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Parking Brake again

T

Tenic

New member
2018 RTL. Got ready to ride a few days ago and parking brake would not release. Over the next several days, I tried all different combinations and sequences and nothing worked. I could hear a relay or something when I pressed the switch, and it would silence the alarm. I called the dealer this morning and they said to bring it on over. I relieved the tension on the parking brake cable at the rear wheel by loosening the nuts, and put it on my trailer. I tightened the nuts so the brake would hold and it started working. I rode for a couple of hours and it's worked just fine ever since. I cancelled the appointment put a 12mm wrench in my trunk and I'll see what the future holds. I'll report back here with any changes.

Rick
 
Just putting this here my 2016 did that several times, eventually it got bad enough I had to take it in and have the switch replaced.
 
I've had the PB motor replaced once and hope it doesn't fail again. I also carry a 12mm wrench and collapsable wheel chocks just in case.
 
Tenic, it's so new get it to the dealer and get it replaced under warranty. There are enough problems with it on the 2018s for the dealership to know or to be able to confirm with BRP.
 
That happened to a friend of mine on a ride. We disconnected it to get him back home but once disconnected, he said it would release. The dealer said it just needed adjustment. It sounds to me like adjustment issues are the leading cause of the problems with the PB, but it also could be something else. Either way I would still have the dealer look at it to fine tune the adjustment.
 
Update: it's been a couple of weeks and I've ridden a few hundred miles without any problems. I've applied and released the brake probably 20-30 times. I'll be ready for my 3000 mile service in a few weeks and I'll have the dealer look at it then. It has no codes stored. When it gave problems it had codes, but they have cleared themselves. I'm wondering if it is an adjustment issue. I'll update if anything changes.
 
Hi Tenic,
Had the exact same thing happen during MB bike week in May with only 300 miles on her. I called the dealer, who couldn't come rescue me, so I got down and dirty under the spyder.(Man that pavement was hot!) Loosened the brake cable and it released the brake. Put the cable back on with not as much tension and have not had any problems since. Wrench is stored just in case, and I also believe that it was a tension problem, more than a switch cluster failure. My spyder is going in for it's 3000 mile service soon and I will have a conversation with the mechanics re: this.
Glide-on>>>>>>>>
 
AY4B said:
That happened to a friend of mine on a ride. We disconnected it to get him back home but once disconnected, he said it would release. The dealer said it just needed adjustment. It sounds to me like adjustment issues are the leading cause of the problems with the PB, but it also could be something else. Either way I would still have the dealer look at it to fine tune the adjustment.
Click to expand...

Interesting you should mention adjustment issues. This is my experience...my parking brake motor was replaced due to releasing slightly after applying the brake and the bike would roll slowly down the driveway I guess a common problem in 14's and 15's. After replacement, I ran into a couple of episodes of the parking brake not releasing. Had it at the dealer and they said after they hooked up and adjusted the cable, it ran flawlessly. They replaced the switch as the only other thing that could cause the intermittent problem.

However, after following the stuck parking brake posts, I noticed that a number of members were running into the same issue I had at the dealer...the dealer could not replicate the problem once the cable was hooked back up. I followed the BRP manual for adjusting the parking brake cable after replacing my rear brake pads. It appeared to me that using the BRP recommendation for parking brake cable adjustment, that it was way too tight. I think what was happening was that the cable was so tight after applying the brake, that the motor somehow got stuck and would not release. I adjusted the cable, some time ago, so that at full release, the slack was just out of the cable and it was not tightened as BRP suggests. Since my adjustment, I have not had the parking brake lock up and the parking brake has held my bike even on my very steep driveway.

Now, I could be way off base, but just some things I observed in the posts and my experience that have caused me to adjust my parking brake the way I have.
 
Food for thought. If it's the motor or the switch, why is it that we never hear of one that won't apply the brake? It's always that the brake won't release. You'd think one would fail to apply occasionally.
 
Tenic said:
Food for thought. If it's the motor or the switch, why is it that we never hear of one that won't apply the brake? It's always that the brake won't release. You'd think one would fail to apply occasionally.
Click to expand...
That is what happened with the 2014 RTs so the problem back then probably isn't the problem now with the 2018s.
 
Just had my 14 RT LTD up on the lift to check everything out. It seems when I changed the pads I guess I didn't locate the cable properly or it came out. The two adjusting nuts were not located in the slot where they should be and the cable had tension on it because it was running at a slight angle. The rear wheel seemed to not be as free as I thought it should be. I thought my gas mileage had been a little low also. I took the spring off and rerouted the cable the right way and left a little slack in the cable when I tightened it back up. I thought it rear wheel still was a little tighter than both fronts, is that normal? It was dark and getting late so I will look at it again in the AM. I know the brake needs to be working on the semi-auto so it will not roll on you when it is not running so I got to get it right. What is the correct way to adjust the parking brake? I found this on youtube. Thanks, Mike
 
Sooo much talk about parking brake. Mine did that 3 or 4 times and everytime, released after a few minutes. I keep the 12mm wrench handy just in case. I also carry a small wedge made of 2x4 in case I don't want the risk of being locked out and not use the PB. Having said that, can someone tell me where exactly the PB motor is located and a picture would be even better. Thanks guys....
 
IMG_0147[1].jpgIMG_0148[1].jpg

The parking brake motor is mounted to the upper right side frame tube on the Spyders. The three possible culprits are the electric motor that drives the cable cam wheel, the switch, and on the RT's the WPM or Windshield/Parking control Module. I think that the switch module on the left handle on the 18 and newers may be most likely, but on the wifes 16 F3 we had the motor replaced at about 36,000 miles.

All I got.
 
Bigmo said:
Sooo much talk about parking brake. Mine did that 3 or 4 times and everytime, released after a few minutes. I keep the 12mm wrench handy just in case. I also carry a small wedge made of 2x4 in case I don't want the risk of being locked out and not use the PB. Having said that, can someone tell me where exactly the PB motor is located and a picture would be even better. Thanks guys....
Click to expand...

Mine turned out to be the left handlebar switch pack. Replaced, and I haven't had a problem since. (Fingers crossed). There is a service bulletin I'm told. (Didn't see it).
 
wmh9680 said:
Has anyone just converted it to a manual system, these thinks are great when they work
Click to expand...
That might not be possible or practical. The parking brake system is controlled via the CAN bus. So whatever is causing the problem would likely continue to exist even if you activated the parking brake motor with a separate power feed, or activated it manually.

I was just looking at the 2018 Operator's Guide. It says the parking brake system won't function if the voltage is below 11 volts. Has anyone who has experienced a PB failure checked your voltage to see if perchance that is the cause?
 
Update to my previous post. Well it did it again a few days back. Got underneath, manually released the brake, hooked it back up and called my dealer(100 miles away) to let him know I was coming in. They couldn't find anything wrong, however found the fault codes in her memory and said they would order a new left switch cluster under warranty. When I asked if their was a service bulletin from BRP addressing this (what appears to be) common problem with the 18 RTL's, they said no. Only driven her a couple hundred miles since replacement. so far, so good(fingers crossed). So, apparently it is not a tension problem with the cable, but actually an electrical switch failure. My advice is if it happens to you once, it's only a matter of time before it fails again..... get it replaced asap while still under warranty.
 
How much did you pay for that trike?!?! Obviously a lot more than the standard of quality and reliability is worth. :gaah:
 
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