Button popped off of my parking brake handle...now it won't release

Ok, it's 10:30 here on the Pacific coast and I can't talk to either of
my local automotive mechanic friends or my motorhead brother on the
east coast due to the late hour. Hopefully there will be somebody on
the list who can help me make it through the night! After work tonight
I got into my '93 Jeep Cherokee Sport 2wd and noticed the button on the
parking brake was missing when I went to release it. It had been there
when I got to work. I found the button and a spring on the floor, tried
to get them back into their proper homes...no luck. I was able to
manipulate the rod/cable inside the handle and release the parking
brake and made it home. My driveway is on an incline and out of habit
I pulled on the parking brake after I shifted into park. Now I can't
get it to release. The handle seems to have gone back into off
position but the brake light is still on. I was able to back down the
driveway and pull back up and it didn't feel like the brake was
dragging. Any suggestions/ideas? I have a good amount of hands on
(and successful I might add) experience in working on cars. Given the
current state of my budget I'd like to try to handle this on my own.
Thanks in advance!
Angie

Angie wrote:
> Ok, it's 10:30 here on the Pacific coast and I can't talk to either of
> my local automotive mechanic friends or my motorhead brother on the
> east coast due to the late hour. Hopefully there will be somebody on
> the list who can help me make it through the night! After work
> tonight I got into my '93 Jeep Cherokee Sport 2wd and noticed the
> button on the parking brake was missing when I went to release it.
> It had been there when I got to work. I found the button and a spring
> on the floor, tried to get them back into their proper homes...no
> luck. I was able to manipulate the rod/cable inside the handle and
> release the parking brake and made it home. My driveway is on an
> incline and out of habit I pulled on the parking brake after I
> shifted into park. Now I can't get it to release. The handle seems
> to have gone back into off position but the brake light is still on.
> I was able to back down the driveway and pull back up and it didn't
> feel like the brake was dragging. Any suggestions/ideas? I have a
> good amount of hands on (and successful I might add) experience in
> working on cars. Given the current state of my budget I'd like to
> try to handle this on my own. Thanks in advance!
> Angie

If you look under the jeep there is a steel cable that runs back to
a Y just before the rear axle. That's the emergency/parking brake
line. If it's slack your fine.

Sometimes a fat pen can be used to press the mechanisim down or
removing the center console for a while till it's fixed will let
you get at the pawl. (on my ZJ all you have to do is take the
bucket out of the center console to get at the mechanisim. Not sure
for an XJ.

--
DougW

Thank you! On my way out to look at it now!
DougW wrote:
> Angie wrote:
> > Ok, it's 10:30 here on the Pacific coast and I can't talk to either of
> > my local automotive mechanic friends or my motorhead brother on the
> > east coast due to the late hour. Hopefully there will be somebody on
> > the list who can help me make it through the night! After work
> > tonight I got into my '93 Jeep Cherokee Sport 2wd and noticed the
> > button on the parking brake was missing when I went to release it.
> > It had been there when I got to work. I found the button and a spring
> > on the floor, tried to get them back into their proper homes...no
> > luck. I was able to manipulate the rod/cable inside the handle and
> > release the parking brake and made it home. My driveway is on an
> > incline and out of habit I pulled on the parking brake after I
> > shifted into park. Now I can't get it to release. The handle seems
> > to have gone back into off position but the brake light is still on.
> > I was able to back down the driveway and pull back up and it didn't
> > feel like the brake was dragging. Any suggestions/ideas? I have a
> > good amount of hands on (and successful I might add) experience in
> > working on cars. Given the current state of my budget I'd like to
> > try to handle this on my own. Thanks in advance!
> > Angie
>
> If you look under the jeep there is a steel cable that runs back to
> a Y just before the rear axle. That's the emergency/parking brake
> line. If it's slack your fine.
>
> Sometimes a fat pen can be used to press the mechanisim down or
> removing the center console for a while till it's fixed will let
> you get at the pawl. (on my ZJ all you have to do is take the
> bucket out of the center console to get at the mechanisim. Not sure
> for an XJ.
>
> --
> DougW

