Handbrake handbrake self release (inc recall letter)

[iamholam]

Originally Posted by Doubtingthomas

I would say the replacement has a slightly different colour to the plastic moulding - it appears a slightly darker shade of grey.

Got mine back now and I do think that it feels firmer. Have to say that I echo other ***'s comments that it does have a bit more side to side wobble but still is very tight going up so have no real complaints. May phone the dealer about it and get it checked next time it goes in for service (maybe they missed out a shim or something?)

Mine is also darker but I reckon that's because my gear knob is more well used! Maybe they should change the gear knob and the handbrake at the same time so they match!

[alanwalne]

Originally Posted by iamholam

Got mine back now and I do think that it feels firmer. Have to say that I echo other ***'s comments that it does have a bit more side to side wobble but still is very tight going up so have no real complaints. May phone the dealer about it and get it checked next time it goes in for service (maybe they missed out a shim or something?)

Mine is also darker but I reckon that's because my gear knob is more well used! Maybe they should change the gear knob and the handbrake at the same time so they match!

Weird, after the 'upgrade' when my handbrake is in the down position there is significantly less side to side movement than before with the original handbrake.

[Doubtingthomas]

Strange, I cannot comprehend how the same component, once fitted, shows the varying idiosyncracies. 'Slackness" in the vertical plane I put down to simple adjustment, although if fitted properly, should not be there. Lateral movement I cannot account for or is it just down to the quality of the mechanic who fitted the handbrake?

[allan40alt]

Originally Posted by alanwalne

Weird, after the 'upgrade' when my handbrake is in the down position there is significantly less side to side movement than before with the original handbrake.

I agree, it seems as though it was actually made for the car! ...and just 'feels' right. Much more positive.

[gers]

Originally Posted by Doubtingthomas

Strange, I cannot comprehend how the same component, once fitted, shows the varying idiosyncracies. 'Slackness" in the vertical plane I put down to simple adjustment, although if fitted properly, should not be there. Lateral movement I cannot account for or is it just down to the quality of the mechanic who fitted the handbrake?

Well Im with you on this one, if its fitted right its got to be the same on every car, so it has to be down to the actual fitting of it, its like everything else, some people will take a bit more care and time to do something right, and other people have the attitude of "do rightly". Taking mine back to the dealers, today or tomorrow, let you know what happens.

[gers]

Called in with the dealer today, and I now have another new handbrake lever fitted (so he says), Its a lot better now, there is no slack in it from the off position to the first notch, although there is still a little side to side movement, but not nearly as much as before. He told me that this is "normal" for the new handbrake, I also checked a few new civics while I was there, and they all had this side to side movement, some more than others, so all things said Im a lot happier now than I was, and I have to say that Saltmarine Honda were very good about the whole thing.

[Doubtingthomas]

Originally Posted by gers

Called in with the dealer today, and I now have another new handbrake lever fitted (so he says), Its a lot better now, there is no slack in it from the off position to the first notch, although there is still a little side to side movement, but not nearly as much as before. He told me that this is "normal" for the new handbrake, I also checked a few new civics while I was there, and they all had this side to side movement, some more than others, so all things said Im a lot happier now than I was, and I have to say that Saltmarine Honda were very good about the whole thing.

Well done, pleased for you. Whether they did replace the handbrake perhaps we will never know, but at the end of the day, you now appear to be satisfied and a lot happier than before. That must be a good result.

[Jack The Lad.]

Received my letter today asking me to book the car in for the mod'.
The letter states that the recall is being monitored by VOSPA & Dept Of Transport.
So, as I have made up my mind to leave it, until all of you guys are completely happy with it holding the car, will I be all tidy legally and Insurance wise.
I have always left my cars in gear and not had any trouble with the handbrake. ??

[Doubtingthomas]

Originally Posted by Jack The Lad.

Received my letter today asking me to book the car in for the mod'.
The letter states that the recall is being monitored by VOSPA & Dept Of Transport.
So, as I have made up my mind to leave it, until all of you guys are completely happy with it holding the car, will I be all tidy legally and Insurance wise.
I have always left my cars in gear and not had any trouble with the handbrake. ??

I also have always left my car in gear and had no trouble with the 'defective' handbrake, although since receiving the original recall letter in early December 07 I have complied with the advice contained therein. (Do not depress button on applying).

My gut feeling, not being legally qualified, is that to ignore the recall, which is for safety reasons, may well expose you to liability should you unfortunately have the misfortune to experience an incident involving the handbrake, notwithstanding you complied with the advice contained in the original recall letter sent by Recorded Delivery.

