Handbrake Very Weak.

[davemar]

I've got a 2003 Focus 2.0 Zetec with rear discs & calipers. The handbrake has started to get very weak, and adjusting the cable made no improvement. I had a quick look at the caliper and the pads were fine. When I levered the handbrake lever on the caliper to engage it the braking was very weak (I could still turn the disk) even though the lever was right against its endstop. So there's no problem with cables. Does this mean the caliper has a problem? Is there anything I do to adjust or fix, or will I just need a new one?

I've only checked the caliper on one side up to now, so don't know whether the other wheel is the same.

Thanks, Dave.

[stef123]

sounds like the caliper may be partially seized.

[fernsie]

Had this on my old 2007 Focus

Asked Ford about it on every service and they said nothing was wrong

Was in need of a quick service one day, so took the car to a local garage and the guy spotted it straight away and fixed it

He stripped it down and greased it. Was fine after that

- Says the calipes on Forsd are prone to this. Not sure if thats true, or just his experience

-- Not a lot of work to have them stripped down