HELP HANDBRAKE TROUBLE

[Immobilizer]

Please help quickly.

My handbrake has stopped working. It lifts up but wont click into place. I can see the brake icon appearing on the dash but it wont work

I took it into renault today and they say the ratchet on it is broken and quoted 350 quid to fix it. Said something about the little button on the handbrake or something.

The technician said he wiggled something about and got it working whilst i was sat in the waiting area. So didn't see how it was done.

I thought i'd try this as i haven't got the money to fix it and can't manage to get it on.. Please help.

I am desperate as this car is our livelihood.

It is an 03 PLATE.

[Immobilizer]

Just been tinkering with the handbrake.

Now i don't know anything to do with cars but it seems if i pull the handbrake up and then wiggle the little button a few times it will lock into place.

What the heck is going on?

Thanks

[dougieCC]

Im sure its been posted before, and sure there is a fix for it by cutting the leather bit to get to button.

Alan

[davelowe]

I wrote a guide for this issue. Its a sticky in the owners problem forum. You can fix it yourself sub £100.
Dave

[Immobilizer]

Well pissed off.

I haven't the knowledge or brains to fix it myself.

Took it to a backstreet garage today and they will only fit a new renault one which is altogether with labour etc is 325 plus like Renault.

FFS

Absolutely devestated.

[Immobilizer]

RENAULT Have quoted

DESCRIPTION - 82 00 273 008 - H/BRAKE MECHANISM - £239.78

That is just for the part.

Would i be able to source one out at a scrap dealers and get a garage to install it?

Thanks for any help. The MOT is due soon and i need it fixing sharpish.

[Immobilizer]

more advice required.

been looking on ebay and stumbled accross something that sold recently.


https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Megane-II-Handbra ... 286.c0.m14


Now the ratchet is bust on mine and if i was to buy one like this when they next appear on ebay would it be easy for someone to fit?
Don't mind buying one for a ton or so and paying a mechanic an hour or so rate and costing say 150 quid or so altogether.

Miles better than 350 plus VAT from renault.

??

[davelowe]

The assembly looks identical to the one in my replacement guide. I'm assuming that the handbrake won't latch, and the button is all floppy.

If this is the case, you can remove the piece of trim that the levers go through (prise using a flat blade with some tape around it). You will be able to see the mechanism (easier from the passenger side). If you then raise the handbrake whilst pressing the lever against the ratchet cogs, it will safely engage and stay until you press the button to release it (or lift the handbreak further and use your finger to disengage it).

THIS IS NOT INTENDED FOR ROAD CONDITIONS - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK.

As AlexB pointed out in the guide, and I have subsequently suggested, it is possible to fix the existing assembly, but I have yet to write up how this is done. You may find that others have done so. As far as I have found, it basically revolves around ripping the grip part off and sorting out the badly designed plastic handle.

As for the replacement part, get one from a breakers yard or ebay, and fit it yourself. Believe me, if I can do it, anyone can. Cost me £83 in parts, and £0 labout + £6 for a decent torx size 20 screwdriver.

[Immobilizer]

Great advice Dave.

Trouble is i can't find a handbrake anywhere and been on all the parts sites and rang the scrappys but to no avail.

I have until february to find one before the MOT is up.

Thanks

[davelowe]

Someone has posted a link to a place that checks hundreds of scrappies for next to nowt. Have a search, partsgateway??? I'll check myself tomorrow.

[Pieter85]

Good day guys,

I have just joined this club as a result of suddenly having trouble with my handrbrake release button (Megane II Sedan 2.0) at 01:00 AM in the morning! And no, the engine does not keep the car from going down my runway in 1st or Reverse... So I did some research and came across the Megane Owners Club...

BUT, I have solved the problem in a matter of 2 minutes, wiithout it costing me a cent (I am from South Africa, and are not an english speaking person, so please bare with my english if there are mistakes)

I opened the handbrake cover from the console side, and found a nice little space for a small coil spring to place pressure on the small lever that must clip to hold the handbrake up, and by pressing the button again, it releases just like before, except that this time the solution will probably mean that this problem will NEVER happen again for as long as I have my Megane!

Renault also quoted me between if in your case Pounds, between 150 to 450 POUNDS (x about 15 for our South African Rand) depending on my vehicle model!!!

I will take images and post it HERE with all details for you to do this yourself, and this simple, yet better solution than paying for a new handbrake (while yours are still actually fine)... Just give me a few days, I am writing exams this week, but I just want to let you guys know, before spending a lot of money!!!

By the way, I love my car, but I don't trust my Renault delears or service advisors anymore.

[Immobilizer]

Cool. I look forward to it.

[AlexB]

Pieter85,

Well done indeed, but... I am afraid to disappoint you - it will fail again.

The problem solvable by your method is related to the bit of plastic fixing the spring end in the handle. You've added the second spring, thus making the first one redundant. So far, so good.

Unfortunately, there exist three more weak plastic moulds in the handle. They are easy to fix with screws and epoxy resin. I soaked cloth in the epoxy and formed additional points of support for the lower shell of the handle. When you open the handle, you will be surprised to see how badly designed it is. Basically, if the handle has a little play or squeaks, then the problem is approaching.

[Pieter85]

Herewith the images as promised guys! Struggled a bit to include them here, so the link is external, but you will be able to view these I suppose. If you do see the images, click on each and it will open in a new window at a larger scale...

Link to images: http://www.pbeproducts.co.za/megane_ii_handbrake.htm

Thanx for the warning AlexB, will try and see if I can prevent any further troubles...

Next step, if it should fail again, is to entirely eliminate the mechanism, and build an electronic handbrake that will still work with the handle, but with enough friction to hold the handle up, to be pushed down by hand only. I will insert a motor to tighten (or release) the cabling of the handbrake electronically.

I guess I'd have to make sure the speed of this "electronic" handbrake is fast enough to actually work efficiently like a normal handbrake...? Kind of like the Scenic handbrake... Anyone thought of doing this perhaps in their Meganes? If you did, any advice? Probably overkill, but would be nice though...

[Pieter85]

After 70,000 km, almost 2 years later, the handbrake problem is still a thing of the past... If it ever fails, I will surely let you guys know, but for now, I can recommend the solution for other owners experiencing the same problem I had.