What if it is taught?
DougW wrote:
> Angie wrote:
> > Ok, it's 10:30 here on the Pacific coast and I can't talk to either of
> > my local automotive mechanic friends or my motorhead brother on the
> > east coast due to the late hour. Hopefully there will be somebody on
> > the list who can help me make it through the night! After work
> > tonight I got into my '93 Jeep Cherokee Sport 2wd and noticed the
> > button on the parking brake was missing when I went to release it.
> > It had been there when I got to work. I found the button and a spring
> > on the floor, tried to get them back into their proper homes...no
> > luck. I was able to manipulate the rod/cable inside the handle and
> > release the parking brake and made it home. My driveway is on an
> > incline and out of habit I pulled on the parking brake after I
> > shifted into park. Now I can't get it to release. The handle seems
> > to have gone back into off position but the brake light is still on.
> > I was able to back down the driveway and pull back up and it didn't
> > feel like the brake was dragging. Any suggestions/ideas? I have a
> > good amount of hands on (and successful I might add) experience in
> > working on cars. Given the current state of my budget I'd like to
> > try to handle this on my own. Thanks in advance!
> > Angie
>
> If you look under the jeep there is a steel cable that runs back to
> a Y just before the rear axle. That's the emergency/parking brake
> line. If it's slack your fine.
>
> Sometimes a fat pen can be used to press the mechanisim down or
> removing the center console for a while till it's fixed will let
> you get at the pawl. (on my ZJ all you have to do is take the
> bucket out of the center console to get at the mechanisim. Not sure
> for an XJ.
>
> --
> DougW

Taught means the p-brake is still on. Maybe try pulling the lever and
putting it back down again? If that doesn't work, pull the console and check
out the pawl.

Carl

"Angie" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> What if it is taught?
> DougW wrote:
>> Angie wrote:
>> > Ok, it's 10:30 here on the Pacific coast and I can't talk to either of
>> > my local automotive mechanic friends or my motorhead brother on the
>> > east coast due to the late hour. Hopefully there will be somebody on
>> > the list who can help me make it through the night! After work
>> > tonight I got into my '93 Jeep Cherokee Sport 2wd and noticed the
>> > button on the parking brake was missing when I went to release it.
>> > It had been there when I got to work. I found the button and a spring
>> > on the floor, tried to get them back into their proper homes...no
>> > luck. I was able to manipulate the rod/cable inside the handle and
>> > release the parking brake and made it home. My driveway is on an
>> > incline and out of habit I pulled on the parking brake after I
>> > shifted into park. Now I can't get it to release. The handle seems
>> > to have gone back into off position but the brake light is still on.
>> > I was able to back down the driveway and pull back up and it didn't
>> > feel like the brake was dragging. Any suggestions/ideas? I have a
>> > good amount of hands on (and successful I might add) experience in
>> > working on cars. Given the current state of my budget I'd like to
>> > try to handle this on my own. Thanks in advance!
>> > Angie
>>
>> If you look under the jeep there is a steel cable that runs back to
>> a Y just before the rear axle. That's the emergency/parking brake
>> line. If it's slack your fine.
>>
>> Sometimes a fat pen can be used to press the mechanisim down or
>> removing the center console for a while till it's fixed will let
>> you get at the pawl. (on my ZJ all you have to do is take the
>> bucket out of the center console to get at the mechanisim. Not sure
>> for an XJ.
>>
>> --
>> DougW
>

Then you can pull up and try the pen or a screwdriver to push in on the
rod in the handle.

Other than that you have to loosen the cable. There is an adjuster for
cable install where the single one meets the two rear cables. You can
back it off there to release the brakes and make the repair easier.

'Sometimes' you can screw the button back in too....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

Angie wrote:
>
> What if it is taught?
> DougW wrote:
> > Angie wrote:
> > > Ok, it's 10:30 here on the Pacific coast and I can't talk to either of
> > > my local automotive mechanic friends or my motorhead brother on the
> > > east coast due to the late hour. Hopefully there will be somebody on
> > > the list who can help me make it through the night! After work
> > > tonight I got into my '93 Jeep Cherokee Sport 2wd and noticed the
> > > button on the parking brake was missing when I went to release it.
> > > It had been there when I got to work. I found the button and a spring
> > > on the floor, tried to get them back into their proper homes...no
> > > luck. I was able to manipulate the rod/cable inside the handle and
> > > release the parking brake and made it home. My driveway is on an
> > > incline and out of habit I pulled on the parking brake after I
> > > shifted into park. Now I can't get it to release. The handle seems
> > > to have gone back into off position but the brake light is still on.
> > > I was able to back down the driveway and pull back up and it didn't
> > > feel like the brake was dragging. Any suggestions/ideas? I have a
> > > good amount of hands on (and successful I might add) experience in
> > > working on cars. Given the current state of my budget I'd like to
> > > try to handle this on my own. Thanks in advance!
> > > Angie
> >
> > If you look under the jeep there is a steel cable that runs back to
> > a Y just before the rear axle. That's the emergency/parking brake
> > line. If it's slack your fine.
> >
> > Sometimes a fat pen can be used to press the mechanisim down or
> > removing the center console for a while till it's fixed will let
> > you get at the pawl. (on my ZJ all you have to do is take the
> > bucket out of the center console to get at the mechanisim. Not sure
> > for an XJ.
> >
> > --
> > DougW

