Handbrake / warranty question

Renault Twizy
#1

Hi all,

Looking for some collective knowledge. My car is going in for service in a few weeks, will be 5 years old so first I have to pay for and out of the 4 year warranty period.

Now last year, they replaced the handbrake which had failed under warranty, but this week it has failed again - it is ‘flappy’ and doesn’t stay in the down position when driving so I am having to push it with my hand to stop it coming up and obviously causing wear on brakes.

I asked Renault if that part is covered by a 12 month warranty from replacement, and they said no parts run concurrently with the car, which doesn’t sound/feel right else the very next day it could have gone and I would have to pay for it.

Any experience or suggestions on this? Next avenue is to check my consumer rights on this as well, but thought I would ask here first.

#2

Do you know what they replaced last time? None of the handbrake is particularly complex and you may find a simple fix to refit a spring.

1 Like
#3

Thanks - they just said the whole thing but that could be wrong, will see what they say at the time of the service

#4

Strange… I got the same problem and I just got to adjust the cable. Under the floor panel.

1 Like
#5

Just booked to go back in again as the problem has come back again

#6

As the Handbrake cable stretches over time, it causes the In car hand brake lever to ‘bounce’ or be loose.
There are two simple fixes to this.

  1. open up the floor plate (under drivers feet) and adjust the cable to remove the slack
  2. Adjust the rear brake pistons so that the cable is tight to stat with.

I assume that there is a lot of travel on the Handbrake when applying.

Cable stretch occurs on all wired cables (ie. on a cycle brakes, gears) but more so when it is subject to greater stress. As the Twizy brakes, stick then to apply the handbrake enough to be confident that it will hold users have to over come the stuck piston and this stretches the cable.

I don’t use the handbrake when parked in my garage. My drive has a slope so I do use it there.

1 Like
#7

So it has finally made it back into the garage.

Renault are saying that the rear calipers have seized and various parts including those, pads, cables need replacing, including labour this is £892 !!

I remember someone else getting a similar bill. They are saying that it is unrelated to changing the handbrake lever last year, even though it went back in almost straight away with this issue and then again, but I am not sure that there is any way I can prove it is connected as different parts.

Any suggestions before I have to work out whether I pay for this or scrap the car? Not even sure its value currently so might not be economically worthwhile :frowning:

#8

Paul

The handbrake calipers seized while it was with Renault as they park it outside with the handbrake on and never operated it. The Calipers do stick but WD40 and alot of manual working the lever on each wheel will free them.

Mine stuck, do stick ,if I don’t spray them every few weeks and especially if they get wet (often in the UK) and it is parked for a few days.

So I have had the floppy handbrake lever but fixed by freeing the Caliper arm(s).

£1 from pound shop for WD40 that lives in Glove box. Not £800+

1 Like
#9

Renault have apparently soaked them in WD40 today and moved the handbrake mechanism but the calipers will not release.

I am going to take the car back, as it will drive but obviously with that as a limiting factor. I will post some pics and get your thoughts @osbrook and see if you feel there is an opportunity for me to do something which I / they have missed