Handbrake or parking brake stuck or not working: causes and solutions

The handbrake will not release after a frosty night, the car rolls away on a slope, or the warning light of the electric parking brake stays on. Those are three complaints with very different causes. Below you can read what may be going on, what you can do yourself and when it is better not to drive. Written for drivers in Rotterdam, with the Dutch rules explained along the way.

By the team at Autobedrijf Willemsbrug, RDW-approved APK (MOT) test station since 1979 · Updated 8 November 2026

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The short answer

A handbrake that is stuck is usually caused by frost, by a cable that has rusted inside its outer sleeve or by brake shoes that have stuck to the drum after the car has been standing. In frost, the ANWB (the Dutch motoring organisation) advises letting the engine run until the car is warm and not forcing anything. A handbrake that no longer holds often has a stretched cable or worn brake shoes. An electric parking brake with a fault keeps a warning light on and has to be read out with a diagnostic tool. Do not keep driving if a wheel gets hot or you smell burning.

Brake service at Autobedrijf Willemsbrug: brake pads, discs, fluid, calipers, hoses and the handbrake or electric parking brake, for all makes, including hybrid and electric cars, vans and motorhomes up to 3,500 kg. We first measure what is worn, replace only that and show you the old parts. We tell you the price in advance based on your registration number, and we only do extra work with your approval. Call +31 10 479 00 00 or drop by. You bring the car and we call you when it is ready. A loan bike is free while one is available. Saturdays too. Our team speaks English. More about our brake service

How does a handbrake or parking brake work?

The parking brake is a separate brake that keeps the car still when it is parked. It works independently of the brake pedal and, on almost all passenger cars, acts on the rear wheels. There are three designs, and which one you have determines where a problem can sit.

  • Handbrake with a cable and a drum brake: the lever pulls a cable that pushes two brake shoes against the inside of a brake drum. Those shoes sometimes sit in a small drum inside the brake disc (the so-called drum-in-disc), sometimes in a full drum brake.
  • Handbrake with a cable on the brake caliper: the cable moves a lever on the rear brake caliper, which presses the brake pads against the disc. The same pads you use while driving then also hold the car when parked.
  • Electric parking brake (EPB): you operate a switch instead of a lever. An electric motor on each rear caliper, or a central cable puller, applies the brake. This system is fitted to many new cars, including electric cars.

Handbrake frozen: what do you do?

If the handbrake is stuck after a frosty night, start the engine and let the car warm up. That is the advice of the ANWB. Water in the cable, or between the brake shoes and the drum, has frozen. Once the heat from the engine and the exhaust reaches the underside of the car, the ice thaws and the brake releases. That takes patience. Do not pull hard on the lever and do not try to drive the car free with a lot of throttle. That can snap the cable or tear the lining of the brake shoe from its backing.

  • The lever releases, but the car stays stuck: then the ice is at the brake shoes or in the cable. Let the engine run and wait.
  • The brake releases after warming up: drive off gently and brake a few times. If you notice grinding or the car pulls to one side when braking, do not drive on and call us.
  • The brake does not release: call a breakdown service or have the car brought to us. Driving with a locked rear wheel damages the brake and the tyre.

Prevention is easy. If frost is forecast, do not use the handbrake. Leave a car with a manual gearbox in first gear or in reverse, and an automatic in P. If you are parked on a slope, turn the wheels towards the kerb. According to the ANWB, an electric parking brake normally gives no frost problems in winter. A version with a central cable puller does have a cable, so there the same advice applies. You can read more winter tips in our winter car checklist.

Do not drive with a handbrake that is still partly on. The shoes or pads then drag against the drum or disc the whole time. The wheel gets hot, you smell burning and the brake can overheat to the point where the disc, drum or wheel bearing is damaged. If you feel resistance or smell something, stop and let the car cool down.

Handbrake stuck without frost: what is the cause?

