I use my parking brake pretty reguarly, so I didn't expect this to happen. Today, while cruising around, I got the bright idea to test my emergency brake -- to see if it worked correctly, in case I ever needed it. I was pretty weak (even for an emergency brake.) The kicker is, once I stopped, the darn parking brake wouldn't come free. I have a 92 Vic, and the brake is the type where you push a lever with your foot both to set and release the brake. The pedal comes back up, but the brake doesn't release. Drove it a quarter mile home, and by time I arrived, I could smell the pads cooking.

How the heck do I free that thing up again?

Thanks!

ummmm.... back up.

I had mine do that on the GM, I had to reach down there and pull the wire that was connected to the pedal by hand because the pedal wasn't putting enough pressure on it, I don't even have pads or anything on my car now since it cost way too much to get it all replaced.

This thread title, partly, is parking brake.

What the heck were you thinking? It IS NOT an emergency brake, just a parking brake. This design is the poorest parking brake design I have ever encountered. And I've been at the wheel for over 34 years and owned a lot of cars.

Wait until you have to replace them. Then the real test of patience begins. PatfromJersey just did this job recently. Search on "parking brake" in the 4.6 forum and you should be able to find it.