Component

PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL

179 NHTSA complaints about parking brake:conventional:mechanical issues across 25 makes and 92 models.

Data updated August 2026. Counts render from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation standardized component field; severity flags cross-reference NHTSA ODI complaint flags for owner-reported crash, fire, and injury markers. This page is for informational purposes and does not replace NHTSA recall notices or a vehicle-specific inspection. Methodology · Corrections.

NHTSA ODI component intake brief

ODI category PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL

179 filings · 92 models · 25 makes · vintage August 2026

  • FILINGS SPARSE 179 ODI rows
  • MODELS 92 nameplates citing this part
  • MAKES 25 manufacturers in corpus
  • CRASH 8.4% 15 crash-flagged
  • RANK #263 of 696 categories
  • SEV QUIET 0 deaths · 4 injuries
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL (this)PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:M…179POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLYPOWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISS…177TIRES:BEAD184SEAT BELTS:INTEGRATED CHILD SEATSEAT BELTS:INTEGRATED CHILD …164
ODI filing volume neighbourhood: PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL vs nearest complaint-total peers

PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL sits SPARSE on ODI intake volume (#263 of 696 standardized categories) with a QUIET severity stamp (0 reported fatalities across 92 models). Open Jeep Grand Cherokee (category leader) →

PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL:MECHANICAL severity reading

The standout signal for parking brake:conventional:mechanical is severity: 0 reported fatalities and 4 injuries (QUIET stamp) on 179 filings (SPARSE volume).

Sparse categories can swing on a single high-volume nameplate; treat the leader row as the actionable signal, not the category headline alone.

Next step: compare Jeep Grand Cherokee against POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION:FLOOR SHIFT ASSEMBLY on filing totals before treating parking brake:conventional:mechanical volume as a purchase signal.

179
Complaints
92
Models Affected
15
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Deaths

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

2015 Volkswagen GTI

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

2012 Dodge Dart Crash

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

1992 Ford F-150

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

1998 Ford Windstar

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

2000 Chevrolet S10

PARKING BRAKE NO LONGER LATCHES. *TR

2003 Pontiac Vibe

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

2005 Ford Mustang

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

2003 Lincoln Aviator

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

2001 Chevrolet Tahoe

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.

1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee

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

2001 Chevrolet Suburban

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

2003 Dodge Caravan

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

2006 Ford Explorer Crash

UPON RELEASING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE THE CAR ROLLED DOWN THE HILL AND OVER MY LEGS. *JB

2001 GMC Yukon XL

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

2002 Mercury Marquis

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

2001 Toyota Camry

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

2005 GMC T6500

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

2001 Chevrolet Tahoe

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

2002 GMC Sonoma

BRAKE NOISE RUST ON REAR EMEGANCY BRAKE POSIBLE FAILUR OF EMEGANCY BRAKE AND REAR BRAKS?

2000 Ford Excursion

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

Verify with NHTSA · consumer-reported counts are not verified defect findings.