1996 Corvette emergency brake

[Jim T.]

My original owner 1996 Corvette's emergency brake will not work. What ever the name of part of the emergency brake is that when the emergency brake is applied sets the emergency brake to hold the rear wheels does not catch and hold the applied pressure.
Does any other later model C4 owners have a problem with their emergency brake not working? My 1985 Corvette's emergency brake works great.

[Bill H.]

Re: 1996 Corvette emergency brake

Jim, the "ratchet & lock" is in the bottom of the handle. When you pull up on the handle without the button pushed in, can you hear it click? And if you pull up the handle and hold it there, is the parking brake working? It sounds like the release might be stuck open (if it is you shouldn't hear the clicks). Does the push button return when you let off of it?
You can access the bottom of the lever by removing the bottom seat cushion and removing the cover.
There's also an automatic adjustment feature there that can be reset (procedure's in the FSM) and the freeplay can be adjusted.
Assuming that your rear pads are in good shape.

[Joe L.]

Re: 1996 Corvette emergency brake

My original owner 1996 Corvette's emergency brake will not work. What ever the name of part of the emergency brake is that when the emergency brake is applied sets the emergency brake to hold the rear wheels does not catch and hold the applied pressure.
Does any other later model C4 owners have a problem with their emergency brake not working? My 1985 Corvette's emergency brake works great.

Jim------


It's just as Bill says. The mechanism is in the lever assembly. These assemblies were never designed to be serviced other than as a unit. No component parts for them were ever available from GM. Hopefully, yours will be easily fixed. The lever assembly is GM-discontinued and hard-to-find.

By the way, the 84-87 and 88-96 parking brake systems were completely different. 1984-87 used small brake shoes for the parking brake (similar in concept to the 65-82 design). 1988-96 use dual acting rear calipers (i.e. mechanical for parking brake and hydraulic for service brake). The 84-87 and 88-96 lever assemblies are different.

[Jim T.]

Re: 1996 Corvette emergency brake

Bill when I apply the parking brake on the 96 I pull up the handle without pushing in the release button. I do not hear any clicking. My 96 has 45,800 miles on it now, all mostly interstate highway miles, since it is not a daily driver, the brakes should be in great shape. The brakes are applied when I pull up the emergency brake handle, I also apply the power brakes when pulling up the handle and remove my foot from the power brake pedal to verify the emergency brake is working when the handle is raised. It retracts with no braking applied. The push button returns when depressed and released.
I do have the 96's service manual to read.
I know how to access the mechanical assembly. I will check out its function visually. Thanks for the replys Bill and Joe.

[Bill H.]

Re: 1996 Corvette emergency brake

Yea, I always step on the brakes to set or release the parking brake.
There should be a rod going from the button to a latch pawl of some type. It's either stuck or broken.

[Pat F.]

Re: 1996 Corvette emergency brake

Jim, a emergency parking brake set up for sale on the Corvette Forum under the C4 section for sale items.