Component
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL
179 NHTSA complaints about parking brake:conventional:mechanical issues across 25 makes and 92 models.
The parking brake:conventional:mechanical is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 179 filings from 25 manufacturers and 92 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.
Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 15 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE with 9 filings, followed by JEEP CHEROKEE and CHEVROLET SILVERADO. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.
Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues — the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material — before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.
Most Affected Vehicles
| # | Vehicle | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE | 9 |
| 2 | JEEP CHEROKEE | 8 |
| 3 | CHEVROLET SILVERADO | 8 |
| 4 | DODGE CARAVAN | 7 |
| 5 | FORD EXPLORER | 6 |
| 6 | BUICK LESABRE | 6 |
| 7 | JEEP WRANGLER | 5 |
| 8 | HONDA CIVIC | 5 |
| 9 | FORD PROBE | 5 |
| 10 | CHEVROLET TAHOE | 5 |
| 11 | FORD WINDSTAR | 4 |
| 12 | FORD F-150 | 4 |
| 13 | CHEVROLET CAMARO | 4 |
| 14 | SUBARU LEGACY | 3 |
| 15 | FORD MUSTANG | 3 |
| 16 | DODGE DAKOTA | 3 |
| 17 | CHEVROLET SUBURBAN | 3 |
| 18 | WORKHORSE P320032 | 2 |
| 19 | TOYOTA CAMRY | 2 |
| 20 | PONTIAC GRAND PRIX | 2 |
| 21 | PLYMOUTH VOYAGER | 2 |
| 22 | NISSAN D21 | 2 |
| 23 | KIA SEPHIA | 2 |
| 24 | JEEP LAREDO | 2 |
| 25 | FORD RANGER | 2 |
| 26 | FORD F-250 | 2 |
| 27 | FORD EXCURSION | 2 |
| 28 | FORD CONTOUR | 2 |
| 29 | DODGE RAM 2500 | 2 |
| 30 | CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY | 2 |
Recent Complaints
The emergency parking hand brake won't engage until after around an average of 5 attempts. The hand brake button and spring behind it is also loose and pops off. I'm unable to drive with it on, or els
MY VEHICLE SAT PARKED FOR 4 HOURS AND THE EMERGENCY BRAKE COMPLETELY GAVE OUT CAUSING MY CAR TO ROLL DOWN A HILL AND CRASHED ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY.. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE STILL DID NOT WORK AFTER T
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1992 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE PARKING BRAKE, IT COULD NOT BE ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE
MY 1998 FORD WINDSTAR HAS BROKEN BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT COIL SPRINGS. I'VE HAD TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION, MY ABS AND REGULAR BRAKE LIGHT WON'T GO AWAY EVEN AFTER SERVICING. MY OVERDRIVE LIGHT KEEPS COM
PARKING BRAKE NO LONGER LATCHES. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 PONTIAC VIBE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR BRAKES WOULD NOT ADJUST AND THAT THE VEHICLE ONLY STOPPED USING ITS FRONT BRAKES. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO OFFER ANY ASSISTA
OVER THE WINTER MY FORD 2005 MUSTANG V6 HAD AN ISSUE. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WOULD FREEZE UP. YOU WOULD NOT BEAGLE TO MOVE THE CAR, UNTIL THE THING D-ICED. NOW MONTHS LATER, DUE TO THIS ISSUE HAPPENING I
REPLACEMENT OF REAR BRAKES BY DEALER RESULTED IN DISCOVER OF PARKING BRAKE PROBLEM AND REPLACEMENT. THE PARKING BRAKE UNIT IS LOCATED BEHING THE BRAKE ROTOR AND CANNOT BE VISIBLY CHECKED DURING ROUTIN
WENT TO HAVE A VIRGINIA STATE INSPECTION DONE ON THE 2001 CHEVROLET TAHOE AND IT FAILED BECAUSE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE /ARKING BRAKE WAS STICKING, AND THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE SHOES WERE METAL TO METAL.
TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED REGARDING THE 1994 CHRYSLER JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE HANDLE BECAME UNATTACHED. THE BRAKE LIGHT STAYED ON. THE FAILURE OCCURRED IN 1997 O
PARKING BRAKE DID NOT DISENGAGE ON DRIVERS SIDE, REMOVAL OF WHEEL AND DISC SHOWED ACTUATING MECHANISM NOT FULLY RETRACTED, FIXED BY PUSHING ACTUATING LEVER TOWARDS WHEEL TO "REST LEVER". EXTREMELY PO
EMERGENCY BRAKE WILL NOT ENGAGE. LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING IS LOCKED UP INSIDE THE REAR DRUM RESULTING IN BRAKES TO ENGAGE WITH HIGH FORCE WITH JUST LIGHT BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE. *JB
UPON RELEASING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE THE CAR ROLLED DOWN THE HILL AND OVER MY LEGS. *JB
2001 YUKON PARKING BRAKE WAS PRE-MATURELY WORN. MY OWN RUDIMENTARY RESEARCH SHOWS THAT THIS IS BECOMING A PERVASIVE PROBLEM FOR MANY LATE MODEL GM SUV/TRUCK OWNERS. BRAKE SHOE WAS GONE, SCRAPING MET
EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASE MECHANISM FROZEN WITH BRAKE ON. EMERGENCY BRAKE RELEASE IN CABIN RETURNED TO NORMAL POSITION GIVING INDICATION THAT THE BRAKE HAD BEEN RELEASED. END RESULT COMPLETE WIPE OUT OF
WHILE SETTING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, THE PLASTIC BUTTON WHICH HOLDS THE BRAKE IN PLACE DETACHED FROM THE HANDLE, AND NOW THE BRAKE WILL NOT HOLD, AND THE PARKING BRAKE NOW DOES NOT STAY SET. I FEEL THAT
DT: THE CALLER SAYS DUMP TRUCK DOES NOT HAVE A PARK POSITION IN TRANSMISSION. THE ONLY WAY TO KEEP IT FROM ROLLING IS A MECHANICAL HAND BRAKE. THE HAND BRAKE DID NOT HOLD WHEN HE FIRST GOT THE VEHICL
THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT PREVENT VEHICLE FROM ROLLING. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW. DEALER HEARD OUR COMPLAINTS SEVERAL TIMES AND HAS "SERVICED" THE BRAKE. INDEPENDENT SERVI
BRAKE NOISE RUST ON REAR EMEGANCY BRAKE POSIBLE FAILUR OF EMEGANCY BRAKE AND REAR BRAKS?
PARK BRAKE ASSEMBLY SPLIT IN 2, COMPLETE FAILURE OF PARK BRAKE AND UNIT FAILURE. WHOLE UNIT MUST BE REPLACED, HARDLY EVER USED, SO IT SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED
Related Vehicle Components
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Data Sources
Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.
Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.
Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.