Anyone see Watchdog tonight

[smeg9]

I think there was also comment on the Watchdog programme that you could fail your test by not pressing the button. I am not sure how true this is

My Driving instructor used to go on about pressing the button alot too, I guess one reason, which he gave was the wearing out of the rachet, especially in a driving instructors car, where the handbrake is applied more regularly than a normal car, I guess this is logical. Also, from their point of view, it must get on their nerves all day every day, crrrunch, crrrunch...

I was told to try and give a smooth ride, not to agitate the instructor, or make them feel uncomfortable - I guess this plays a role too?

[Opelguy]

Originally Posted by Bog

As the guy on watchdog said, it should not matter what way you apply the parking brake, it should stay on! Manufactures have had enough years to get it right, but it's probably more to to do with cheaper components and cost saving.

Of course it should stay on, but as you said in the auto industry time is money and you count every nickle. When you design and test a component you first and foremost do it the right way, if it works then dandy. It's not necessarily tested in the wrong way. That's left to the customers (aka guinea pigs) who are experts at breaking things

Finally I found this on the BBC
BBC - Consumer - TV and radio - Vauxhall Corsa

An important update to Vectra and Signum owners
Following a small number of complaints of Vectra and Signum vehicles rolling away due to allegedly ineffective handbrakes, Vauxhall Motors Limited engineers, along with consultant engineers, suppliers and other bodies, have conducted rigorous technical tests on those vehicles.
During its extensive test programme, Vauxhall reviewed a number of handbrake mechanisms and found that when the handbrake is applied by depressing the release button, it is possible to manipulate the handbrake mechanism so as to cause it to release partially.

Vauxhall believes that the handbrake system used in the Vectra and Signum is safe, however, Vauxhall treats all matters relating to the safety of its products as its highest priority. In line with this priority and that of continuous improvement, Vauxhall has decided to implement, as a customer satisfaction programme, a modification to the handbrake mechanism to reduce the possibility of a partial release when incorrectly setting the handbrake.
Owners of c250,000 manual transmission Vectra and Signum models (produced from 2002) will receive a letter from the company requesting that they contact their nearest retailer to arrange for the modification, at no cost to the customer. Vauxhall Motors Limited is launching this customer satisfaction programme in agreement with the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), an executive agency of the Department of Transport.

OT: This vbulletin version is really clever, automatically relabeling links according to their target.

[pcr]

My view on pressing the button.

Pressing the button saves the ratchet.
Not pressing it will wear the ratchet more quickly.

It is the ratchet that is causing the handbrake problem, so in time the problem will get worse, unless these handbrakes are modified.