Ok, heading back out to the driveway...looks like I'll be backing off
the adjuster so that I can get to work. I tried to remove the "bucket"
by removing the screws at the top where the brake handle comes out and
the screws inside the "boot". The tray that extends to the gear shift
handle started to crack when I tried to pop it out on the driver's
side, the passenger side went fine. I see a mechanism on the driver's
side of the brake handle. Is this the pawl?
Thank you all!
Angie
Mike Romain wrote:
> Then you can pull up and try the pen or a screwdriver to push in on the
> rod in the handle.
>
> Other than that you have to loosen the cable. There is an adjuster for
> cable install where the single one meets the two rear cables. You can
> back it off there to release the brakes and make the repair easier.
>
> 'Sometimes' you can screw the button back in too....
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
> Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
> Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
> (More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)
>
> Angie wrote:
> >
> > What if it is taught?
> > DougW wrote:
> > > Angie wrote:
> > > > Ok, it's 10:30 here on the Pacific coast and I can't talk to either of
> > > > my local automotive mechanic friends or my motorhead brother on the
> > > > east coast due to the late hour. Hopefully there will be somebody on
> > > > the list who can help me make it through the night! After work
> > > > tonight I got into my '93 Jeep Cherokee Sport 2wd and noticed the
> > > > button on the parking brake was missing when I went to release it.
> > > > It had been there when I got to work. I found the button and a spring
> > > > on the floor, tried to get them back into their proper homes...no
> > > > luck. I was able to manipulate the rod/cable inside the handle and
> > > > release the parking brake and made it home. My driveway is on an
> > > > incline and out of habit I pulled on the parking brake after I
> > > > shifted into park. Now I can't get it to release. The handle seems
> > > > to have gone back into off position but the brake light is still on.
> > > > I was able to back down the driveway and pull back up and it didn't
> > > > feel like the brake was dragging. Any suggestions/ideas? I have a
> > > > good amount of hands on (and successful I might add) experience in
> > > > working on cars. Given the current state of my budget I'd like to
> > > > try to handle this on my own. Thanks in advance!
> > > > Angie
> > >
> > > If you look under the jeep there is a steel cable that runs back to
> > > a Y just before the rear axle. That's the emergency/parking brake
> > > line. If it's slack your fine.
> > >
> > > Sometimes a fat pen can be used to press the mechanisim down or
> > > removing the center console for a while till it's fixed will let
> > > you get at the pawl. (on my ZJ all you have to do is take the
> > > bucket out of the center console to get at the mechanisim. Not sure
> > > for an XJ.
> > >
> > > --
> > > DougW

Angie wrote:
> What if it is taught?

Had to go to work, sorry. Hope things worked out.

It won't be compleatly loose but it should have a bit
of slack if you pull on it. Hard to explain in email.


--
DougW

Ummm.... that is the problem, the e-brake was 'on' when the button
popped....

Mike

DougW wrote:
>
> Angie wrote:
> > What if it is taught?
>
> Had to go to work, sorry. Hope things worked out.
>
> It won't be compleatly loose but it should have a bit
> of slack if you pull on it. Hard to explain in email.
>
> --
> DougW

Mike Romain wrote:
> Ummm.... that is the problem, the e-brake was 'on' when the button
> popped....

I know that. The OP was asking how to tell if the ebrake was on
or not even with the handle down. Even when it's off the cable
running back to the rear will not be drooping loose, just barely
taunt to the point you can pull the cable by hand.

> DougW wrote:
>>
>> Angie wrote:
>>> What if it is taught?
>>
>> Had to go to work, sorry. Hope things worked out.
>>
>> It won't be compleatly loose but it should have a bit
>> of slack if you pull on it. Hard to explain in email.
>>
>> --
>> DougW