Nightsmith Posted May 6, 2017 Share Posted May 6, 2017 (edited) Hi all. Newbie here seeking advice. I have a 2008 C5 VTR+ which I am in love with (net in a sexual way, obviously). Took it for our first MOT together this morning, confident of sailing through. Imagine my horror when it failed on the electric handbrake! I was wondering, should the handbrake be tested with the engine on or off? It holds perfectly on hills, and has never given me cause for concern in any situation. The MOT was done at a little independent place and he was horrified when he realised it had "that daft French suspension" as he so eloquently put it. Could really do without any handbrake-based nightmares right now. So, any advice gratefully received. Thanks in advance. Rob Edited May 6, 2017 by Nightsmith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randombloke Posted May 6, 2017 Share Posted May 6, 2017 Find another garage. Ideally a Citroen independent. You'll only have further problems when the mechanic who hates the "daft French suspension" doesn't understand how to interpret some slight residue of fluid on on the suspension legs and fails it on that. You need to tell us why the handbrake failed. Was it insufficient braking force or not working, or out of balance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightsmith Posted May 6, 2017 Author Share Posted May 6, 2017 I think you're spot on - independent Citroen specialist all the way in future!He just kept mumbling about how I should have bought a Ford cos they're easy! Fail sheet says handbrake efficiency below required level, or words to that effect.He was saying that there was very little resistance on the handbrake even when on full. Thing is, I regularly park on really steep hills allowing the handbrake to come on automatically by switching the engine off, and I've never had an issue! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul.h Posted May 6, 2017 Share Posted May 6, 2017 Welcome to the forum. I always use Citroen dealers for MOTs and never had a problem. When something has failed it has been something definitely wrong. Only time when I was not sure was at an Evans Hallshaw Citroen dealer and they failed a C3 on every orange indicator bulb as needing replacement and later I noticed a locating lug on the fuse box lid had been cut off and a clip on the air filter was missing - we only used them this once but never went there again and it put us off this company. The handbrake test is on a rolling road so will be more stringent than putting it on once the car has stopped moving. So it may well be below the required efficiency. It might need the brake pads/discs cleaning up or even replacing but it did not fail on the rear brakes. Possibly the electric brake mechanism or the calipers need some work which unfortunately also involves a diagnostic to calibrate it and hence needs to involve a Citroen dealer or specialist with the correct equipment which I guess your MOT garage will not have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightsmith Posted May 7, 2017 Author Share Posted May 7, 2017 Thanks for the replies folks. Some very good points for consideration. The main thing that interests me is whether the handbrake should be tested with or without engine running.Yesterday I read on a forum (might have been this one) about a guy who had a similar issue with his C4. He finished up taking it to Citroen and paying £70 for them to take a look. Afterwards they told him the test needed to be done engine off. So I'm hoping to save some time, aggro and expense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Routemaster1 Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 We were coming back from our holiday in our C4 Picasso, travelling west towards a beautiful sunset. I suggested my wife take a photo, and to get the camera out of the locker in front of the gear lever. Insead of opening the locker, she pulled on the electric parking brake lever. The car did slow dramatically, feeling like it does when ABS kicks in, but it certainly did not lock the rear wheels. Makes me wonder whether you are correct and the brake does not pull on fully with the engine running, or indeed that the ABS will not allow it to lock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul.h Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 I would not think the abs has anything to do with the handbrake since abs works with a pump and valves that control the brake fluid to the calipers. The handbrake works by cables pulling on levers on the calipers. There is nothing in the MOT testers manual about needing the engine running or not when testing electronic handbrakes. It must be able to work with the engine running though, otherwise you would not be able to hold the car on a hill when stopped such as at traffic lights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastline taxis Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 just a stupid question but he does know the handbrake is on the front wheels as they wouldn't be the 1st to make that mistake. what were the reading Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightsmith Posted May 7, 2017 Author Share Posted May 7, 2017 I don't know what the readings were to be honest - never actually thought to ask. I would hope he realised it was the fronts he needed to be looking at, but you never know. I have just gone out and parked on level ground, put the handbrake on and eased the clutch pedal up gradually and the car did not budge. Maybe the MOT fail was due to an intermittent issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul.h Posted May 7, 2017 Share Posted May 7, 2017 If it is the 2008 on C5 the handbrake is on the rear wheels but if it is the 2001 to 2008 C5 the handbrake is on the front wheels. Also, as well as the model year, which engine does your car have since on the 2008 on C5 (X7 model), the electric handbrake is only on the exclusive models but may also be on the 2.2 hdi ones which also have the hydractive suspension. I would not do the clutch/handbrake test too often since it may shorten the clutch / dmf life. This test though would not be any different to having a brick / kerb against the wheels instead of the handbrake on and is not really a good test. Using a brick might stop the car running down a hill which you have said your handbrake also does, but you could not rely on a brick stopping the car if moving as a handbrake should do in the rolling road test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDonati Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 Do you know about this: Maximum application If necessary, you can utilise maximum application of the parking brake. It is obtained by means of a long pull on control A, until you see the message “Maximum parking brake application†and a beep is heard. Maximum application is indispensable: In the case of a vehicle towing a caravan or a trailer, if the automatic functions are activated but you are applying the parking brake manually. When the gradient you are parked on is variable in its effect (e.g. on a ferry, in a lorry, during towing). Note: In the case of towing, a loaded vehicle or parking on a gradient, turn the front wheels towards the pavement and engage a gear when you park. After maximum application, the release time will be longer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul.h Posted June 5, 2017 Share Posted June 5, 2017 That is an extract from the handbook and reads as if you can manually pull the handbrake on harder that it does electrically (exclusive models only have the electric handbrake). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDonati Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 And it is true ðŸ‘. The Electric handbrake has two settings.Normal and maximum, maybe the person testing it only tested normal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDonati Posted June 6, 2017 Share Posted June 6, 2017 Mine is not an exclusive, and it has electric handbrake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul.h Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 What model/year/engine is your C5 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDonati Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 2010 2.0 HDI 163 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul.h Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 Is your car the vtr+ model ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDonati Posted June 7, 2017 Share Posted June 7, 2017 I live in Denmark, and here we do not have vtr. Mine is a Comfort, In Denmark we have:Attraction, Dynamique, Comfort, Seduction and Exclusive.In order of price Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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