If the handbrake is stuck while it is not freezing, the cause is usually rust. The handbrake cable runs through an outer sleeve under the car. If water gets in, the inner cable rusts and no longer slides back smoothly. The lever goes down, but the brake stays applied. With a drum brake, the shoes can stick to the drum after a wet spell or a long period of standing, because of rust on the braking surface. And with a handbrake on the caliper, the lever on the caliper can seize through dirt and rust. This is what we see most often in the workshop:

What you notice Likely cause What we do
Lever releases, but one rear wheel turns stiffly or gets hot Cable seized in its outer sleeve, or the lever on the caliper is stuck Assess the cable or caliper, free it if we can, otherwise replace it
After a long time standing, the car comes free with a loud bang or not at all Brake shoes rusted to the drum Remove the drum, assess shoes and drum, clean or replace
Handbrake is stiff to pull up and comes back slowly Cable running stiff, weakened springs or dirt in the mechanism Check the cable and the adjuster, adjust or replace
Car pulls to one side when braking, or one rear wheel stays warm One side stays partly applied Measure both sides on the brake tester and fix the cause

Overview from workshop practice. What the cause is on your car only becomes clear after a check on the lift.

Can you still drive? If the wheel stays cool and turns freely once the lever is released, you can drive to the garage at a gentle pace. If a wheel gets hot, you smell burning or the car pulls to one side, do not drive any further. Not sure? Call us on +31 10 479 00 00 and we will schedule a short brake check. If nothing needs doing, we tell you that too.

Handbrake not working or not holding the car: what is wrong?

If the handbrake no longer holds the car on a slope, or you have to pull the lever higher and higher, the cable has stretched, the lining is worn or the adjustment has drifted. A handbrake cable stretches a little over the years. On top of that, the brake shoes or pads wear, so the lever needs more and more travel. Many cars have an automatic adjuster that takes up that wear, but if it seizes, the free play grows.

  • Lever comes up high, car still rolls: stretched cable or adjustment drifted. Adjusting only helps if the shoes or pads are still thick enough.
  • Handbrake holds on one side but not the other: one of the two cables is seized or broken, or the lining on one side is worn or contaminated.
  • Handbrake does not hold at all: broken cable, worn lining, or oil or grease on the braking surface, for example from a leaking wheel cylinder or a leaking axle seal.

A handbrake that does not hold is no reason to leave the car at home, but it is a reason to come by soon. Until then, park in gear or in P with the wheels turned towards the kerb. At the APK (MOT), the compulsory periodic vehicle inspection in the Netherlands, a parking brake that does not meet the requirement is a fail. According to the RDW APK manual (the RDW is the Dutch vehicle authority), a handbrake cable with a damaged or broken inner cable is also a fail, even if only one strand is broken.

Electric parking brake: fault, warning light and service mode

With an electric parking brake, you usually notice a problem through a warning light or a message on the dashboard. The owner’s manual of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 describes how it should behave: the EPB light comes on when you switch on the ignition and goes out after about three seconds if the system is working properly. If it stays on, comes on while driving, or does not come on when you operate the switch, there may be a fault. In that case Hyundai advises pressing and pulling the switch a few times. If the warning does not go out, have the car checked. That approach applies broadly to many makes, but read the manual of your own car. What the other lights on your dashboard mean is explained in our guide to dashboard warning lights.

  • Weak or flat 12-volt battery: the parking brake needs power to release. A car that will not start and a parking brake that will not release often have the same cause. That is why we test the battery first when there is an EPB fault.
  • Motor on the brake caliper: the small electric motor, or the spindle inside it, can seize through moisture and rust. You often hear no click on one side, or a different sound from the other side.
  • Control module or software: a fault code in the module points the way. Sometimes a reset or a software update helps, sometimes the module itself is faulty.

We read out those fault codes with our diagnostic tool. The same tool is also needed when the rear brake pads are replaced. With an electric parking brake, the motor sits on the caliper, and according to Delphi it first has to be wound back with a diagnostic tool before the pads can come out, the so-called service mode. For most brands we put the parking brake into service mode with our own tool and then back into normal mode, so the brake resets itself. You can read more about replacing pads and discs on our page about brake replacement in Rotterdam.

