to add if you do a youtube search you can find a quick video tutorial

SlobaltSS/C

I have heard my E-brake "pop" a few times, when I pulled it too hard. Usually it is just the ratcheting mechanism didn't catch where it was suppose to, and dropped a tooth or 2. Doesn't mean you broke anything, but better be safe than sorry.

klloyd

iTrader: (3)

I always use my ebrake to hold the car in place, even with knowing how shitty they are on the cobalt. Leaving it in gear always scares me though. I feel like I will forget it's in gear after I start it and let out the clutch even though I wiggle the **** out of it to make sure it's in neurtal.

USMCFieldMP

iTrader: (1)

It takes some getting used to. But trust me, stalling the car out because you forgot it was in gear is 100x's better than coming out to your car wrecked up against a tree, another car, in a ditch, etc.

LEAVE IT IN GEAR. It even says to in the Owner's Manual, iirc.

klloyd

iTrader: (3)

1st or reverse? I have heard both, I just dont want it to jump/stall and smash my heat exchanger into a curb. I try to park atleast a foot back from them anyway just to be safe.

07LSJ

iTrader: (5)

i hate leaving it in gear. ive tried a couple times and always forget that its in first and pop the dam clutch.
once i went straight through my garage, good thing it was opened though

soundjunky

iTrader: (4)

first gear is best.

USMCFieldMP

iTrader: (1)

First gear is shorter than Reverse... so leave it in first. Either will do though, truthfully.

And its really not that hard to take it out of gear before you start it. The first thing I do when I hop in the car is pull the car out of gear. You just have to train yourself. Set the pattern, and the pattern will continue.