Locked parking brake

[Offroader]

Last week, while driving on the highway, I felt a vibration, as if the wheels needed to be balanced or a tire were loose.

I stopped, got out of the car to inspect all the wheel lugs.

I saw smoke and a burning smell coming from the right rear tire.

I called the dealer, and he told me this has happened to many T4R's on rainy days.

It seems the parking brake gets stuck due to corrosion.

The way to unlock it is to engage it, start on reverse, accelerate and then release it.

Has this happened to anyone here?

 

[kimboy]

This happens to me when I bought a 94' mazda mx6. The spring in the caliper had a known defect for 93'-94' models.

I don't know if there's a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) on the 4runner brake calipers. Do you use your E-break/Parking Break often?

I would make sure your rotor and pads are still at acceptable levels. Your rotor may have glowed red, break pads may have lost a lot of material, and the break fluid in the lines may have boiled over, and may need to be bleed. Don't forget to top off the master cylinder too.

If the breaks "freeze" again, make sure you get them released before trying to drive them free.

Unfortunately, I learned the hard way w/ the mazda

 

[gonzo]

happened to me as well. i left a big skid mark in the garage because it was locked up. i had washed it the night before so water probably got trapped somewhere, catalyzing the oxidation process and thus locking up the wheel.

 

[ftbjoe87]

This also happens in really cold weather. My friend put his parking break on up at the mountain last year and we had to get a guy with a miny blow torch to heat up the parking break line to get it moving again.