I am mindful of the recall letter which many of us received last year. It referred to the instruction manual which inter alia states one should leave the car in gear on hills.

Looking back, although Honda admitted the original handbrake had a defect in certain circumstances, had those owners whose handbrake self released, left the car in gear, their car would not have moved. So I suppose, credit to Honda for acknowledging a design problem, but Honda could have said, "Tough" and referred the relevant owners to the instruction manual.

Whilst the replacement handbrake remains 'unproven' to us owners, I think you have got to go along with it until it is shown to be defective, but also comply with the advice in the owner's manual. In the unlikely event of the replacement handbrake being defective, the problem rests with Honda, not an owner. Trust this helps.

[Jack The Lad.]

Thanks Dt.
Your post as usual, well reasoned.

[iamholam]

Yeah my handbrake has a little sideways movement in the down position but I reckon that it's just me being pernickity about it that anything else.

Happy with the fact that there is still a very tight positive action up and down so I don't think they will be able to do much with the sideways movement anyway. (it's only very slight maybe 5mm)

[CopyCatz]

Originally Posted by Jack The Lad.

Received my letter today asking me to book the car in for the mod'.
The letter states that the recall is being monitored by VOSPA & Dept Of Transport.
So, as I have made up my mind to leave it, until all of you guys are completely happy with it holding the car, will I be all tidy legally and Insurance wise.
I have always left my cars in gear and not had any trouble with the handbrake. ??

I had my handbrake fixed this week, it only takes them 15 minutes so I wouldn't see why anyone would not want to have this fix done.

[pcr]

Well, I had my new industrial strength handbrake fitted today and it certainly seems to have fixed the problem. Has anyone else noticed that the paint does not appear to have a clearcoat finish, it is dull compared to the shiny finnish of the gear knob.

[FWH]

Originally Posted by pcr

Well, I had my new industrial strength handbrake fitted today and it certainly seems to have fixed the problem. Has anyone else noticed that the paint does not appear to have a clearcoat finish, it is dull compared to the shiny finnish of the gear knob.

Saw another post somewhere saying it was a slightly different colour.

[Doubtingthomas]

Originally Posted by pcr

Well, I had my new industrial strength handbrake fitted today and it certainly seems to have fixed the problem. Has anyone else noticed that the paint does not appear to have a clearcoat finish, it is dull compared to the shiny finnish of the gear knob.

Thank you pcr. It was I that thought the new handbrake appeared a slightly different colour. I've just had another peek I still think the new handbrake (on my Civic) is a slightly darker shade of metallic grey but only marginal. There does not appear to be much difference in 'shiny finish', compared to my i-shift gear knob, with perhaps the handbrake being the duller, but again only marginal.
At the end of the day let's hope the replacement does not give us any problem and the colour does tone in with the rest of the trim.

[NH Dan]

Originally Posted by Doubtingthomas

Thank you pcr. It was I that thought the new handbrake appeared a slightly different colour. I've just had another peek I still think the new handbrake (on my Civic) is a slightly darker shade of metallic grey but only marginal. There does not appear to be much difference in 'shiny finish', compared to my i-shift gear knob, with perhaps the handbrake being the duller, but again only marginal.
At the end of the day let's hope the replacement does not give us any problem and the colour does tone in with the rest of the trim.

***???

[alanwalne]

This comment is tongue in cheek.

On a recent trip to France, while loading on the ferry, I was placed on the steep up ramp next to a Vectra. The loader obviously does not watch Watchdog!!!

[Doubtingthomas]

Originally Posted by alanwalne

This comment is tongue in cheek.

On a recent trip to France, while loading on the ferry, I was placed on the steep up ramp next to a Vectra. The loader obviously does not watch Watchdog!!!

Yes, I know the feeling......lol

[Misstings]

My car went in for the recall today. The fix was not carried out as the dealer stated that they needed to order the correct colour - as the one they had was slightly darker. They completed fixes to the fuel filler cap (original one was always ok) and something to the windscreen (not quite sure what that was).

They will give me a call when the part comes in - could there be two colours available?

[Doubtingthomas]

Originally Posted by Misstings

My car went in for the recall today. The fix was not carried out as the dealer stated that they needed to order the correct colour - as the one they had was slightly darker. They completed fixes to the fuel filler cap (original one was always ok) and something to the windscreen (not quite sure what that was).

They will give me a call when the part comes in - could there be two colours available?

Interesting. Thank you. I always thought my replacement was a shade darker, slightly. However it does blend in with the rest of the trim and I have no issue with it.