Do not drive with the parking brake applied. Hyundai warns that the brakes then overheat and wear faster. If the red brake warning light stays on while the parking brake is released and the engine is running, there may be a fault in the brake system according to Hyundai. Stop as soon as possible in a safe place.

What does the APK require of the parking brake?

At the APK, the parking brake has to work on at least two wheels and reach a minimum deceleration. That requirement is in article 5.2.39 of the Dutch vehicle regulations (Regeling voertuigen), as set out in the RDW APK manual. The inspector measures the parking brake on the brake tester, in the same way as the service brake, the brake on the pedal.

Car first registered Minimum deceleration, parking brake
After 31 December 2017 1.6 m/s², and the brake must also hold in reverse
After 30 June 1967 and before 1 January 2018 1.2 m/s², and the brake must also hold in reverse
Before 1 July 1967 1.0 m/s²

Source: RDW APK manual for passenger cars, parking brake deceleration (article 5.2.39), consulted November 2026.

There is an addition for electric parking brakes. If the inspector cannot determine the deceleration on the tester, the manual says the requirement is met if the parking brake works and locks the wheels while they hang free of the ground. The inspector also looks at the cable: a damaged or broken inner cable is a fail, even with one broken strand. Only a damaged protective coating on the outer cable is not a fail. If your car has failed on the parking brake, read our article about failing the APK on the brakes. If we repair the items that failed, we will also arrange the retest. We will tell you the cost of the repairs and the retest in advance. We check the brakes, including the handbrake, at every service and every APK.

Frequently asked questions

Can I drive if the handbrake is stuck?

No, not while a wheel is locked. A dragging brake gets hot within a short distance, you smell burning and the disc, drum or wheel bearing can be damaged. In frost, let the engine run until the brake releases. If it does not release, have the car brought to us.

How do I free a frozen handbrake?

Start the engine and let the car warm up, that is what the ANWB advises. The heat thaws the ice in the cable or at the brake shoes. Do not pull hard on the lever and do not try to drive the car free with a lot of throttle, because the cable can snap or the lining can come loose. If it still does not release after warming up, call a breakdown service.

Can I use the handbrake when it is freezing?

No, preferably not with a cable-operated handbrake. Leave the car in gear or in P and turn the wheels towards the kerb. According to the ANWB, an electric parking brake normally gives no frost problems, so you can usually use that one.

Why does the electric parking brake warning light stay on?

A light that stays on points to a fault in the parking brake or to a weak 12-volt battery. First try what the manual advises, for a Hyundai for example pressing and pulling the switch a few times. If the light stays on, we read out the fault code with our diagnostic tool and we tell you in advance what the repair will cost.

Can Autobedrijf Willemsbrug replace the rear brake pads on a car with an electric parking brake?

Yes. The motor on the caliper first has to be put into service mode with a diagnostic tool, otherwise the pads cannot come out. For most brands we do that with our own tool. Afterwards we put the parking brake back into normal mode and test it on the brake tester.

Does a weak handbrake fail the APK?

Yes, if the parking brake does not reach the minimum deceleration. For cars first registered after 31 December 2017 that is 1.6 m/s² according to the RDW APK manual, for cars first registered between 1 July 1967 and 1 January 2018 1.2 m/s². The brake has to work on at least two wheels and also hold in reverse. A handbrake cable with a broken strand is also a fail.

What is the difference between a handbrake and a parking brake?

Nothing in what they do. Both terms mean the brake that holds the car when it is parked. Handbrake is the usual word for the version with a lever and a cable. Parking brake is the more general term and is also used for the electric version with a switch, often called EPB.

Handbrake stuck or a parking brake fault?

Call +31 10 479 00 00 with your registration number. We measure what is going on, we tell you the price in advance and we only repair with your approval.

You will find us at Boterdiep 11 in Rotterdam-IJsselmonde, close to Stadion Feijenoord (De Kuip). We work by appointment. For a quick question or check you can walk in without an appointment.

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