Parking brake won't release

[spydernatic]

After a great trip to Maggie valley and some awesome riding through North Carolina I washed my 2012 RT and put it in the workshop, due to all kind of things happening birthday parties etc etc just have not had the time to ride. Two weekends ago we decided to go for a ride got all geared up and went to get the RT, started up and let it idle for a minute then pushed the parking brake release switch ....nothing I had my foot on the brake pedal and did not feel the parking brake release, I tried again.....nothing, parking brake light still flashing ...tried several times ...nothing parking brake just would not work it would not release. I turned the RT off got off and pushed the RT forward and back it was locked solid. I restarted the RT and tried again it still would not release I put it in 1st gear and applied some gas it was locked up solid would not move I put it into reverse applied some gas no movement solid, I was now getting hot and bothered as my day of riding seems as if it was not going to happen. I decided to let the RT idle to see if maybe some heat would assist in making whatever was not allowing the parking brake to release. After about 5 minutes of idling and after calling my wife and telling her that it looks as if we are not going to go out for the day, I tied again it still would not release I put it in 1st gear and gave it some gas the RT moved ever so slightly I put it into reverse and got it move some more, went back into 1st gear and the RT broke free, I could hear as it moved how the brake pads were still against the rotor and dragging, I then went back into neutral and used the parking brake switch several times on and off all working well.
Went on our ride with no problems since that day I have gone up to the workshop were I keep my RT and have tested the parking brake every day with only the day after our ride having the parking brake not release since then it releases and goes back on every time and I have tested it some times twice a day it now seems to be fine.
Anyone out there had a similar problem or could make a suggestion and why and what needs to be done so that this does not happen to me when I am in the middle of nowhere and can't get help if it does not release at all.
THANKS.

 

[Dan McNally]

After a 150 mile ride on Labor Day, I stopped for gas for my 60+ mile ride home. As soon as I started the engine, I got an engine over heat light and a limp home on the screen. I tried to ride the Spyder away from the gas pump and realized my parking brake would not release. After some messing around, one of the folks I was riding with discovered that putting some pressure on the lever the brake cable connects to on the rear wheel, the brake would release . . . but if I put the brake on with the switch, it remains locked on. I can only get it to release by pressure on the lever at the rear wheel. I don't yet know the cause, but am bringing it in to the dealer for an appointment on 17 Sep, the earliest I could get an appointment.

 

[spydernatic]

After a 150 mile ride on Labor Day, I stopped for gas for my 60+ mile ride home. As soon as I started the engine, I got an engine over heat light and a limp home on the screen. I tried to ride the Spyder away from the gas pump and realized my parking brake would not release. After some messing around, one of the folks I was riding with discovered that putting some pressure on the lever the brake cable connects to on the rear wheel, the brake would release . . . but if I put the brake on with the switch, it remains locked on. I can only get it to release by pressure on the lever at the rear wheel. I don't yet know the cause, but am bringing it in to the dealer for an appointment on 17 Sep, the earliest I could get an appointment.

Thanks for your reply please keep me informed of what they do to your Spyder at the service to correct this parking brake problem, I would really appreciate it as then I can decide if I need to take mine in to be checked.

 

[SpyderAnn01]

If you can not get it to release with the switch you can use a wrench to loosen one of the two nuts. It is easy to do and you don't need to jack it up or remove any tupperware to access it. But you should have your dealer take a look at it, especially if you have a 2013.

 

[Dan McNally]

Thanks for your reply please keep me informed of what they do to your Spyder at the service to correct this parking brake problem, I would really appreciate it as then I can decide if I need to take mine in to be checked.

I'll be sure to share what I discover. Given that the other end of that cable is right up under the Tupperware with the master cylinder has me very suspicious. Someone also posted pictures of a wiring bundle full of wires with the insulation melting, in the same vicinity. This issue cropped up after I'd been riding for over 150 miles, some of which was fairly slow, because there was an inexperienced rider near the front of the group . . . so my Spyder had been holding heat in for hours . . . could be coincidental, but could also indicate something melted!

 

[Spyder_Cowgirl]

Same Problem Here -- PB Would Not Release

After a great trip to Maggie valley and some awesome riding through North Carolina I washed my 2012 RT and put it in the workshop, due to all kind of things happening birthday parties etc etc just have not had the time to ride. Two weekends ago we decided to go for a ride got all geared up and went to get the RT, started up and let it idle for a minute then pushed the parking brake release switch ....nothing I had my foot on the brake pedal and did not feel the parking brake release, I tried again.....nothing, parking brake light still flashing ...tried several times ...nothing parking brake just would not work it would not release. I turned the RT off got off and pushed the RT forward and back it was locked solid. I restarted the RT and tried again it still would not release I put it in 1st gear and applied some gas it was locked up solid would not move I put it into reverse applied some gas no movement solid, I was now getting hot and bothered as my day of riding seems as if it was not going to happen. I decided to let the RT idle to see if maybe some heat would assist in making whatever was not allowing the parking brake to release. After about 5 minutes of idling and after calling my wife and telling her that it looks as if we are not going to go out for the day, I tied again it still would not release I put it in 1st gear and gave it some gas the RT moved ever so slightly I put it into reverse and got it move some more, went back into 1st gear and the RT broke free, I could hear as it moved how the brake pads were still against the rotor and dragging, I then went back into neutral and used the parking brake switch several times on and off all working well.
Went on our ride with no problems since that day I have gone up to the workshop were I keep my RT and have tested the parking brake every day with only the day after our ride having the parking brake not release since then it releases and goes back on every time and I have tested it some times twice a day it now seems to be fine.
Anyone out there had a similar problem or could make a suggestion and why and what needs to be done so that this does not happen to me when I am in the middle of nowhere and can't get help if it does not release at all.
THANKS.

Exactly the same this happened to our 2012 RT Limited. Once it started happening, it was consistent if the spyder sat for more than a couple of days. Suggestion from spyderlovers indicated should check the windshield operation as it the same relay is used for both the PB and the windshield. Windshield worked fine ... so that wasn't the issue. It seemed putting in reverse and trying to move would "force" the thing to release with the switch. One thing I did notice was that the frunk release seemed "weak" as well ... sometimes the switch would work, but most times I would have to use the key (it is the other side of the rocker on the PB switch). Turned out the whole switch was bad ... tech said it was not sending the necessary signal to the relays every time it was pushed. It took a couple of weeks for the replacement to come in and, like you, I did the "switch test" every day until the new one arrived. Takes about two minutes to install ... writing the warranty order took longer than the repair.

Best Regards .... Ann

 

[kyspyder]

Your Dealer will have to check it out, but I'm betting on it being a bad switch! Possibly caused by water infiltration, but that's just a guess.
KYSPYDER